With a Smile

The Carnival Elation heading for the open sea.

The sun is out.  A girl walks by wearing tiny shorts and a giant sweatshirt.  Down the hill she goes, her bike in one hand and her dog on a leash in the other.  The dog stops often.  I smile as a very old man passes them.  He thumps his cane as if to discover the hill is really hollow.

I will shiver in the early hour on Monday.  No coffee to warm me up.  We will drink it at the airport.  I know I shouldn’t share loudly that we are gone, that our house is empty.  We have security, neighbors, and family keeping watch.  I think that will do.

I probably forgot something too.  I always do.  Usually you can buy what you forget on the ship.  That’s why I own three, small, foldable hairbrushes.  I don’t think I forget a hairbrush this trip.

Heading to Alaska:  The Sapphire Princess, the Carnival Elation, and the Serenade of the Seas.  To the far right is the USS Midway.

I’m not looking forward to security.  I remember how offended I felt the first time I had to take off my shoes, the first time they swiped my bag for bomb residue.  I remember how nice they were last time I flew.  I forgot to take everything out of my backpack, and there was quite a fuss and some little bit of laughter as I learned the hard way how to travel in the modern world. 

Now I know they will go through everything.  We have new little locks that the TSA’s can open.  They will find we have packed fifteen days of clothes in compressible bags.  Five or six of everything with a laundry room just down the hall, we don’t need more.

My suitcase is small.  This time I have everything but the kitchen sink in my backpack/carryon.  Even my tiny little purse.  Then again, this time I am prepared to take everything out.  Everywhere, anywhere, all the time….with a smile.

Watching, we will be watching everything with a smile.