gambling on human decency

Here in the jetblue terminal awaiting my flight out (1.5 hours early) when these two middle aged men in leather jackets put down their garment bag on the floor and addressed the woman next to me:

“Hey, wouldja watch this bag for me? I’m going for a walk?”

To which she responded something to the point of, “sure”, much to the obvious dismay of those around her. As the guys lumbered off, people fretted in hushed tones.

“I think that’s the opposite of what you’re supposed to do.” “Should we do something?” “Is that illegal?” “I wouldn’t have done that.”

And so this bag was left next to my feet as people began not-so-subtly leaving my section for a “safer location” across the terminal.

I was one of them, taking the opportunity to use the restroom and get a coffee, hoping the bag owners would be there when I returned.

They were.

But I could only think about how scared, nervous, uncomfortable, and tense being nice and trusting some strangers made me, and how seven years ago this was the norm.

“I do this all the time,” the woman said.