Lost Luggage Ch. 00

Prologue

It would only be a few hours before the plane landed. As I watched the ocean of clouds rush beneath the metal wing I wondered if I had hastily gotten into something I couldn't handle. I wondered if I could actually have a good time after all the years I had devoted to the only constant thing in my life: work.

My career in the private sector had been a successful one – in fact, so successful that I retired early with an enviable estate. As usual with great success, there was always a price. At mid-thirties, I had more business associates than friends, no relationship longer than a one-night stand, and a social life that involved my TV, laptop, and a bottle of Jack. I was wealthy beyond my dreams and somehow still poor.

I spent close to a month trying to relax by myself at home, but I felt the anxiousness and restlessness creep into me as time dragged on. I knew I had to get out of my personal Xanadu before I became too familiar with the quiet and the lull and ended my days as a recluse like so many rich has-beens before me. I needed something different, far away from anything I knew – so I gave Kitty a call.

"How are ya, handsome, how's retirement?" Kitty was my travel agent and an unabashed flirt. Back when she booked my business trips she always took the oppourtunity to call me "handsome," for the expressed reason that in over ten years of association we had never seen each other. She always would leave me speechless for a bit, but I would recover and pretend as if she had simply said hello. I knew it always gave her a kick to get me flummoxed like that. Of course, she quickly became my agent of choice for all my travel bookings.

As I heard her voice, a wave of nostalgia tugged at me, and I realized how much I missed her warm demeanor and acquaintance.

"How are you, Kit? I miss those outrightliesyou tell about me. Actually, I'm surprised you remembered me at all."

"Ajay! Who can forget that sexy voice of yours?" Kitty was incorrigible. You can see why I liked her. In fact, I felt like I was meeting an old friend after many long years. Had it only been a month?

"Kitty, I'm going out of my mind. I need a vacation, an adventure, anything! Something with...vivre."

"Already bouncin' of the wall, are you, hun? Well, anything specific you lookin' for? What are your interests?"

Interests? Watching the Late Show after a nightcap? My career had been my only interest. I told her so.

"What about your friends? How did you spend your time with them?" she asked.

Friends? I had no friends.

"Kitty, believe it or not,youare the closest friend I have right now."

Kitty was silent for a while, and I wondered if I had made things too awkward. Maybe she was touched. Maybe she felt sorry for a lonely middle-aged man like me. Maybe what had been a semi-professional relationship had just taken a weird turn. I began to feel the heat of embarrassment and spoke rapidly to move things along.

"How about you Kit? What are your interests? What do you do for fun with your friends?"

I seemed to have caught her off guard. "What do I do for fun...?" she said, her voice trailing. I had finally flummoxed her, but with no idea why. I waited for several minutes, then she spoke, but quitely as if in confidence.

"Ajay, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me you've never had any real fun in your life."

"A more truthful set of words has yet to be uttered."

Kitty paused as if weighing a decision, and then said, "Okay, then I need you to trust my judgment. I have something in mind, just the thing I think you need, and I think you will definitely feel revitalized, to say the least. But, I want it to be a surprise for you when you get there. I promise, you will love it."

"Kitty, I'm am now and forever yours. Tell me where to go and I'm there. Money is no concern."

"Forever mine, are you?" She giggled a bit. There was the Kitty I knew. She was back, her sultry voice making my heart race. I haven't heard her be this sensual before. "Watch what you say, handsome, it might come true."

I felt the hot sweat of embarrassment flush my body. Kitty was up to something. I became acutely aware of droplets of sweat trailing down by back and the prickly sensations all over my body. I was never any good with even the most innocent of flirting. I had no idea what to say next. I stammered and tried to come up with a line, but my mind went blank.

"Ajay, hun," she said, chuckling. "Poor baby, don't worry. When you get back, you'll know exactly how to deal with a wicked witch like me. Bye, handsome!"

I heard her giggle, then click off the phone.

I stayed rooted to the spot, phone in hand, only the dial tone breaking the silence. In the myriad of thoughts rushing through my mind a sense of dread formed and among the countless questions one emerged that made my heart race. What the hell did I get myself into?