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I was on a trip to a conference in the U.S. and had decided to stay in Chicago to visit some friends (before they moved to Switzerland). Flying out of Chicago the next day, I didn't want to take my entire luggage into town. So I decided to leave most of it in a locker at O'Hare airport overnight.
Except, that I couldn't find any free locker. All lockers in the terminal were locked. Finding no free locker in the next terminal as well, I got uneasy and asked the nearest airport officer for help. This was a young lady, accompanied by a friend, as it seemed. I asked her whether she knew of any free lockers or any other way to leave my luggage at the airport overnight.
Originally, she had turned to me in happy anticipation to help me and impress her friend. However, it seemed that the concept of locker had never occurred to her. So when I asked my question, I watched her face get hot and heard the mechanical parts of her brain grinding in slow motion. Eventually, her tight-fitting costume seemed to leave enough air through to her lungs and hence her brain and she regained posture. Taking another big breath, she told me with a firm and reproachful voice: "Do not leave your baggage unattended at any time."
Confronted with so much brilliance, I thanked her for her help, and left the scene. Walking away, I saw her eyes telling her friend the story of her great victory over a stupid foreigner's unruly question.
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