Here I am now living in Barranquilla, Colombia, WITHOUT a sewing machine as originally planned. What? you say - you had one to travel with before.
So let me tell a tale of woe, a tale of disappointment, and then again, a tale of "perhaps something good will come out of it ..."
Knowing that I would be traveling to live in Colombia for only a short time, I had furnished myself with a small yet powerful Brother sewing machine. It was a great little machine. It sewed wonderfully.
And so ... Betsy was excited about her anticipated move to another wonderful country where she would learn different techniques and use different fabrics. She was lovingly packed with the accruements of sewing - thread, scissors, pins, cutters, ruler, markers, and a cutting mat. She had moved around the country tasting the thrill of sewing a carry-on bag that was a test of her capabilities, a bag that would accompany her on her journey. She hummed with satisfaction as she showed off her variety of stitches that was also part of a sewing challenge. Her owner, was thrilled - she was perfect.
Betsy arrived at the airport early, no, very early in the morning of the day of departure. She was accompanied by her new found friends, 2 large suitcase duffles, a small carry-on and a backpack. She didn't have a passport, she didn't need one. She did however, have a List of Contents readily visible on her side. Standing in line, waiting to check in, she tried a tumble or two, but she recovered nicely. It finally was her turn to check in. There was trouble right from the start.
it turns out that her flight was cancelled, without notification, due to the harsh weather in the East, not because of something she had done. The airline lady, who was trying to sort out the problem, looked at her gaily printed sox sitting amidst her new found friends and said, "You do know that there is an embargo on the amount of luggage that you can take with you, don't you?" Betsy quivered with a feeling of doom. "Why no, I didn't. I had no problems in June with much more than this ..." she heard. "Well I am sorry, you will have to get everything into just two bags, nothing more. If we let everyone carry a lot of luggage, we would have to hire another plane just for the baggage." "Can I pay the overcharge?' "it will be $300 per bag per leg of the journey for anything more than 1 bag."
Betsy was really afraid now because she knew that she wasn't worth anywhere near that amount and that another could be purchase for less where they were going. Sighing and frustrated, they all left the airport, to return the next morning to try again.
In the hotel room, the process began. What to discard, how to repack. A slow process ensued and finally everything was done. Betsy sat forlornly on the bed, her box open and bereft of all her accruement, waiting for what she knew was coming. It wasn't a question of when, just how and what. She wasn't going. But how to maximize her qualities was the question. Betsy wanted to do something worthwhile in her life, something that would distinguish her from all the other machines, something that would allow her to hold her head up high, albeit silently.
In the morning, they all piled into the taxi to return to the airport. Betsy too, but not put together for travel, she thought. She knew, but what? Suddenly her ears perked up - a conversation was going on and it was about her. Oh boy, maybe she could go after all. No, wait, she is going to a new home. There is this wonderful refuge group that helps single moms to become self-sufficient and they sure could use a sewing machine for the ladies to use and share. Oh boy, oh boy, she was going to a place where she could watch with pride as her new users made a difference in their lives and that of their children - she wasn't lost, nor discarded, no, she was wanted.
Yes, I had to leave Betsy behind, but it came with a sense of positiveness. She would help someone else out, maybe not me, but ... I can't help but wonder if Betsy ever thinks about me now? I know that I think of her often, wondering about the wondrous sights that she is seeing and things that she is producing .....sigh .......
