The luggage delivery guy called around midnight, as I was getting ready to go to sleep. He said he’d be by in about two hours. I asked if he could just leave it with the front desk so I wouldn’t have to wake up. I then called the front desk, who told me it would be fine, but I’d have to pick up the bag before 8AM. Fine by me. I set my alarm for 7 and promptly fell unconscious.

I awoke at 4:30, probably due to jet lag weirdness. I headed downstairs in my socks and Anne Taintor pajamas, only to find it hadn’t been delivered yet. I called the bag guy, who told me he was a block away from my dorm. My timing rocks! I told him I’d meet him downstairs, and he said he’d call me if there were any problems. Instant dilemma. If I went downstairs, I’d miss the phone if he felt the need to call me, and it would wake up Ko. If I stayed upstairs, he might not be able to find me and call me anyway. I figured the best thing to do would be to meet him outside.

I blame jet lag for such a ridiculous decision. The temperatures were in the low 30s, and I was wearing light cotton pajamas. But Ko’s sleep was at stake, so I ventured out into the cold, only to see the bag guy taking my suitcase out of the van (about half a block away), a cellphone glued to his ear. I started jumping up and down and shouting “I’m right here! Don’t call me!” etc. Eventually he spotted me and we made the handoff.

The next morning, Ko told me that she didn’t remember the phone ringing, so he must have been calling someone else, or maybe Ko’s just a heavier sleeper than I give her credit for.

And now I have good bras and stripey socks and deoderant and all my favourite shirts and the various tchotchkes I picked up in Greece and the buttons for my purse and other assorted goodness! Hurrah!