Dear Suitcase,

For $19.99 you’ve been one heck of a travel bargain. You have been my trusty companion for thousands of miles, four trips around the world and hundreds of jaunts from Gainesville to New York, Hanoi, Bangkok, Beijing, Paris, London, Miami, St. Petersburg and more places than I can remember. I’ve lugged you on board every make of airplane, jockeyed for overhead space, dragged you full of purchased treasures, dirty clothes, stupid zip lock bags filled with TSA-prescribed 3 oz. bottles of shampoo, creams and emollients. You’ve endured stickers, kicks, tears and more weight than you were ever designed to carry. May you rest in piece, or should I say peace. I’m off to my local big box store to see if I can find one of your cousins for another $19.99. Thank you, dear suitcase for a lifetime’s worth of memories. TVN