Lost luggage and long meetings

It got lost... again. After all the airfare I have paid these past 12 months and frankly, past 9 years or so I have been flying, you would think I would know better. I consider myself an experienced flier (no, I am not yet TSA Pre-Check certified but I'm sure later on in life, I'll make the investment). Sunday was not a good example of my flying prowess. I checked my bag when I should not have and it got left behind.

I had been waiting for my boarding group in Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The guest services worker asked if anyone was willing to "complementary check" their bag. Since I was not in a hurry with a layover in Dallas and not arriving to Grand Island, Neb. until about 10 p.m., I figured why not. They were covering the costs and it was one less bag to lug around in addition to my exceedingly full backpack, securing two laptop computers, an iPad and camera case with my body and two lenses. The least I could do was provide more overhead bin space for other travelers and continue my voyage back to Nebraska after a nice holiday hiatus. As I handed the clerk my ticket and made my way down the jet bridge, it didn't occur to me that my bag would not get moved from its location.