27 out of 31  SOL

I scanned the waiting area of gate 9 hoping to find a seat that was close to the gate.  I spotted a vacant seat at the end of the row; perfect.  With a stride of certainty I made my way to the selected seat.  While I was settling in I noticed a young, pretty female in the seat next to me.  I noticed she seemed to me watching me; a quick glance, a slight turn of position in her seat.   I opened my newspaper and buried my eyes in the paper.

She closed her laptop and turned to me.  "I'm going to leave my stuff here while I use the restroom.  Is that okay?"  she asked.

My eyes darted left and right to verify she was asking me.  "Sure," I mumbled with a shrug.  She stood, dropped her laptop on the seat and headed off down the concourse.  

Now let's get serious, I'm all for making conversation, but the Federal Aviation Rules are very clear about leaving bags unattended.  I've never thought that meant you just ask a stranger to watch your belongings.  Why did she just leave her computer and carry-on with a complete stranger?  It wasn't like we'd spent 15 -20 minutes visiting, getting to know each other.  We'd never shared a spoken word until her request.

I tried to go back to reading my paper, but the situation just wasn't settling.  I studied the laptop and my mind began to wander.  Am I reading more into this?  The minutes ticked by.  I made another attempt to read my paper.  The urge to turn and look down the concourse pulled at me.  Was she coming back?  How long as she been gone?  Should I tell someone that she has simply walked away from her belongs?

Okay, you're over reacting and talking to yourself.  I returned to my newspaper, irritated because I rarely get to sit and enjoy the paper, and now I'm freaking out in my head and can't focus on the paper.  Where is she?  My heart began to race.  Deep breath and relax.  Repeat.  Minutes continued to tick by.  Inconspicuously I slid 15 degrees to the right, hoping to look behind me to see if she was coming back.  No luck.  

Sitting up straighter I began to search for someone to tell.  I noticed several airport personnel in the area.  Which one should I tell?  Should I report this unusual behavior?  Stop, I shouted at myself, you are way over reacting!  Anxiousness was clouding my judgement.  Just as I was finding the nerve to report her strange behavior, she returned.  Exhale!  Whew, off the hook!  

I returned to the paper.  

"I'm going to go get a hotdog.  Would you like something to drink?" she asked while digging her wallet out of the front of her carry on bag.  

With a wave of the hand and a quick, almost unnoticeable shake of my head I signaled no thanks.  No words left my lips.  Shocked and stunned, not so much by the fact that she offered to buy me a drink, but that she'd left her wallet in the front of her carry on with a complete stranger.  

Weird.  Very weird.