CARRY-ON

The term carry-on can be used in several ways.  It can be used as an expression of encouragement and approval to someone who is doing a good job.  We can say “good job and carry-on”.  This is often a military expression especially with the British.  “Carry on, men” is an expression I have often heard in movies where soldiers are being addressed by generals and the like. Carry-on or carrying on can be used when scolding children who are misbehaving.  “Stop that carrying on up there” was a favorite and often used expression when my sons were young and creating too much noise in their upstairs bedrooms. The more common use of the term carry-on these days is in the airports.  No longer do we check our bags but stuff as much as we can into small suitcases called roller boards and carry them on the plane.  Here is where I get annoyed. Everyone brings on board a carry-on suitcase loaded to the brim and tries to squeeze it into the overhead compartment.  This, of course, increases the time for boarding and often the overhead space is filled before everyone is on board.  This causes some travelers to check their suitcase anyway but the thing that really gets me is the weight of the carry-ons and the people who cannot lift them into the overhead.  I check my suitcase and I see no reason why I have to be the stevedore that must help every little old lady or weak young girl to lift their carry-on into the overhead compartment.  I have seen this scenario play out many times and I refuse to be part of it.  I simply ignore the situation and refuse to help.  I know, call me insensitive, but I have had two back surgeries and like I said before I check my bags to my destination.  Anyone who is paying the cost of an airline ticket and is flying to any destination several hours away should be able to afford the cost of a checked bag. I have not had many lost bags and I get them back quickly when this happens. Since I am not a celebrity and no one really recognizes me I feel no social pressure to assist anyone with their carry-on.  I suspect that there are others who feel the same way.  If you can’t handle your carry-on we will be watching but we won’t help.