Requiem for a Suitcase

Frank, My sincere condolences on your loss.
It’s strange how attached we can become to inanimate objects like our luggage, our cell phones and our cars— but after years of getting used to them—they do feel like a part of us as though we are Cyborgs. Sounds odd, but it’s like a car you’ve had for many years or a comfortable pair of shoes— they become an extension of ourselves.
I’m already planning to replace my Ricardo
Carry On well in advance because I know the inevitable day will arrive, eventually.

And I want to be prepared for that final reckoning.

It’s usually the handles that go first. Occasionally the wheels.

Often suddenly—without any warning at all.

Eternal rest give unto them.

You could always bequeath it to a homeless person for his/her belongings.

That’s a miraculous idea— It would be a resurrection!

I had planned to donate it. In the States I usually brought used ones to a women's shelter. They can always use them.

Great ideas! I just mentioned this to my wife. We recently threw a couple of old suitcases in the trash. We won't do that again. Foster child programs could use them too.

Foster child programs could use them too.

That's a good idea. I used to do pro bono work for foster kids who were in the court system, and the social workers and CASAs would tell me about kids who only had paper bags to put their clothes and personal items in each time they moved.

That said, it might be hard to find something like that in Europe.

Frank II - I feel your pain. Coming home from Portugal, a bottle of red wine broke in my favorite TravelPro carryon. Did I throw it away…. Nope, I let it dry out and there is only a slight aroma. Telescoping handles and wheels still very strong. The bag is almost 10 years old but I’ll keep on travelin with it.

That said, it might be hard to find something like that in Europe.

Maybe one of the Salvation Army Charity shops?- not for resale, but for use in one of their social care services (for lack of a better overall phrase).

It's especially hard to say goodbye to the good ones.

Fran. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I look forward to your review of Sam's successor.

Sam's successor is likely to be a clone of Sam.

I might try to use it for awhile and see how far it gets me. If it will last two more months I can leave it in Scotland where I already have a few things that a hotel holds for me. At least I'll be able to visit it.

I can really relate to your Requiem. We were privileged to travel with my husband’s suitcase, Magellan, from 1998 to 2018 when we handed it over to our granddaughter. She used it for a few more years until the outer layer of the 2 wheels disintegrated and she was practically dragging it on its fabric. At that point I said it was time to “retire” Magellan and we’d buy her the suitcase of her choice before her next trip. We had purchased Magellan at the mothership store in Santa Barbara prior to our semester long trip with students, a first of three semester trips in the next 8 years. We have not named any luggage since, hoping to not form such a strong bond.

Come to think of it, the same granddaughter still travels with one of our JandD backpacks purchased at their mothership store in Santa Barbara in about 1985. We could watch them stitching the JandD products in the big sewing room and shop from the seconds bins.

Best of luck to you Frank II.

Mona, if you have been getting stuff from JandD all this time why haven't you been backing me up when I recommend their stuff?

I’m similarly attached to my Samsonite rolling weekender that I bought at least 10 years ago. Used for lots of business travel and more recently on leisure trips, including a month in Japan last year. I find it to be the perfect size and still going strong. My daughter borrowed it and declared the internal zipper to be broken, but I managed to fix it, phew!

I am playing a dirge in my head right now for Mr Samsonite, Frank !

I had excellent success with the strangely named Shoe Carers Zip Experts in North London. They have expertly repaired two of my bags now.

As you will be in residence here in London, maybe take a pic or two and send to them and see what they say.

I used them during covid and at that time they were working out of their flat. They still do. An 11 minute walk from Wood Green tube station Piccadilly Line.

Have a look at https://www.zipexperts.co.uk/

As you will be in residence here in London, maybe take a pic or two and send to them and see what they say.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I'm only in London over the weekend. Flying out on Monday.

I have contacted Samsonite repair in London to see if they can fix it tomorrow. I've also contacted Samsonite in Austria to see if they can recommend someplace in Vienna--my next stop. I'm waiting to hear from both.

hope it works out