Al Waterloo - Pilot Rule #1: Don't Gamble

Pilot Rule #1: Don’t Gamble.

Clark W. Griswald is my hero. An all American family man who put’s everything on the line to make sure his Griswald Family Christmas’s, European and Vegas vacations are the best experience for his family. I love it. You don’t see Clark W. Griswald, a.k.a. Sparky, gambling. Well, I take that back, let’s not count the $22,000 he loses on his Vegas vacation.  

His mental checklist when leaving the house on these vacations is pretty darn impressive. Every square inch of his suit cases, and every cubic inch of the family truckster, are strategically planned. I need to take packing lessons from Clark.

Pretty much every trip I take as a pilot I am gambling, just the same as Derrell Sheets is gambling when he buys a Storage Unit on Storage Wars. I gamble on how much clean underwear, clean socks, shirts, and ties I pack in my bag. If I have a day trip, forget it. I don’t even pack or bring a suit case. The funny thing is that I have been bit in the behind almost 100% of the time when not packing the appropriate amount. And, if you don’t bring a bag at all, Murphy’s Law will absolutely guarantee that your trip will keep you travelling for more than one day and you will end up wishing you had packed a bag. It’s a gamble with 100% odds against you.

You’d think I’d learn by now.  Every time I fly, I should bring a packed bag. I haven’t learned. Rebounding from my hapless situation, people standing near me get to hear interesting quotes like: “Oh, hey, K-Mart clearance rack, we meet again.” “Siri, where is the closest Target?” or even “What the hell, Google Maps won’t load on my phone and I can’t find Walmart.”

Ultimately, the successful outcome for how well you rebound after you get caught without your overnight bag is showing up the next morning with a clean shaven face as well as minty fresh teeth and breath. There are so many different paths for a successful outcome it’s all up to you.

You’ll never have to be mad at Google Maps anymore if you don’t gamble. But maybe that’s how Google Maps stays in business? Based on my historical sample of this game, the house will always win.

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