The Most Laid - Back Traveler Ever

This is a true story.
I was on a flight yesterday and the flight attendant called out a passenger's name and asked them to ring the call button. To my delight (I always wanted to know what they say to that passenger) the woman next to me pressed her light.
I saw the flight attendant coming toward us and before she even reached us she was saying "this has never happened before" - and I got even more interested, covertly of course.

The flight attendant then extended her hand toward the woman and in her hand was a suitcase handle - fully intact but obviously ripped from a bag, a carry strap that was supposed to hold another suitcase and a luggage ID tag. Inwardly, I could feel my eyes widening and was waiting to hear the the woman's response (let 'em have it, lady. I'll support you - again I said in my head) Out loud I did say "that looks bad" as a kind of a "priming the pump" statement. I'm not proud of myself but when you travel a lot something like this does break the monotony. The woman instead said "well, it was an old suitcase". (I'm thinking "how old does a suitcase have to be for the whole handle and part of the bag to come off? Should I start to worry about my luggage? I can just see me running through the airport to catch my flight and when I get to the gate I look down and all I have is my suitcase handle. Obviously I should not have thrown away the instructions with the luggage expiration date! )

You could tell that even the flight attendant was surprised by that response and she stuttered a bit and restated, "this has never happened before" and then added "do you want this (pile of crap in her hand)"? The strap is still good. I love those straps." (Was that supposed to make the woman feel better that the strap had been saved? If my luggage does eventually fall apart will I be lucky enough to be left with the handle and the strap?)

Again, calmly the woman said "no, you can throw it away but will my suitcase make it to Sacramento"? (I'm thinking "yeah, what's left of it" but kept that sarcasm to myself) The flight attendant assured her that her suitcase would be there and that she should file a claim as soon as she landed.

The woman nodded and the flight attendant walked away holding the prized strap. Just when I thought the excitement was over and started back on my sudoku, the woman looked over at me and said, again very calmly " I hope my computer is OK. It was in the bag."

My head was starting to hurt from holding my raised eyebrows inside my forehead, but I tried to respond with some authority "I think you better check it when you get there" (and be prepared to see your computer parts in a large baggie, I thought) Our conversation ended. She spent the remainder of the flight in a zen-like state reading a book. On a side note, they didn't even offer her a free alcoholic beverage on the flight!!

Seriously, I have never experienced anything like it. Did I learn a lesson from her - I wish but probably not. Maybe you will - don't sweat the small or not so small stuff.