The Slice: Always a good idea to keep that tiny bag packed

After asking readers if they had their own suitcases as children, The Slice heard a number of recollections such as this one from Jo Pickens.

“I had the cutest little suitcase when I was a kid. Santa brought it. It was round and it was pink and it had a little white plastic handle. I could get a pair of jammies in it, a pair of slippers and some clean undies. That was about it.”

It featured a depiction of a puppy on the side. Her sister had a red one.

“I loved that suitcase,” she said.

But then there were stories like this.

“At 4 years old, I decided it was time to leave home,” wrote Bill Dropko, who grew up in Drumheller, Alberta. “My parents gave me a suitcase which was quite a bit larger than me and heavy. I loaded it with some of my toys and one pair of socks, and headed out across a field of about 400 yards toward the town — dragging it all the way because it did not have wheels.

“After about 100 yards, I looked back at my parents on the front porch and they were waving goodbye.”

Suddenly young Bill had a change of heart.

“I realized this new adventure was not for me, and I went running back to Mom and Dad, hoping my room was still available.”

And my friend Kristina Morehouse shared this.

“When I was about 7, my parents gave me a small suitcase for Christmas. It had hard sides and was decorated in loud, classic ’70s style-rainbow-colored stripes.

“A few months later, on a lovely spring day, I arrived home late for dinner to find my suitcase on the front porch with a note from my dad. The note explained that since I apparently could not follow the house rules, I would need to find a new place to live.

“I burst into loud, body-racking sobs and began pounding on the door, pleading for clemency. My father quickly opened it and brought me inside. Clearly, the tough parenting techniques that barely rattled my older sister did not work so well with me, and my poor dad felt awful.”

But after that, Kris was on time for dinner. At least for a while.

Today’s Slice question: How would it impact you if Fairchild AFB closed?