[Leica] A quick - non-visual and painful reminder why I should always carry a camera.

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

So late Wednesday evening I got a call telling me that I had to be on a
7:30 a.m. flight to Florida Thursday morning, returning late Friday. I
knew I'd be working the whole time, and with my back I really need to
cut down on weight and clutter, so I didn't take a camera - first such
decision in a long time.

Coming back Friday evening I had a window seat in the rear of the plane
and just at sundown missed one of the best 'wing shots' I've seen in
many a year - and I even had a clean, reflection-free window through
which to shoot. Sky and clouds an unearthly pink going to violet; last
of the sunlight turning the protrusions beneath the wings to pure gold;
wing lights sharp and well defined; leading edge of the wing a pure
black, thin band. And no camera. Okay, the photo would have been a
clich?, but it might have been a good clich?. :-)

As if that wasn't bad enough, while taking the subway home from the
airport, while I was waiting to switch trains I was surrounded by a
gaggle of young girls - mid-teens, laughing and chattering away, and
about two-thirds of them were wearing either gold or silver paper tiaras
spelling out the words Happy Birthday. It could have been a killer b&w
shot...But no camera.

Back or no back, I have learned my lesson. :-(