A letter of apology.

Dear Brooke -- of the New Orleans Southwest Baggage Claim Customer Service Office,

I once taught my children that if you must say "I am sorry but...." then it is probably not a sincere apology. Sincere apologies should be "I am sorry."

So, I guess I am sorry that I can not offer you a sincere apology for losing it with you tonight. Because I am sorry. BUT.

I am sorry because it really wasn't your fault that the baggage handlers had dismantled Benjamin's wheelchair (in Dallas or Philadelphia possibly, if not New Orleans) in such a way that it was completely reclined and with zero power to sit it back up. It wasn't your fault that after waiting inside the empty airplane for half an hour, I had to transfer my son into a lying down position because someone with your airline had treated this chair with absolute disregard for the life that is dependent on it.

I am sorry because it really wasn't your fault that though your team DID push the 400 pounds of wheelchair and 120+ pounds of man up the bridge, they went no further. It wasn't your fault that they left us in the gate and left me to push the 500+ pounds through the New Orleans airport, up multiple inclines while my 13-year-old carried all the carry-on luggage herself to try and help me when NO Southwest crew offered a finger.

I am sorry because you really didn't know all of that had occurred before we walked past you looking for our luggage. But, and here is the reason I feel like I can not be sincere with my apology, you DID see me pushing a reclined, pained, young man. You saw my red-face. You saw the sweat on my brow and running down my face. And when I realized you had my luggage, YOU could have offered assistance in some way when you heard my son panicked that I was walking away from him while he felt he was in such a vulnerable position. You could have explained that you needed identification now that our bags were in your possession -- i.d. that you wouldn't have needed had we been able to grab them ourself off the conveyor but because of your airline's delay now we were facing you.

Instead, Brooke, you were harsh. Instead, you told me I couldn't touch that luggage without identification. I explained that we had been delayed on the Southwest airplane because of the wheelchair. You said you didn't care. I was trembling from exhaustion. I am not sure I have ever trembled from exhaustion before tonight. But nonetheless, I walked back to find Cate who had my purse in her efforts to help, and was walking from the end of baggage claim. You and your co-workers (I am really sorry I don't have their names) rolled your eyes and ridiculed me. We saw it all. I brought you my claim tickets. I dropped them because my hands weren't even steady. We took our little bags from you.

You didn't even offer an "I'm sorry this was a rough experience." You returned to the desk where you and your team continued to speak about me loudly enough for me to hear. I told you I would write a letter. You told me you would write one too. What does that even mean?

I am sorry that you did not deserve all of my wrath tonight. But I am also sorry that you did not deserve to be working in a customer SERVICE area and representing an airline that claims to care.

Sincerely,

A mother who is always willing to work harder so her son can travel, but will go to bed tonight sore from physically exhausting herself, sad from setting a bad example for her 13-year-old by losing her temper, and broken-hearted that you just didn't care.

P.S.

Dear Southwest Airlines, your pilots were charming; your flight attendants delightful and helpful. We drove three hours past our nearest airport JUST so we could fly with your airline this weekend. But if you can't educate EVERYONE who wears Southwest on their lapel about what good quality customer service means, then I'm going to think long and hard before I do that again.