Mara V 💞 (@Vianney424)

A woman at the airport asked me to watch her handbag while she went to the restroom. I politely declined. She looked surprised. “I’m only going to be a few minutes. My flight hasn’t started boarding yet.” I told her I wasn’t comfortable taking responsibility for someone else’s belongings, especially in an airport. She sighed, placed the bag beside my seat and walked away. It was around 6:30 p.m. on a Thursday, and the terminal was crowded with passengers waiting for evening flights. About seven minutes later, an airport security officer approached me and pointed at the handbag. “Is that your bag?” I said no. “Do you know who owns it?” I explained that a woman had asked me to watch it before going to the restroom, but I’d declined. His expression changed. “She specifically asked you to watch it?” “Yes. I told her I couldn’t.” He asked how long she’d been gone and whether I’d touched the bag. I answered everything. He then called another security officer over and explained the situation. A few minutes later, the woman returned.