Unclaimed Baggage, due Sept. 18, centers on three teens living in Alabama.
Grant was the star quarterback and epitome of Mr. Popular whose drinking problem has all but destroyed his life.
What do these three have in common?
Credit: Sarah Shatz
A summer job working in a store called Unclaimed Baggage cataloging and selling other peoples lost luggage.
In either case, a true friend can lighten the load.
Excerpt from Unclaimed Baggage, by Jen Doll
Doris
HELLO.
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Think of us as an animal shelter for goods.
Does anything here look like you could give it a forever home?
As usual, Im alone in the back.
I pick up the microphone I just found in the suitcase Ive been unpacking.
It doesnt have batteries, so humor me.Is this thing on?
I should probably manage expectations.
If youre like most people, youre not going to be that impressed by what Im about to reveal.
Youre going to say,Anyone can do that.
All you have to do is pay attention.Or, maybe youd be harsher:Thats a dumb talent.
Thats not even a talent!
Even if I am just talking into a dead microphone in a stockroom full of used items.
My name is Doris.
Unless youre like me, I guess.
But back to that talent.
The neighbors missing cat, awkwardly named Pussy.
Or my moms sunglasses: Nine times out of ten, theyre right on top of her head.
Its not a superpower that would be fairly lame, as superpowers go.
But its been helpful, I have to say.
Not just personally, but professionally: I find things for my job.
Or, more accurately,Things find me.
What happens to all that stuff?
Airlines have a go at reunite people with their belongings, but they dont always succeed.
You might hit it big, or you might end up with a pile of soiled shirts.
Game of chance, meet laundromat.
Most days I work in the stockroom, going through shipments.
Even better, I find those items well, not the boxer shorts homes.
Its a lot like life that way.
Everyones always looking for something.
And were all carrying around the memories of what weve lost.
Which, by the way, is far more than just possessions.
I miss her, but at least I know shell be back.
Then there are more permanent rifts: Friendships that go awry and cant ever be fixed.
you’ve got the option to lose someone you love.
Even age disappears, year after year.
In two more years, high school will be gone.
A chapter behind me.
Earlier today I was heading back to the stockroom after my lunch break when I found a kid.
That set off the alarm bells.
He looked at me, and I knew.
Youre lost, I said, and his big, round eyes, they got hopeful.
My mom is here somewhere, he said, and I said, Of course she is.
I took his hand, which was slightly sticky.
He squeezed mine back in a way that felt like he was preparing to hold on for dear life.
I noticed Chassie had her arm in a sling.
Ahem, I said, causing them to turn around.
Thats when I saw that Chassie wasnt with Grant Collins at all.
Oh.excuse us, said Chassie.
The guy looked at me and then at the floor, and I remembered his name.
Hed been on the football team with Grant.
Chassie noticed the kid clutching my fingers.
Blake Jarvis, she said, youve got chocolate on your shirt.
She rolled her eyes and turned back to Mac: Lets get out of here.
Ill just keep the shoes.
My arm hurts, and this place smells like mothballs and death.
I gently tugged my charge toward my boss and the owner of Unclaimed Baggage, Red Finster.
Found a new friend, Doris?
Blake Jarvis, wheres your momma?
I really liked that duet you sang together at the church concert last week.
That was real pretty.
Suddenly I understood why everyone seemed to know Blake Jarvis except me they all go to church together.
Church is big in my town.
Church and football, which I dont care much about, either.
A bunch of jocks hurting each other and themselves as people stand around and cheer?
Blake Jarvis tried to smile, but his lip quivered.
Knowwwwww, he answered, his face crinkling into a pool of almost-cry.
Wanna make an announcement for her?
offered Red, and Blake Jarvis shook his head up and down, a hard affirmative.
Ive been found, Momma!
Momma, where are you?
Gail Osteen, Blake Jarvis is at the Customer Service desk.
just pick him up at your leisure.
Within minutes, there were the same hopeful eyes, with a neat bob rather than the spiked-up hair.
said Mrs. Osteen, who smelled like vanilla and was holding several one-piece swimsuits with ruffled bottoms.
She hugged her little boy, and he pointed to me.
Red gave me a high five.
Stellar job, as always!
You know who I thought of then?
Calling her own shots, saying the heck what other people think.
Find yourself, she said.
Thats the only way.
As a teenager, shed lifeguarded at our town water park, and she dove right in after them.
She brought one back to safety before going in after the other.
They never recovered her body.
Thats the thing about lost.
It doesnt always mean found.
Sometimes it feels like they take over completely, leaving a hole where your heart used to be.
The grief counselor told me to hold on to the memories, thats how I keep Stel alive forever.
My job helps, though, it really does.
Red treats me like an adult, and hes never judged me for anything, unlike Mom and Dad.
Along with getting regular paychecks, what more can you ask for in a job?
Well, theres another thing.
At her memorial service, Aunt Stellas favorite yoga instructor called her a connector.
Maybe theres another side to things you havent even thought of yet.
I drop the mic.
These suitcases arent going to unpack themselves.
