The trip to Japan had been on the calendar for months a week-long adventure my girlfriend and I had eagerly planned to ring in the New Year overseas. We had booked our flights, mapped out places to visit, and talked endlessly about the food and sights. As we packed the night before I reminded her to double-check that she had everything, especially her passport. She assured me she did.
The first leg of our journey was domestic, a quick flight within the U.S. Since it didn’t require a passport we breezed through security with our state IDs. Everything seemed fine. However, when we arrived at the international airport for our connecting flight reality hit like a brick wall.
As we were checking in the airline asked for our passports. That’s when she froze and admitted she didn’t have hers. She realized during the first flight that she had forgotten to pack it but didn’t tell me until we were at the counter. There was no way to retrieve it and without it, she couldn’t board the flight.
Frustrated but resigned I decided to continue with the trip alone. I wasn’t about to let months of planning and a non-refundable itinerary go to waste. She was upset calling me selfish and accusing me of abandoning her over a “simple mistake.”
I told her that while I understood her disappointment staying behind wouldn’t change the situation it would only ruin the trip for both of us. I suggested she stay with our mutual friend who lived in the city we were in while I went on the trip as planned. Reluctantly, she agreed but was clearly unhappy.
Later during a FaceTime call our friend chimed in saying he couldn’t believe I’d leave her behind and expressing his disappointment in me. My girlfriend agreed with him saying she had wanted to spend New Year’s together and that I had let her down.
While I feel bad about how things unfolded I still believe I made the best choice under the circumstances. Missing the trip wouldn’t have resolved anything for her and would have only penalized me.
Was I wrong for continuing the trip, or was her oversight something she needed to take responsibility for?