Last week, work took me a little further than my usual twice-a-month flight out to San Angelo. This time it was to Philadelphia, PA - the supposed City of Brotherly Love.
On this trip particularly, I noticed how traveling can be very unbecoming for some people. Why is that? I believe most people to be courteous and generally respectful of others. But there apparently is an internal switch that gets flipped when some people get an airline ticket in their hands.
One minute you're talking to a sweet little old lady about her 9 grandchildren and suddenly the next minute you're getting your head ripped off because you took too long to pull out your driver's license at security. Shesh!
That being said, I'd like to take a moment to respond to 3 guys I bumped into on my to Philly.
To the guy who used the phrase, "You don't understand - I have to be on that plane!" in order to get security to let him cut to the front of line so he make could his flight:
"No, you can't cut to the front of the line because not only are you cutting in front of me you're cutting in front of the 20 people behind me - each of whom made a concerted effort to arrive earlier than just 15 minutes before departure!
To the guy at the gate who turned to me and said, "Hey man, can you watch my bags?" and then just took off without waiting for me to respond:
"Dude! Unattended bags = security threat!"
I just stood there for a second not really knowing what to do! I seriously thought about calling a TSA agent and telling them that some guy just hauled off and left his bags just sitting in the terminal. But had I done so, they would have cleared out the entire place and I, ahem!, all these people would have then missed their flights!
But before I had a chance to cry 'wolf!' he came back, "Thanks, man! I had to blow my nose!"
Blow your nose? Are you kidding me? I found this to be an appropriate time to display my restrained displeasure with him by subtly rolling my eyes and slightly shaking my head.
Oooo! That showed him!
To the guy who had a problem with me speaking to my co-worker seated in the row infront of me and said, "If you two are going to talk back and forth the entire flight then why don't one of us switch seats now so all these people won't be bothered?"
(Keep in mind that passengers were still boarding the plane!)
"Dude, two words: Chill. Pill."
The funny thing is that because of my hearing, I'm usually not very talkative on flights anyway - its just too hard to have a conversation over the roar of the engines. He would have gotten his precious silence as soon as we pulled away from the gate.
Unfortunately for him though I have a terrible habit of smacking loudly when I eat pretzels! Boy, that was a big bag of pretzels - took me forever to finish it!
Side note: In shocker of all shockers, my trip concluded without a single bad experience due the incompetence of the Evil Empire. Although relieved, I don't expect this to be a long-lasting trend.
_____________________________________________
"Which do you most dread when flying?"
Total votes: 22
The kid who kicks the back of your seat: 7 votes, 31%
The middle seat: 5 votes, 22%
The guy in front of you who uses his seat to remove your knee caps: 3 votes, 13%
The guy who snores: 2 votes, 9%
The guy who hogs the arm rest: 2 votes, 9%
The incompetent pilot: 2 votes, 9%
The rude flight attendant: 1 vote, 4%
4 comments:
Wade, I think it's even worse when you're flying internationally. Mixing cultures and languages on a looooong flight do not make for a pretty picture. I realized this very quickly when flying back to Bolivia with Nathan by myself just after his first birthday. There was the occasional kind soul who helped this crazy mommy, but most people were just a little too happy to openly display their annoyance. So disappointing. We won't be making that trip without a daddy again, I can guarantee it :)
I voted for the kid who kicks the back of your chair - but it wasn't a kid kicking my chair it was a middle aged woman who couldn't figure out her tray table. Seriously - she opened and closed it 30 times before I turned around and said something. And her response? "Oh, I'm from East Texas and it's my first time on a plan." (Said with a very heavy southern accent) I don't care if you have never been in an airplane - get a clue!!
Hey Laura,
You're so right about mixing cultures on a plane!
I remember flying Bulgarian Airlines from NYC to Sofia, Bulgaria - I got the middle seat between some goat farmer woman from the hills and a cigar puffing grumpy old Bulgarian (these were pre-no-inflight-smoking days) who wanted nothing to do with the obnoxious 17 year-old American teenager sitting next to him!
Needless to say I spent those 10 hours doing my best impression of a stump on a log!
As for taking the toddler along, I'm actually a little worried about a trip Kelly and I are taking this summer. 9 hours one way with 7 month old - this should be interesting!
______________________________
Hey Tara,
Now that's what I call an obliviot - an idiot who is oblivious to everyone else around them!
I can't imagine how a manually operated tray table is technology so advanced that it baffles and confuses some East Texas recluse.
I don't blame you for saying something. In fact, the airline you were flying should have given you a free voucher for showing self-restraint and not smacking said-obliviot up side her head with said-tray table!
TFSB,
W
Ahhhh-the joys of flying. Something to look forward to on our 24 hours of flying Saturday!!
Post a Comment