Hey! You Need To Move! - Part I

Okay, here we go. I am going to try something a bit different. I am going to post a two part story. I'll try and post the second part in the next couple of days. We'll see how this works out...Ron

Northwest Airlines – Flight 5771 – Memphis, TN to Panama City, FL – I’m finally going home. A week has never felt so long. The gate attendant makes the announcement and it’s now time to board. I get up from my seat, sling my computer carrying case over my shoulder, make my way to the attendant and give her my ticket. I then make my way through the jet way, smile half-heartedly at the flight attendant standing at the entrance of the plane and begin to look for my seat. My ticket stub says seat 9D, which is a window seat just like I asked for. I peer down the aisle of the airplane and see if I can see where I’m sitting. Slowly I inch my way closer to my seat. After what seems like several minutes I arrive next to where I’ll be sitting.

Sitting in the aisle seat next to mine, seat 9C, is a young lady about 18 or 19 years old. Her age makes me think of my oldest son. This is a very small commuter aircraft, so in order to get to my seat she’ll need to move so I can get by. She is talking on her cell phone and she’s not happy. Let’s just say her conversation is very animated. At this point she hasn’t noticed me hovering over her or acknowledged my presence. After several moments she looks up and we make eye contact. I seize the opportunity and say “Excuse me, but I believe that’s my seat next to you. Would you mind if...” Without saying a word she cuts me off – she raises her left hand and lifts her pointer finger upward and looks at me as if to say “Shhh – I’m busy here”. By now the line behind me is stopped and is growing longer. We’re not moving and I can sense the impatience of my fellow passengers. It’s like I can hear their thoughts - “What is the hold up?” – “Come buddy take your seat!” – “What is this guy’s deal?” From the front of the aircraft I hear the flight attendant say “Sir, you’ll need take your seat so the other passengers can get by”. Without looking I know who she’s talking to. I turn toward her direction, look past the row that has assembled behind me and tell her I am waiting for the young lady to move. The flight attendant now understands and tells the young lady “Miss, you’ll need to move so this gentlema…” Mid sentence she gets up but she’s not happy. You can hear her tell whoever she is talking to “Just a minute, there making me move so some guy can get by”. That’s interesting ‘some guy’ huh? I make my way past her seat and place my computer under the seat in front of me as quickly as I can. I sit down, she sits down and I turn and tell her “Thank You” but she ignores me.

I can’t help but hear her conversation – “I can’t believe they won’t let us sit together, it’s so unfair. This is going to be the most boring flight ever!” I then notice that her gaze is fixed in front of us. I follow her stare and about six rows in front of us notice another young lady, same age, on a cell phone, staring back at her. You mean this is why we waited in the aisle? So two teenage girls on an hour long flight could whine about not sitting together? Unbelievable - I’m over it. I take the pillow that was lying in my seat, put it behind my head and close my eyes. I’ve been married for over 20 years, I know what you do in situations like these – you fake sleeping. Her rant continues and I continue to play dead. Now she starts to lay hints – “I don’t know, maybe they’d move”. I don’t bite. Her frustration with my inability to take a hint finally gets the best of her. She taps my leg and says “Hey, you need to move!” I’m shocked - “Excuse me?” I say as I awake from my feigned slumber. “Yeah, you need to move” she says again. Now I know exactly what she wants me to do but I do exactly as she says. I scoot my big butt away from her and towards the window. I act dumb and say “Is that better?” (I can be a real stinker at times) Now she’s really angry – “No that’s not what I mean. You need to move so my friend can sit there!”

To Be Continued.....