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Flight 227
I lifted my overstuffed backpack into the luggage crate above my seat and proceeded to find my place next to the window. Oh boy, I thought, If I close my eyes, it won't be so bad... My fear of heights started when I was six years old; I broke my arm falling from the top of a jungle gym. Since then, I despised high up places. I felt clammy in my hands as I buckled myself into the seat.
A man sat on the seat to my left and buckled himself in. He had a terrible odor from what smelled like too much hand sanitizer, and his hair was thinning to the point that nothing but a reflective shine was on the top of his head. He looked down at me and said, "Hey kid, first time flying?"
"Yes," I said, not sure what else he wanted me to say.
"Me too, kid." He held a black backpack in his lap and repeatedly, he'd shake his backpack up and down. I gave the man a strange look but returned my gaze out the window.
"Hey, kid. Um... how old are you?"
"I'm 18, what's it to you?" He was on my nerves.
"Just curious."
I returned my gaze back out the window. This time I didn't want to close my eyes, I kept them open, one eye out the window and one eye looking to the strange man on my left, shaking his backpack up and down, up and down, up and down.
"Oh, hello dears." I looked to my left and saw an old woman sit on the far end of the row. She waved at me with a large plastic grin and I returned one just as artificial. The man took zero notice and looked straight ahead toward the bathrooms.
"Is there anything you want in this row?" I looked over and saw the flight attendant pushing a cart from the back of the plane.
"Do you have water?" I asked.
"Yes, of course." She walked in front of the man and handed me a small plastic cup of water. She took no notice of the man's behavior, so I ignored him as well.
I drank the water and returned the plastic cup to the garbage disposal next to my seat.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Greetings, and welcome aboard Flight 227 to Hawaii. I'm here to let everyone know that the weather looks clear, and it will be a smooth flight to paradise. I hope you all enjoy your flight. Thank you."
Then I heard the crowd of passengers applaud, followed by my own hands clapping and the sound of shouts from two happy and excited male voices behind me.
A different flight attendant stood in front...
A man sat on the seat to my left and buckled himself in. He had a terrible odor from what smelled like too much hand sanitizer, and his hair was thinning to the point that nothing but a reflective shine was on the top of his head. He looked down at me and said, "Hey kid, first time flying?"
"Yes," I said, not sure what else he wanted me to say.
"Me too, kid." He held a black backpack in his lap and repeatedly, he'd shake his backpack up and down. I gave the man a strange look but returned my gaze out the window.
"Hey, kid. Um... how old are you?"
"I'm 18, what's it to you?" He was on my nerves.
"Just curious."
I returned my gaze back out the window. This time I didn't want to close my eyes, I kept them open, one eye out the window and one eye looking to the strange man on my left, shaking his backpack up and down, up and down, up and down.
"Oh, hello dears." I looked to my left and saw an old woman sit on the far end of the row. She waved at me with a large plastic grin and I returned one just as artificial. The man took zero notice and looked straight ahead toward the bathrooms.
"Is there anything you want in this row?" I looked over and saw the flight attendant pushing a cart from the back of the plane.
"Do you have water?" I asked.
"Yes, of course." She walked in front of the man and handed me a small plastic cup of water. She took no notice of the man's behavior, so I ignored him as well.
I drank the water and returned the plastic cup to the garbage disposal next to my seat.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Greetings, and welcome aboard Flight 227 to Hawaii. I'm here to let everyone know that the weather looks clear, and it will be a smooth flight to paradise. I hope you all enjoy your flight. Thank you."
Then I heard the crowd of passengers applaud, followed by my own hands clapping and the sound of shouts from two happy and excited male voices behind me.
A different flight attendant stood in front...
