March 21, 2006
From seat 18A
** Written on March 17th **
I am writing this from seat 18A, the last row in the plane on my way to DC (again) for a one hour meeting, only to come right back early this afternoon. Arguably, based on the rank and office for some of the people we are meeting with today, they deserve the trip even if it meant a 10 minute meeting.
From this location I can hear the engines, smell the fuel mixed with the aroma of bad airplane coffee. I hear the banter of the attendants about who is sleeping with who, as they fill aluminum trays with ice, take off their matching blazers and don matching aprons. Does one really need an apron to serve half opened cans of Diet Coke? If they made popovers served with melted butter and homemade strawberry preserves, then perhaps an apron is apropos. Actually, now that I think of it, why do they need the blazers?
Here I see the backs of everyone's head. When viewed from behind, everyone has bad hair. Bald spots, cowlicks, static electricity, and clumps of hair gel and mousse that were missed in the mirror all become visible from here.
** Fast Forward to Today **
I forgot that although the airline industry is not doing well (when has it ever done well?) some of their planes and flights actually do fill up. Yesterday I flew from Burlington to Chicago and then on through to Seattle. Ugh. I was dumped in the 5th row and then the 6th row for each flight. The first flight wasn't so bad, as it was only about 2 hours and I had a window seat.
The second flight could have been really awful. I was in the middle seat between a man who felt that he was so important that he actually had extra elbows surgically implanted, and an infant. Not to mention that the flight was 4 hours and that I was arriving at 1:30 AM EST. The infant actually turned out to be really cute and slept the whole flight. No such luck for Mr. Elbow-stein.
One more night here and then I take a red-eye to Baltimore for a trade show. Why did I sign up for this again?
Comments
Because you always wanted to travel and see the country. The only way you can truly see it is if you don't have to work. At my age this would be called a "Catch 22". To have the money and travel you have to work,to do that you don't have time to see what you really wanted to see but other people working. The Good news this week is I have a job. The bad news is that I have a job with a Manager I really can't stand and is the laziest person in the company.
nice seat - remember to flush when finished