The Lady on the Plane

“I’ve never had anyone speak to me like that before. I can’t believe she said that when all was trying to do was help, “I quietly griped to Jeff.

We were at the airport preparing to fly home from a restful, celebratory, trip to Florida. Twenty-five years of marriage definitely deserved a little celebrating.

Jeff looked puzzled at me as we stood in line at the gate to check our bags.I mumbled, “That lady. She was mean to me. I’ve never had anyone talk to me like that.”

 “What lady?” Jeff asked me to explain after we sat down to wait for the plane to start boarding

“See that old lady with dark hair, standing next to the tall old man? Well she just bit my head off! I saw her walk briskly up to the gate with her husband and bark at him to get their tickets out. I thought I would ease her anxiety by telling her the plane wasn’t boarding yet and I was merely checking my bag, eyes of hate pierced into me with a snappy ‘I know that’. She paused to let the mind-your-own-business message sink in. I paused too, shocked at her abruptness. Then I fumbled with, ‘I…I…was just trying to help.’ She then curtly replied ‘thank you’ still staring me down before I averted my gaze feeling like I might cry and defensively added, ‘you’re welcome’.”

“Wow, that’s weird” Jeff replied.

We both looked her way. She was talking to the gate attendant about seat assignments. He cheerfully told her the plane was full leaving her and her husband seated apart. That part seemed fine with her as she made it clear to both the attendant and her husband, “I will not seat in row 54. I will not sit in the last row. You can sit there,” she barked at her husband.

“See? Puts the “hateful eight” to shame,” I told Jeff. He started laughing.

Jeff and I silently waited for the plane to board, privately conjuring up in our own minds the same possible scenario. “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if she sat next to us?”

Most people had boarded the plane before we made our way toward our seats. Passing the rows, searching the eyes of passengers to find our seats, I saw her. Our eyes locked in horror.  Taylor Swift’s refrain began playing in my head, “All you’ll ever be is meannn. Why ‘ya gotta be sooo mean?”.

The mean lady now became the lady on the plane I would sit next to for over two hours. We both wanted out of this situation bad. I glanced at Jeff, who was grinning. My eyes pleaded to change seats with me, “Are you sure you need to sit by the window?” I hinted. “Yes,” he selfishly responded. Seriously, can’t he sacrifice for me? It’s not like sitting next to the window gives one a sense of security. So, if the plane is going down, he’ll be the first to panic? That’s comforting.

Lady on the plane’s husband walked up the same moment I asked her to move for us to get into our seats. Her husband, who sacrificially, joyfully sat in row 54 for his wife, looked at the lady on the plane as she softened her tone to plead with him to save her from me.

“Why don’t you see if there’s someone single sitting next to you that would switch with me? Come back and get me, “she ordered with a new resolve to sit anywhere on that darn plane but by me.

 He never came back.

 We barely spoke to each other during the flight except when I thought she was trying to get the arm rest between us up. She fiddled with it until I looked over hesitant to offer assistance.

“I’m not sure if I’m messing with your seat or mine, “she spoke.

“Do you want the arm rest up?” I offered afraid to say the wrong thing.

“No,” she distractedly kept fumbling with the arm rest. “I’m trying to put my seat back,” and then as if she re-gained focus and meanness said, “NO! I’m not trying to put it up.”

“Alright then, I will just sit here and mind my own business and leave you to your own hateful self,” I thought silently.

That was it.  No polite words. No smiles exchanged before we parted. I watched her walk before me as we exited the plane.

It felt regretful.

As Jeff and I drove home from the airport he asked me if I learned anything from the encounter.

“Yeah, Mind your own business”. I answered.

I have no idea what the lady on the plane had going on in her world. She was reading a book called, “The Girl in the Spider Web.” Maybe her life was a tangled web. I could imagine a hundred scenarios and still be wrong. One thing I do know is reaching out to someone should never become about me and rejection should never stop me from reaching out to someone again. It’s none of my business either way.