While I’m thinking about random airplane friends, I have to
mention James.
So I’m on a plane from AZ to NC (where I would catch another
flight to DC). I have a middle
seat. Oh boy…
Side note: I’m really not a super outgoing person and I am
perfectly content to quietly occupy myself (really), but I am not afraid of people and I
try to embrace unique opportunities and situations.
After a couple vodka sodas, the man on my left (the aisle
seat) started to loosen up and we ended up talking and googling random things
on his Ipad (like Javelina… R.O.U.S.’s. They exist. I’ve seen them.). It turns out we have both been to the same
remote island off of Honduras (tiny, reachable by motor boat, beautiful white
sand; perfect place for snorkeling or scuba diving). It really is not that common. We used google earth to make sure it was the
same one. He had never used Google Earth
before! (Which turned into a whole other
conversation/ tangent).
I could tell James didn’t usually talk about himself to
strangers (almost in a humble way), but I learned that he is a neuro-surgeon
and a former Olympic ski jumper (from the 80’s and yes, I googled him to
check). Close to the end of our trip he
commented that he flies all the time and has never had such fun nor connected
with another passenger as he did on this trip (and no, he was not hitting on
me. He talked about his daughter and
wife throughout our conversation). I
genuinely felt like we had become friends.
Side note, our flight was kind of ridiculous. First of all, the only open spot for my bag
was 10(ish) rows behind us. Then, as we
were landing, the runway was full so we looped around the airport three times before
we actually landed, starting to descend and then randomly speeding up and
ascending again. So now super late,
instead of wondering what I was going to do between flights, I was now
wondering if I was going to make my layover at all. James concocted a plan to help me. As soon as the seat belt light went off, he
hopped out of his seat ran to the back and grabbed my bag from overhead. Meanwhile, I grabbed his ipad (rare trust
between strangers, right?). We switched
outside, then he led the way to my gate (The original plan was to show me the
admiral’s lounge and stop for free food, but there was no time.). He parted the crowds like Moses.
If that doesn’t count as a friendship, I don’t know what
does…
P.S. My flight ended up being rescheduled for
hours later. Of course it did…
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