A woman was in my seat, faking sleep behind big sunglasses as the plane boarded. She ignored me until I showed my boarding pass. She then gestured for me to squeeze past. I said, “I’m not the one getting in, you are!” She flinched and slid to the window without a word. Right after takeoff, to my shock, I felt her lightly tap my elbow. When I looked over, expecting annoyance or another silent demand, I saw something entirely different. She had taken off her sunglasses, revealing tired eyes that looked as though they carried more than the stress of travel. With a small voice, she apologized for her earlier behavior. She explained that she had rushed onto the plane after a difficult morning and hadn’t meant to be rude. Her honesty softened me instantly. You never really know what someone is carrying when you meet them at their worst moment.
She went on to share that she was flying to see her father, who had recently been hospitalized. It had all happened suddenly, and she was still trying to process the news. The flight, she admitted, felt overwhelming. She had slipped into my seat simply because she was anxious and needed a moment to steady herself.
Be First to Comment