Memorable Flights

Working the next 5 nights somewhat dampens my enthusiasm for blogging anything of great import. So (as I am on paid call tonight and attempting to occupy my time in a useful manner), I will impart to you, my readers, a few tidbits from my former adventures. Namely, one of my favorite parts about traveling (especially flying). Meeting unique people.

I happen to be one of those strange humans who loves to talk with my seat companions on planes. Actually, I really love just listening to people. So, for starters, I always select a seat next to a window (so I don't overtax myself trying to talk to more than one person at a time, and because I love watching clouds). I rarely introduce myself at first (''forgetting'' until the end of flights...and sometimes even then...), but observe the person next to me during boarding. Usually, I start up a conversation while the plane is taxiing, discussing things as simple as destinations or from where they are traveling.

If there is one thing everyone I have ever met has in common, it is this (and I think it is true of almost all humans): people love to talk about themselves.

Here are some of my favorites from the past year:
1. Kim: the female Delta pilot on her way to the next assignment...after being "shocked" that I had attended Bob Jones University (I guess she didn't think I looked like I should be from BJU? and I had to correct her misbeliefs that there are pink/blue sidewalks and cookie-cutter students!), wanted to spend the entire flight from GSP to Detroit debating on Evolution vs. Creation. I explained what I believe and why, asking for her beliefs every time she contradicted me. Her constant refrain was that what she believed was "too complex, and we don't have time.'' Interestingly enough, the one argument she seemed to grasp at was the fact that I was a nurse and surely, as a nurse, had studied bacteria and viruses, therefore I should know firsthand of how evolution was still working. While I'm no science genius, I did take Microbiology (twice) with Dr. Grey. He spent much discussion time on how bacteria and viruses can adapt/mutate to their environments. Anyway, it had to be one of the most interesting discussions I've ever had (though frustrating in that she could only attack what I said, continue to question me, yet give me none of her beliefs).

2. David: the ancient writings curator from the Getty Museum in L.A. Flight: JFK to Boston. He was on his way to check into some writings that his museum was interested in obtaining. He was telling me about some of the oldest writings he has read...including the Dead Sea Scrolls! Imagine. Being able to read those scrolls...he's the head curator of his department and gets to see all sorts of amazing original manuscripts.

3. Anne: the OT (occupational therapist) who lives in Greenville with her husband and was 4 months pregnant with their first. She and her husband had actually met through her friend, who happened to be one of Charles' old Speech Therapists! We had a great time discussing babies, therapies, Greenville, and special needs kids on our way from Charlotte to JFK. Our connecting flights happened to be leaving from the same gate at JFK so we watched each other's things while the other went to the bathroom and got food. (don't worry, I made sure she wasn't planning on traveling after that trip...these pregnant girls who travel in their last trimester give this NICU nurse heart palpitations!)

4. Nick: the Italian from Dallas, TX who was catching a connecting flight in Atlanta on his way to Charlotte...well, he was originally from Italy, went to college in Boston (which was where I was traveling back from), then got a job with Microsoft in Dallas. We had a fun time discussing technology...and after I showed him that I'm kind of an Apple girl (with my iPhone 4, iPod Classic, and MacBook Pro), he confessed to owning a MacBook Pro! lol. oxymoron. But he had a nice accent...

5. The older gentleman who lives in northern Florida, sporting a motorcycle vest, American flag hat, ponytail that was almost as long as mine (yikes!), and smelling of the same cigarettes my Grandpa G. used when I was a kid...we started at discussing books (he was reading a fiction novel about autistic kids who ruled the world, while I was reading Dune which he was extremely happy about...had read it several times, he stated)...and from there we talked about authors, northern Florida (he lives a couple towns away from my grandparents), his business ventures (was on his way to Maine to visit a friend and discuss some "scheme"), and eventually, politics. (I know! I almost never discuss politics with strangers...and he kept apologizing for maybe offending me...which I told him was difficult to do and that he had most certainly NOT offended me) I was able to give him a tract, which he thanked me for, and parted with him amicably at La Guardia.

6. The tiny 80+ year old lady from Johannesburg, South Africa. Flight: Denver to Atlanta. She had a 'lovely' accent and had been visiting her son (for ''possibly the last time'') in Denver. She had grown up in Johannesburg, though she could have passed for a relative of the Queen of England from the way she talked and dressed. I was able to sit with her while everyone else was getting off the plane and waited until she had a wheelchair, made it up the ramp, and figured out from where her connecting flight was departing.

7. The couple who was flying back from California to Simpsonville. Flight: Chicago Midway to GSP. They had just been on the Price Is Right and the wife had been called up, bid on something, won, and got to spin the wheel! Their episode aired on May 13th, 2011 (which, sadly, I had to sleep through because of work). They gave me tips about how to get on stage at the show, make-up tips (the wife is some big consultant for Avon, I think...and you know me, hardly wear any make-up), and we discussed the benefits to living in the South :)



There are more stories to be told, and many more to experience! These are a few of the ones that stand out, but don't despair! I'll share more later. For now, I hope that I can blog something of sense at least once in the next 6 days.