Traveling home alone today after three weeks in Minnesota, I wanted a window seat, but all they had was the aisle, even when I double-checked at the airport. I wondered if, for some reason, I was meant to try an outside seat for a change, and I fought my bitter disappointment all the way down the jetway.
Arriving at 12D, I first noted that there was no window on the row, and I was also a bit relieved not to have to inconvenience the guy already sitting in the middle seat. "Don't get too comfortable," he reminded me as I fastened my seatbelt, "we're going to have to get up." A few minutes later we did just that to allow another guy to take his windowless seat.
"Hi, I'm Paul," said the first guy to the second.
"I'm Paul, too," the other man answered and they shook hands.
I didn't have to guess what was going to happen next.
"We're both Paul," the middle guy said to me.
"I heard," I told him. "That's easy to remember."
"What about you?"
"I'm Tracey."
"What do you do, Tracey?" he continued.
"I'm a teacher," I told him.
"I'm a southern boy," he laughed. "I hope you won't correct my grammar."
"I won't," I said, "I'll just silently judge you. But it won't be too bad-- I teach in Virginia."
"What brings you here?" he asked.
And that was a question I didn't expect. "My mom passed away last week," I answered, because I wasn't prepared to say anything else.
He grabbed my hand in his. "I'm so sorry," he said.
"Thank you," I said automatically, as I have many, many times in the last 8 days.
"I can tell you are just wrecked," he said.
"How?" I asked.
"Your eyes are so sad," he answered. "Losing my mom was the hardest thing I have ever been through," he continued, his eyes welling up. "I will keep you and your family in my prayers." And he gave my hand a squeeze. "Find a good movie to watch," he advised, and left me alone for the rest of the flight.
Arriving at 12D, I first noted that there was no window on the row, and I was also a bit relieved not to have to inconvenience the guy already sitting in the middle seat. "Don't get too comfortable," he reminded me as I fastened my seatbelt, "we're going to have to get up." A few minutes later we did just that to allow another guy to take his windowless seat.
"Hi, I'm Paul," said the first guy to the second.
"I'm Paul, too," the other man answered and they shook hands.
I didn't have to guess what was going to happen next.
"We're both Paul," the middle guy said to me.
"I heard," I told him. "That's easy to remember."
"What about you?"
"I'm Tracey."
"What do you do, Tracey?" he continued.
"I'm a teacher," I told him.
"I'm a southern boy," he laughed. "I hope you won't correct my grammar."
"I won't," I said, "I'll just silently judge you. But it won't be too bad-- I teach in Virginia."
"What brings you here?" he asked.
And that was a question I didn't expect. "My mom passed away last week," I answered, because I wasn't prepared to say anything else.
He grabbed my hand in his. "I'm so sorry," he said.
"Thank you," I said automatically, as I have many, many times in the last 8 days.
"I can tell you are just wrecked," he said.
"How?" I asked.
"Your eyes are so sad," he answered. "Losing my mom was the hardest thing I have ever been through," he continued, his eyes welling up. "I will keep you and your family in my prayers." And he gave my hand a squeeze. "Find a good movie to watch," he advised, and left me alone for the rest of the flight.
Wise Paul. Who needs grammar anyway?
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