Trading Spaces.

Question: How do you make an 8 hour flight “fly” by?
Answer: Sit in no less than 4 different seats throughout the flight!!

So we board the plane. Terry and I are separated (due to our late flight out of Little Rock causing us to miss our connection in Dallas…)I put my luggage in the overhead bin and get comfortable in my seat – 14B. It’s by the aisle, but no big deal. Then, just before the cabin doors close, I observe a couple in the middle of the plane arguing with the flight attendant. I really wasn’t trying to overhear…it was just difficult NOT to overhear. I mean the woman was talking very loudly and every other word was a four letter word. I pick up on the gist of the convo: couple is on their honeymoon... missed their original flight...she wanted a window seat.

I’m sitting there, just frozen. Here I am, staring in total disbelief – I mean how in the world could anyone who is on their honeymoon and on a flight to Honolulu be SO upset?! I mean, I could have totaled my car or something and would have been like “Oh well, I’m on my way to Honolulu – no worries!”.

Now I realize that I have a quick decision to make. It seems pretty obvious that whomever was originally supposed to sit in the window seat beside me is a no-show. I was so hoping to slide over and have a nice 2-seat flight to Hawaii. Or maybe I could invite Terry over to join me. Yes, that might be nice also. But then my thoughts keep drifting back to this poor husband who looks like he might die of embarrassment b/c of his new bride…and I can actually feel his pain. Gosh, he’s got a lifetime of this…perhaps I should do what I can to at least give this poor guy 8 hours of relief!! So I lean over, tap him on the shoulder at which point he turns to look at me and I really think he’s about to cry. I whisper, “You both could sit in these seats if it will help and she could be by the window.” I think he’s gonna melt down or hug me or something and then suddenly, like a baby who’s been given a pacifier, the bride starts beaming: “Oh, that is so sweet of you!” she gushes, grabs her things and start plowing over him to snap up the available window seat.

So I relocate and am now sitting in the aisle with 2 seats to my right (12C). Then, the guy who was originally ticketed to sit in that window seat actually shows up! Now it’s a really Mexican fire drill! The flight attendant can’t figure out what to do with him so she asks another guy to sit in the row next to me and then seats this other guy in that row. So I move over (12D) to the middle seat (since the guy to my left is a bigger guy with leg room needs…). Now I find myself sitting between a guy to my left (he’d make an awesome body guard!) and an army guy to my right (just finished 3 years in S. Korea and on his way to do 3 years in HI). After a while I break out the cheez-its and offer some to my neighbors – no takers. Terry comes by several minutes later and says “I’ve got an empty seat next to me – you should come back here”.

So I crawl over Mr. Army man (who is apparently addicted to the game Mine Sweeper) and relocate for a 3^rd time (24F)!

Next time, we’re flying 1^st class…