A missed flight. I don’t know how we missed our flight. We really don’t know how on earth that happened. We were at the airport more than two hours before the time. My colleague and I were checked in and went through the check in gates.
As we walked towards our boarding gate she mentioned that she could not see the gate number. I saw it and I pointed it out. But it was closed. So we went to the ladies room.
When we got back from the ladies room, we sat at the gate, waiting for it to open. Neither of us checked the time. Neither of us realized it was five minutes before take off. We should have been in the plane already. And there was no boarding call for us.
When everyone around us got up, we did too. And then the shocking realization occurred, that we missed our flight.
We argued a bit with the ground staff. But there was really nothing left to do than buy new plane ticket. We were seriously ticked off. … Beyond ticked off – how on God’s green earth did we miss that flight!!!! R506 extra to pay each. It was not funny.
We tried to make the best of it. Took out some work as we waited for the two hours to pass before our next flight. Cold comfort. We agreed… let’s not think about it. It’s just upsetting. Phahhh.
We made small talk. Agreed that there is some greater cosmic reason why we missed that flight. For someone else’s benefit. Or ours… who knows… who cares. Let’s just go on. And we made damn sure we were at the gate when we needed to board our rebooked flight.
Seated on the flight we settled down. Started talking about some guys we knew. I didn’t pay much attention to him as he went through the preflight safety drill. Seen that crap a billion times before.
And then he came around with the courtesy trolley. I wanted a beer. Was still trying to sooth my ‘being upset’ after missing our flight. And that is when he went out of his way to catch my attention. He was listening to me speak to my friend and responded with gestures to my quirky chirps.
My turn came and I asked for a beer. As he got it, he then asked me something. My response was ‘only if you gonna keep me‘ – and his response was that he would. As he gave me the beer, he asked ‘Ms or Mrs‘ and I said ‘Dr‘ (holly har Bronwyn 😱). Then he asked if I had a business card. I said no.
And then he helped the guy in the aisle opposite me who wanted heaven knows what – an assortment of odd treats. In between doing that he put a pen and serviette on my tray table. ‘Just in case, putting it there, Use it. Don’t use it‘ he says….
I did the necessary.
A random vague blur. The stuff that real life is made of? Fact seems stranger than fiction.
The universe has got this. It doesn’t need my interference. Nothing is random. Everything works better when I don’t try to control it.
Facts –
1) If we caught our flight, I’d have never met him.
2) If my friend and I chose our own seats on the next flight, I’d have never met him.
3) If the guy on the opposite side of the aisle didn’t want a bunch of random stuff, and make small talk, I would have never given him my number.
#GoWithTheFlow
Bronwyn Swartz 