The Nice Thing About Strangers
Creative Non-Fiction Short Stories. :) Travel, Oldsters, Love, and Compassion.
There There
He is the man with dark, well-slicked hair and a perfectly pressed dress shirt–imposing even in the shuttle to the airplane. He helps a little old lady move her suitcase into the overhead bin with only one hand. Calm and assured, as if it were his private plane, he settles in.
Yet it is a sight to see, during take-off, how he grips the armrest in anxiety, the hair on his giant hand failing to hide how pale his knuckles become. As a child yells “Woooooo” in delight from the back of the plane, he looks away from the window and to the floor. He puffs out his cheeks as the airplane climbs, perhaps a louder exhale than he expects. He sits up straight, plants his feet. Then the old lady who accepted his help offers hers in return. Her arm stretches across the aisle to pat him sweetly on the wrist, as she trades humble smiles with her neighbor.
–Somewhere over Hungary
A gift from the sky. Budapest.
The Nice Thing About Strangers 
I can so relate to this…
Are you the consoler or the consolee? 🙂
Aww, really cute! 🙂
Thanks! I’m always watching the little old ladies to pick up tips for later. 🙂
Very wise. 🙂
I know how he feels!
Are you afraid to fly, Hugh? I quite like take off, but not landing.
Yeah even the most confident people can be scared of flying……………but not be……………
It’s always tough to be afraid when there are unafraid kiddos nearby. 🙂 I feel that one!
This put a smile on my face. 🙂
I loved this. Isn’t it funny how we can have these assumptions about people, only to find out later there any so many other things hidden beneath the surface!
Beautiful piece.
I’m a consoler. My dad, son, and ex-husband were afraid to fly. I love to fly. I love takeoff even though that is the most risky time for a plane. Airline pilots are typically very experienced. It’s best to enjoy the thrill of flying and leave it up to them. You have a better chance of surviving in a plane than you do in a car! People should worry when they’re in a car, not in a plane! I have experience taking flying lessons and believe me, just about everything that could go wrong, did! And yet I’m still here! I have no scars or bruises but just a lot of fun memories of stories that I love to tell to make the hair on the back of people’s necks stand at attention! Hahaha! Don’t waste your time worrying no matter how bumpy that landing might be! Planes “want” to fly. They are built to fly. Aerodynamics are ingenious and I marvel every time I see a plane take off from the airport near my house. I understand it and yet I still can’t believe it! I get goosebumps and I love, love, love it! The best way to cure fears of flying is to take flying lessons. In my studies, I purchased tapes about flying and in one of them there was an actual account of a passenger with no flying experience who had to fly and land the plane. (They didn’t say what happened to the pilot.) The control tower talked the passenger down with no problems (even though I was at the edge of my seat listening to the event.) So, that should tell you something about flying a plane!
I love the idea that planes want to fly! How lovely! I always enjoy take-off, though i must admit, I am not a fan of landings. I have heard from pilot friends that much of the process is quite stream-lined these days. My Mom was a stewardess in the 60s and even then she wasn’t ever afraid.
It’s nice to see people trading consolation, though. I can imagine you are a consoler, Marcella! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your view–
Paige
How nice that your mom was a stewardess! I’ve always liked stewardesses – they work so hard! Passengers never seemed to appreciate them but I did. If there was ever a problem (there never was) I like to think that I would have done anything to help them.
I completely believe you when you say she was never afraid. You should ask her why : – ) I’d say because she trusted the pilots and because she trusted herself. She knew what to do in an emergency. Knowledge is power. Fear comes from lack of knowledge (fear of the unknown). How great that your mom was a stewardess. Thank you for sharing that!
Say hello to your mom for me. Sisters in flight.
Marcy
Landings can be bumpy. Wind and speed are the causes. Too little speed and you feel like the plane dropped on the runway! Ouch! It’s a tricky balance. I’ve had a few rough landings myself as a pilot. Sometimes the nose gear gets stuck (to complicate the issue). I’ve had that happen to me. The pilot has to land keeping the nose up in that situation.
Reblogged this on The Nice Thing About Strangers.
I’m not afraid to fly, but I hate it. Oh, how I hate it. Same result, though–this sure does resonate.
🙂 Well, perhaps you’ll late a little old lady console you. I think that made her flight, perhaps her week!
Paige
very cool.
Thanks! 🙂
Paige
Your photo is intriguing! Is this a sculpture somewhere in Budapest?
🙂 This was in Budapest, but it’s a paper sack colored like blue jeans. I was working at a friend’s apartment, when this bag came down from the sky (okay, the upper floor of the building). They were sending my friend a gift in a very unusual delivery system. It took me ages to cut it down since the wind kept catching it, and I’m not very brave about leaning out of windows!
Paige
Amazing story! So happy I asked you about it. Who sends gifts in giant paper bags that drop from the sky?! This must have taken a huge amount of effort to do.
It was so funny. I told my friend and he was grateful that I had seen it. He got home late at night and if he’d heard something blowing around and banging on the window all night, he might have gotten spooked!
Paige