Observing People

Traveling alone is absolute me time. There is a quiet that is hard to explain. In the midst of blaring pilot announcement, screeching jet engines and jarring slams to the shoulder as passengers visit the porta-potty for a bio-break, it is still somehow peaceful.

Granted, I think my new fancy iPod is helping a little, along with my noise reducing headphones. Ok, actually they're helping a bunch.

I am free to observe other travelers, but I can't hear what they're saying while listening to some old George Harrison as my soundtrack for the night.

I saw some interesting folks. A man that was in a wheel chair and boarded last with help from others to get in his aisle seat... Followed of course by the woman who was late to board that had the window seat next to him. She had to climb up over him, slipped, and fell chest first into his face. I think I've seen that once or twice in the movies.

I watched a man spill mustard on his suit eating an Aunt Annie's hot dog pretzel (but for the grace of God go I). My favorite was the husband and wife getting progressively more pissed each time their flight to Newark was delayed (three times while I was sitting in the gate area in Cincinnati). They we're kind of yelling at each other (I think) and giving each other glaring evil eyes. At one point I snickered a bit too loudly and they glanced at me. I sort of tried to cover up the laugh by emitting some sort of low frequency humming rap-type drummish sound to go along with the music from my iPod while starting to nod my head.

I don't think it worked. The woman kept tossing sideways looks at me.

It was a pretty fun night considering.