“We witnessed everything. “It is not your fault.” He nodded thanks and hurried out, most likely to locate someone who could deal with the mess. My blood boiled. Who did this woman believe she was? I approached the mess, advising everyone to be cautious. A compassionate stranger went to find a maintenance worker. “Can you believe that?” I asked the man who had attempted to alert the woman earlier. He shakes his head. “Flying with pets is a privilege, not an entitlement. Some people simply don’t get it.
“I’m Nora,” I introduced myself, offering my hand.
“Jasper,” he said, shaking it. “Heading somewhere nice?”
“I’m going to London to work. You?”
The entitled woman was sitting at my fence, her dog barking constantly. As if it wasn’t terrible enough, she was playing music on her phone without headphones. Other passengers were leaving, but I had a different plan. I sat down immediately beside her.
“Are you going to Tokyo on business?” I inquired, assuming a polite tone.
She hardly looked at me. “I’m going to London,” she said abruptly.
My eyes expanded in faux amazement. “Oh no! Then you should rush. That flight was moved to Gate 53C. “This is the flight to Tokyo.”
Her eyes bulged. Without even viewing the monitor, she stormed off with her luggage and dog. I could not help but smile. The gate monitor still clearly displayed “London,” but she was too preoccupied to notice. As boarding time arrived, I waited for her return. The final call went out, but she and her yappy dog were nowhere to be seen. I took my seat, feeling an odd mix of delight and shame. As the jet began to taxi, I realized she’d missed her flight.
The woman next me grinned. “First time flying to London?”
“No, I go to work rather often. “I’m Nora.”
“Mei,” she answered. “I had noticed the disturbance earlier with the woman and her dog. Have you seen her get on?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think she made it back in time.”
Mei’s eyebrows rose. “Really? “That’s unfortunate.”
I shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant. “Yeah, well… karma, I guess.”
Mei nodded slowly. “I guess. Still, it seems a little harsh. Missing a flight is a huge issue.”
Her remarks made me squirm in my chair. Have I gone too far? “You’re right,” I acknowledged. “I just got so angry seeing how she treated everyone.”
Mei patted my arm. “Everyone has their times. The main thing is to learn from them.”
As the plane lifted off, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d done. Missing her flight was not my plan, but it seemed like the universe was balancing the balances due to her horrible behavior. Still, Mei’s comments stayed with me. Had I truly given her a lesson, or had I simply lowered my standards to hers?
The flight attendant’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Drinks, ladies?”
“Water, please,” Mei asked.
I nodded. “Same for me, thanks.” As we sipped our beverages, Mei turned to face me. “So, what takes you to London so often?”