Certain Gifts Are Not Always Good

Those who have been around me for a while, especially traveling with me, will tell you that I have some very interesting gifts.

Gift One. No matter where I sit on a plane, a bratty child or screaming baby will be within one row in either direction. There have been exceptions, but for the most part the axiom holds true.

One very memorable trip was a return flight from Seattle. As I entered the airport I passed a young boy, 9 or 10 years of age, who was throwing a HUGE tantrum. Crying, contorting, flailing, whining. This was a real beauty. Mind you, this occured at the ticket counter at the front of the airport.

As I stood in line for ticketing it wasn't hard to discover the reason for the young lads antics. It seems that he had a toy gun, very realistic in appearance, that the airline insisted that he could not board the plane with. This was in 1999, so the whole security issue wasn't as important as it is today, but there were still regulations. The parents had to check the gun in with the luggage as the boy screamed all the louder as he was disarmed and learned that the next time he would take possession of his weapon was at their final destination.

I was relieved as I received my ticket and made my way through the concourse to my gate. Thankfully as I moved on, the wailing faded.

After the usual wait at the gate I boarded my plane, took my seat, and settled in for the flight. The plane was packed with people and, just as last boarding was called, guess who shows up. Yep. Tantrum boy. I heard him before I saw him. I was totally unprepared for this. If I had been given some time to steel myself I would have been ready - well not ready, but better prepared. However, as I waited the hour before boarding there was no sign of the kid. No. This was a ninja style attack.

So the family boards. The parents are now attending to some other unmet expectation that little king tut had. Just fill in the blank. The best was yet to come. The only three empty seats left in my line of vision were right in front of me. "Please God" I muttered, hoping to find some relief from heaven. It was not to come. People on all sides were rolling their eyes at each other as the parents made smirky, apologetic expressions to anyone who caught their embarrassed glance.

I'll spare you any more details except to note that the kid eventually worked himself into such a frenzy that he required the use of an air sickness bag two hours out of Charlotte, NC. He made one more whimper after puking and went to sleep. There is a God.

I was so glad to get off of that plane and get to my seat on my connection to Atlanta that I failed to notice the baby, wrapped in a blanket, in the arms of the woman seated in the row behind me. The flight wasn't quiet.

Did I mention that I had a gift?

Next installment - my special gift in the grocery line.

WH