At 30,000 Feet

We’re at 30,000 feet, and the setting is…cozy. I am aware of one empty seat in the entire plane, perhaps there are two or three. For the most part, though, this aircraft is packed. One of the less pleasant aspects of flying commercially these days. And there are plenty of reasons to avoid air travel. This one, though, hits anyone taller than six foot or bigger than a middle school football player pretty hard. Sardines have more room in their little cans.

There are a lot of people on this plane to watch. To listen to. To be near, like it or not.

The woman next to me is a talker. She is engaging the fellow by the window in conversation, although it is primarily a one-way discussion. He offers an occasional word of acknowledgement. She, however, is doing the talking. Church, business, friends, housing, entertainment; she is covering many subjects. She knows a lot, too.

I am sitting toward the aisle, feeling especially cramped, as the woman is overweight. Profoundly so. Probably weighs 200 pounds more than she should. And that means she is spilling into my seat. Her leg is taking up a third of my seat. We’re jammed in here, and there’s precious little leg room, and even less elbow room. Still, I take up my little laptop and try to type, hoping I don’t permanently injure myself. Oh well, the flight is less than three hours. I can get up a couple of times. I’ll only type a bit. Mighty awkward, though.

Across the way, the gentleman pulls out his laptop. He fires up some videogame. What is it, Doom? Halo? I am not sure. Of this I am certain, though: It is a violent game. I watch from the corner of my eye as he searches through a dilapidated building, firing some sort of weapon at creatures that arise out of the shadows and race toward him. He shoots a lot, and seems to be successfully defending himself. I wonder if any child behind us is watching him exterminate so many so effectively.

Around us people are doing the usual: talking quietly, sleeping or reading. Some watch the in-flight “entertainment.” Actually, the show on the little overhead video scfreens right now looks interesting. How to vacation cheaply. The hostess revels in finding bargains, especially in regards to meals. She has some good looking food, and it is priced reasonably for a Colorado ski resort. Have to remember that place, in case I can hit the slopes again this year.

So here we are. A planeload of people, mostly ignoring those around them, careening 30,000 feet in the sky at 500 mph, bound for who knows where? At least 150 people, bound for probably more than 100 different destinations. We choose to fly because it is fast. Not because it is all that fun. We put up with removing our shoes, being screened at security lines, long waits on the jetway, turbulence, stuffed overhead compartments, stuffed passenger seating and “complimentary beverage service.”

Thank you, Lord, that I don’t have to do this very often. Thank you that I have never been on a flight that crashed. Thank you that I’m not hanging over my seat into the adjacent seat. Thank you that I am not trapped by the window. I have it so good.