The Bent Page

I remember my first flight. It was on the old Eastern Airlines. My family and I flew from Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton airport in Pennsylvania to Orlando, Florida. It was a Disney vacation for the five of us. The plane was not very crowded and we were allowed to spread out. I clambered into a window seat to watch the take off. For a small boy, it was huge thrill.

Since then, I’ve done my share of flying in various types of aircraft, from jetliners to small single engine craft to helicopters. Each time the plane makes that final turn onto the runway for takeoff, I can’t help but anticipate the joy of leaving the ground. The sound of the landing gear locking in the up position means we’re on our way to cruising altitude.

These days I’m fortunate to be able to travel to several faraway places on an annual basis. The downside is that travel is not as friendly as it was back on that flight with Eastern. Something happens when people get in line at the airport for a security check. Whatever it is, it only gets worse when they board the plane. By the time they’re in the air, they’re practically out of their minds. They commit all sorts of horrible acts. They harass the cabin staff. They expect gourmet meals from a galley the size of a closet. They have to smack the seats in every direction on their way back and forth to the lavatory the way a five-year-old would. On top of it all, they complain that their ticket costs too much. Really? They probably paid less per mile than it costs to drive a car with four paying people over the same distance.

I have no idea what causes this form of behavior. Flying used to be fun, glamourous, and exciting. I remember people used to dress well for a trip on an airplane. Now, it’s like a cattle call for that annoying character in every sitcom. Why? If you simply want to grind on people, pick another place, like your local Marine Corps base where the people inside might give back plenty of what you dish out. They might enjoy it and you might find it instructional.

Sadly, this experience replicates itself on cruise ships, in hotel lobbies, and on beaches, not to mention the line at the grocery store, the local freeway, and the movie theatre. I witness it and can’t help but wonder, “Man, can’t you work out your issues some other way?” I hear so many people talk about the pressure they’re under, the stress, the awful lives they lead. Hey, man, change it. Again, don’t tell me you can’t. It only took Edison a couple thousand tries before he got the light bulb. The Wright Brothers wrecked plenty of planes before they got one to fly. No doubt Harley and Davidson wiped out a good many bikes before straddling a cruiser that took to the road with all the glory they had envisioned. These people were doing things for the first time, things no one had done before. The rest of us, we’re your average citizen simply on the way from one place to another. Going along to get along might be the way to think and act.

Life is a work in progress, not a perfect state of being. Relax, enjoy the journey. When you figure out where you’re going, the destination will be still be there.