A woman boarded a flight from New York to Los Angeles, expecting just another routine journey. However, the passenger sitting next to her had a surprising agenda. What unfolded next changed the course of the flight for both of them.
As a seasoned traveler, I was prepared for a smooth trip to Los Angeles, where I had a tight schedule with a conference and a quick connection to San Diego. I had everything planned out, including choosing an aisle seat for a fast exit.
When I arrived at my seat, the man by the window appeared to be in his early 40s, dressed sharply in a button-down shirt, slacks, and polished shoes. He had an air of importance, constantly checking his expensive watch, which made it clear he thought he was too important to be bothered.
I didn’t mind, as I was just hoping for a quiet flight to review my notes for the upcoming meeting. But soon, this man’s actions would turn my otherwise normal flight into a bit of a nightmare.
Halfway through the flight, the meal service began, and my stomach, having been empty all day due to preparation for the conference, growled loudly. I was eager to eat, review my notes, and maybe take a quick nap.
Before I could dive into my meal. I noticed the food cart was still a few rows away, so I excused myself and quickly headed to the restroom. However, there was a long line, and by the time I returned to my seat, I found that my meal had vanished. To my shock, the man next to me was happily eating not only his own meal but mine as well.
“Did they bring my meal while I was gone?” I asked, knowing the answer.
He casually looked up from his plate with a smug grin. “Oh, yeah. You were taking too long, so I figured you didn’t want it. Didn’t want it to go to waste.”
I was stunned. “You ate my meal?”
“Yeah,” he replied, still chewing. “I was still hungry after mine, and you weren’t here. Just grab something at the airport.”
His entitlement was beyond anything I’d experienced before. “Are you serious?”
He simply shrugged. “It’s just airplane food.”
I asked the flight attendant if there were any meals left, but she apologetically told me they had run out. My only option was a tiny bag of pretzels, which did little to satisfy my hunger. Meanwhile, the man finished both meals and quickly fell asleep, completely oblivious to my frustration.
I tried to focus on my work, nibbling on the pretzels as my stomach growled. With a tight connection in LA, I reminded myself I couldn’t let this situation ruin my day.
When the plane began its descent into Los Angeles, the attendants announced a gate change, and I hurried to collect my things. As I prepared to leave, I noticed Mr. Important still snoozing away. I debated waking him up, but after what he’d done, I wasn’t sure he deserved the courtesy.
I nudged him lightly, saying, “Hey, we’ve landed, and there’s a gate change.” He barely stirred, mumbling incoherently and turning away. At that point, I had to leave to make my connection.
I made it to my next gate just in time, feeling relief wash over me as I settled into my seat. It wasn’t until I reached San Diego that I heard the full story from a colleague. She mentioned seeing a man at the airport who looked disoriented and was arguing with a gate agent after missing his connection. I immediately knew it was the same guy.
I couldn’t help but smile. While I made it to my meeting on time, he was stuck in LA, facing the consequences of his earlier actions. Sometimes, what goes around really does come around. And in this case,certainly didn’t let go him off easy.
