Onward & Upward... Saturday, February 6

Well the day has finally come - honestly I'm ready to get this trip on the road! Griffy was a true gentleman and drove Donna and I to LAX, and even gave his mama a big hug and kiss on the cheek before roaring off...I think I heard him crowing "Free at last - Free at last - thank God Almighty I'm free at last!!!" Not so big guy, as Laura Blum will be keeping a close eye on the teen - Laura the "Phi Beta Kappa" graduate from Wash U that is. The same girl who told me this morning she was gainfully employed by a well-known publisher and is almost finished with her first coffee table book on Michael Jackson - this is the same girl who months ago turned down Bill's offer to be a researcher on his book "Increasing Lay Participation in the Catholic Church". Hmmm...

So Donna and I arrive at the KLM counter for check-in and what do I notice but a sign saying "Upgrade to comfort premier seating for a nominal fee". Next thing you know our credit cards are presented and we are dancing up the escalator! I was able to chat briefly with Bill, who was departing from Boston, and upon sharing our good news he mumbled something about sitting in the middle seat of a 5 row...it was hard to hear him due to the crying baby behind him. Let's just say it was a brief conversation.

After boarding, our good luck continued, as there was an empty row behind us, so Donna quickly tossed her shoes on the floor to let anyone else who might think it was available after takeoff that they were sadly mistaken. So there we were up in the air, each with an empty seat next to us in a pseudo first class setting. As I settled into reading my National Geographic magazine with the cover story "Polygamy in America", a flight attendant tapped me on the shoulder. Moral Dilemma - What would YOU do??? Situation: A very tall and big man was seated in regular coach. He was late to the airport and thus was unable to upgrade to premium comfort coach. The flight attendant would like to move him next to me in the empty seat. Would that be OK? Solution: I turn around to Donna to get her to help me out, but she has jumped up and scurried off to the bathroom! I'm left to my own devices to decide what to do. "Just curious" I ask, "Does he have to pay the extra price the rest of us did for the upgrade?" Nooooooo. A 10 hour flight ... Oh me oh my... For some people its an easy call - Anne would have graciously said "Yes of course"...she may have even offered to give up her seat and go back to regular coach to make sure he was extra comfy. Colleen, I'm going to predict, would have pretended due to her deaf ear that she didn't hear the request. Ellen? I'm going out on a limb and guessing a response along the lines of "Due to my recent bout of bronchitis I am very contagious, so No Lovey". Soooo I hemmed and hawed and finally said "Well I know how awful that must be for him - I have a brother who is 6'6"..." Then boldly out of nowhere I heard myself say, "But I'm going to be selfish and say why can't he sit in the other empty seat up there?"

The conclusion to the tale is that the guy moved into the empty seat 3 rows in front of us, and he and the guy next to him have not stopped talking ever since! I think they are new BFF's. Is there a moral to the story? Do weigh in.