Severe Turbulence: A True Story
I had one of those experiences on my flight tonight that makes you come “home,” sit at your computer and share how happy you are to be alive. But it was also one of those experiences that in hindsight, was hilarious.
I spent today traveling. My initial flight to Charlotte was uneventful, and I was on the last leg of my trip heading to Baltimore. I was about as chill as I ever get, chatting with an amazing mom, (who happens to work for the NSA. How awesome is that?) So we’re chatting about or kids, and….
WHOOSH! The plane DROPS!
I’m not gonna lie. I (and many others) screamed, right out loud. Some person in the back of the plane got sick. Everyone was panicked, but calm at the same time.
So a flight attendant gets onto the loudspeaker and she starts yelling in panic: “DO NOT PRESS THE CALL BUTTON FOR ASSISTANCE UNLESS IT IS A 911 EMERGENCY! WE ARE EXPERIENCING SEVERE TURBULENCE RIGHT NOW AND THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS NEED TO SIT DOWN TOO!”
And this poor guy in the back of the plane only pressed the button because he needed a barf bag. You know?
So panic attendant sits down, and buckles herself in while her calm counterpart goes to help the gentleman in the rear of the plane.
Meanwhile, panic attendant’s awesome reaction to the drop puts everyone into a spin. I break out into spontaneous out-loud prayer. (I have never done this before in my life. Not once.) The people next to me start freaking out audibly. The woman next to me expresses her fear. It was literally 60 seconds of unnecessary mayhem. I mean yes, the drop was scary. But freaking everyone on the plane out by losing composure? It was a little over the top.
Long story short, I am grateful to the ground under me. I am grateful that I see the whole experience as pretty funny right now.
And even more, I’m grateful that I wasn’t the guy in the back of the plane.
