After 3 chilling childish beautiful days at Disney World, Kichu and I were all set to travel back home, not Cincinnati, but New Jersey.Well, whatever our likes and dislikes be, we had to travel back to NJ. The shuttle had come to pick us at 4am as the flight was at 630am and the airport was quite far from the resort where we stayed. Though both of us were half asleep, we somehow managed to reach the check-in counter at the airport. We found a really long queue there and we joined the queue too. Kichu made all attempts to look around for an alternative but we had no other go! Like all others, we waited and finally had our boarding passes in our hands. We grabbed a sub for breakfast and rushed to the Security check at Orlando Airport. Since it was the last day of Thanksgiving weekend, and since the weather in South east is the best all year round, people from North ( like us), always visited south, particularly in Winter. Hence was the rush at the Security check. Due to security issues, it always took time at every airport, even if there was no rush. We waited for our turn, and finally boarded the plane.
We had got the middle and aisle seats. Usually, I do not like sitting in the middle seat, because of which Kichu always used to have a bad time. This time, due to my generosity and kind heart, I gave away the aisle seat to Kichu and sadly took over the middle seat. Since the flight was full, I had no hopes of the window seat near me being empty! But I was hoping atleast, maybe just one seat was free! I kept my hopes alive till the flight was fully boarded. At last, a man with two boys walked up towards the end of the aircraft, he checked the seat numbers, made the boys get seated first-which was behind us- and then he looked at us and said , " That window seat is mine". Kichu got up immediately, as he was sure that man would not be able to get in unless he gets up! He was a real big man, taller that Kichu and definitely bigger than him!! Real BIG MAN!
For a moment, I thought it was good that I decided to sit in the middle, as two big men would have had hard time sitting near each other in a flight. Well, the next thought was, I felt really small sitting in between two big men! Well, I am not sure how far it is true, most people forget that the other arm rest is actually shared by the fellow passenger too. I did not get both the arm rests this time. But I made sure, I would get some sleep, I laid my head on Kichu's shoulders sometimes, else I laid back on my seat uncomfortably and slept for a while.
Luckily, the man near me did not sleep. He was busy reading news papers- yes new papers-not one but many! He had a big bundle of newspapers, which where half on my place. In the middle of my sleep, I saw Kichu already awake and watching tennis on TV, that too RF was playing! I did not waste time, I decided to switch on my TV. That is when I realised that my TV controls were on my left arm rest, which was completely taken over by my fellow passenger. I looked at his face a couple of times to make sure that he was looking at me, in vain! I started watching the match in Kichu's TV, by that time he had decided to change the channel. I looked at my fellow passenger again, and just called him and said
" Hello Sir, Can I switch on my TV?".
He said, " Sure Why Not?" and he started reading again.
"Well Sir, your hand is on my TV Control." He just reacted as if he got the shock of his life, he just would have jumped off his seat, if he did not have his seat belts on! I said " Thanks" and smiled.
I quickly set the channel to Tennis channel, and wow I saw RF play! That too in a flight! How nice!! My happiness did not last for long! Suddenly, like as if there was a virus attack on my TV, the channels started switching on their own. I looked at Kichu's TV, it was all fine. Quickly I looked at my left and here you go!! You are right- it was my fellow passengers arm again! He had placed his arm there again! This time, I got angry.
I called him again, and repeated my request. With a humble sorry, he moved off his arm. I switched back irritatedly to watch RF. He did not wait for long! He had started off again! Did he have some memory problem? And this time, he switched on his TV, and was watching it nicely, but with this right arm on my arm rest, completely pressing the controls. I told him 2 more times. Well, when the 3rd time came, I was done. I did not want to call him again, and see his shocking reaction, as if he did not know that the controls were even there on the arm rest and that I had done something wrong. I had enough. I was not able to sleep well, I could not watch RF and I was hungry-terribly hungry! I had decided that this would be the last time that I sit on the middle seat. Window seat is the best!Luckily it was only a 4 hours journey! After our plane landed, I gave him a bad irritated look, for which he did not even bother! Good he did not bother! He was a real big man you see!
My decision of not sitting on the window seat had to be withdrawn, when we were again offered the middle and aisle seats, on an over night flight from San Francisco to NJ. I offered Kichu the aisle seat, and I took the middle seat. I was praying to GOD that it should not be a man rather a big man on the window seat. God heard my prayers and it was a lady there, that too an Indian lady. I gave my respects to her through a wide smile, she was my mother's age, if not even more! She held her bag tight to herself as if someone would snatch her bag from her! I tried to explain to her that she could keep her bag down and nothing would happen. She did not even respond. I lost all my hopes of having a nice sleep! Since the lights were switched off during take off, she did not have enough lights to read her book- Hanuman Chalisa. I asked her if she wanted light, I could switch them on for her. She said," You put if you want". I was like Ergh!? What did that mean. I said "ok ", smiled and laid back. She seemed to be pretty much like a person who had not travelled very much in flights. There were lots of turbulence, she held the arm rest too tight! This time I did not go to explain anything to her. I would be the one who gets embarrassed ultimately.
In sometime, Kichu dozed off. I switched on the TV to watch Four Christmases movie. In sometime, the lady called me and asked if I could help her lower the table. I said ," Yes Aunty , I can! But you need to move your bag from you, else there would not be any space"
She said," I want to keep bag on table".
I was like," Sure, you can. But you need to move it a little, so that there will be space to lower the table."
She said,"OK", but she did not move her bag.
I started explaining to her in plain english, the logic behind moving her bag and lowering the table. Reluctantly, after 5 minutes, she gave me the bag. I lowered the table and placed her bag on it and said "Here you go! Enjoy! :)"
Luckily, this time the TV controls were on to my left. Kichu was sleeping well! Hence there was no one to change channels on my TV. After the movie, I lowered my table, took out the inflight magazine and started playing Sudoku! I completed all the 3 puzzles they had, but still there were 4 more hours! Meanwhile, I thought of taking a short nap, if I could. Kichu was peacefully sleeping. The moment I decided to doze off, the lady started leaning onto my lap with her bag, her sweater, her duppatta and what not! Wonder why does this always happen when I have to sleep only!!!! Oh Lord! This is not fair. I tried to move away from her, but where will I go! I do not have the entire aircraft for me to sleep! :( She kept on moving towards me and finally she was in almost 50% of my seat! 3 hours passed somehow- I watched others sleep, watched the movie again, took the magazine from Kichu's seat and solved the Sudoku again! Since the weather was really bad in NJ, it took almost an hour to land. Heavy turbulence as the winds were blowing head on! Plane started to shake like hell. Kudos to the Pilot for the safe landing! But the lady had started over again! After her 3 hours sleep on my seat, she sat up to check time. I told her it was time to fold the table, as we would be landing anytime. She said she wanted to keep her bag there. Well, to avoid another embarrassment, I quit the conversation!
The airhostess came and adviced her to fold the tray table, and place her bag down. She listened to the former but not to the latter. Finally, we landed after the traumatic turbulence! The moment we landed, she wanted her bag down. She started to get restless. It was evident that she wanted her bag down immediately from the locker above. I did not care. I paid least attention. We waited till everyone left, and we were almost at the end. She somehow managed to capture Kichu 's attention and asked him to get the bag down! She smiled and walked away. I did not want to curse her! But then, it is hell especially when it is middle seat and your fellow passengers not co-operate.
But when even if it is the window seat, this does not end. In one flight, I took over the window seat from Kichu. Unluckily, the person behind me was a boy, a boy less than 2 years old! He found all his happiness by kicking my seat, crying, talking and by pulling my hands from behind. It lasted for more than 2 hours, but finally he slept! Now that's like a good boy
Well, that is how few of my journeys have ended! I have not gone in any other flight trips after that! But definitely will make sure that both of us get separate window/aisle seats and never the middle seats again! :)
We had got the middle and aisle seats. Usually, I do not like sitting in the middle seat, because of which Kichu always used to have a bad time. This time, due to my generosity and kind heart, I gave away the aisle seat to Kichu and sadly took over the middle seat. Since the flight was full, I had no hopes of the window seat near me being empty! But I was hoping atleast, maybe just one seat was free! I kept my hopes alive till the flight was fully boarded. At last, a man with two boys walked up towards the end of the aircraft, he checked the seat numbers, made the boys get seated first-which was behind us- and then he looked at us and said , " That window seat is mine". Kichu got up immediately, as he was sure that man would not be able to get in unless he gets up! He was a real big man, taller that Kichu and definitely bigger than him!! Real BIG MAN!
For a moment, I thought it was good that I decided to sit in the middle, as two big men would have had hard time sitting near each other in a flight. Well, the next thought was, I felt really small sitting in between two big men! Well, I am not sure how far it is true, most people forget that the other arm rest is actually shared by the fellow passenger too. I did not get both the arm rests this time. But I made sure, I would get some sleep, I laid my head on Kichu's shoulders sometimes, else I laid back on my seat uncomfortably and slept for a while.
Luckily, the man near me did not sleep. He was busy reading news papers- yes new papers-not one but many! He had a big bundle of newspapers, which where half on my place. In the middle of my sleep, I saw Kichu already awake and watching tennis on TV, that too RF was playing! I did not waste time, I decided to switch on my TV. That is when I realised that my TV controls were on my left arm rest, which was completely taken over by my fellow passenger. I looked at his face a couple of times to make sure that he was looking at me, in vain! I started watching the match in Kichu's TV, by that time he had decided to change the channel. I looked at my fellow passenger again, and just called him and said
" Hello Sir, Can I switch on my TV?".
He said, " Sure Why Not?" and he started reading again.
"Well Sir, your hand is on my TV Control." He just reacted as if he got the shock of his life, he just would have jumped off his seat, if he did not have his seat belts on! I said " Thanks" and smiled.
I quickly set the channel to Tennis channel, and wow I saw RF play! That too in a flight! How nice!! My happiness did not last for long! Suddenly, like as if there was a virus attack on my TV, the channels started switching on their own. I looked at Kichu's TV, it was all fine. Quickly I looked at my left and here you go!! You are right- it was my fellow passengers arm again! He had placed his arm there again! This time, I got angry.
I called him again, and repeated my request. With a humble sorry, he moved off his arm. I switched back irritatedly to watch RF. He did not wait for long! He had started off again! Did he have some memory problem? And this time, he switched on his TV, and was watching it nicely, but with this right arm on my arm rest, completely pressing the controls. I told him 2 more times. Well, when the 3rd time came, I was done. I did not want to call him again, and see his shocking reaction, as if he did not know that the controls were even there on the arm rest and that I had done something wrong. I had enough. I was not able to sleep well, I could not watch RF and I was hungry-terribly hungry! I had decided that this would be the last time that I sit on the middle seat. Window seat is the best!Luckily it was only a 4 hours journey! After our plane landed, I gave him a bad irritated look, for which he did not even bother! Good he did not bother! He was a real big man you see!
My decision of not sitting on the window seat had to be withdrawn, when we were again offered the middle and aisle seats, on an over night flight from San Francisco to NJ. I offered Kichu the aisle seat, and I took the middle seat. I was praying to GOD that it should not be a man rather a big man on the window seat. God heard my prayers and it was a lady there, that too an Indian lady. I gave my respects to her through a wide smile, she was my mother's age, if not even more! She held her bag tight to herself as if someone would snatch her bag from her! I tried to explain to her that she could keep her bag down and nothing would happen. She did not even respond. I lost all my hopes of having a nice sleep! Since the lights were switched off during take off, she did not have enough lights to read her book- Hanuman Chalisa. I asked her if she wanted light, I could switch them on for her. She said," You put if you want". I was like Ergh!? What did that mean. I said "ok ", smiled and laid back. She seemed to be pretty much like a person who had not travelled very much in flights. There were lots of turbulence, she held the arm rest too tight! This time I did not go to explain anything to her. I would be the one who gets embarrassed ultimately.
In sometime, Kichu dozed off. I switched on the TV to watch Four Christmases movie. In sometime, the lady called me and asked if I could help her lower the table. I said ," Yes Aunty , I can! But you need to move your bag from you, else there would not be any space"
She said," I want to keep bag on table".
I was like," Sure, you can. But you need to move it a little, so that there will be space to lower the table."
She said,"OK", but she did not move her bag.
I started explaining to her in plain english, the logic behind moving her bag and lowering the table. Reluctantly, after 5 minutes, she gave me the bag. I lowered the table and placed her bag on it and said "Here you go! Enjoy! :)"
Luckily, this time the TV controls were on to my left. Kichu was sleeping well! Hence there was no one to change channels on my TV. After the movie, I lowered my table, took out the inflight magazine and started playing Sudoku! I completed all the 3 puzzles they had, but still there were 4 more hours! Meanwhile, I thought of taking a short nap, if I could. Kichu was peacefully sleeping. The moment I decided to doze off, the lady started leaning onto my lap with her bag, her sweater, her duppatta and what not! Wonder why does this always happen when I have to sleep only!!!! Oh Lord! This is not fair. I tried to move away from her, but where will I go! I do not have the entire aircraft for me to sleep! :( She kept on moving towards me and finally she was in almost 50% of my seat! 3 hours passed somehow- I watched others sleep, watched the movie again, took the magazine from Kichu's seat and solved the Sudoku again! Since the weather was really bad in NJ, it took almost an hour to land. Heavy turbulence as the winds were blowing head on! Plane started to shake like hell. Kudos to the Pilot for the safe landing! But the lady had started over again! After her 3 hours sleep on my seat, she sat up to check time. I told her it was time to fold the table, as we would be landing anytime. She said she wanted to keep her bag there. Well, to avoid another embarrassment, I quit the conversation!
The airhostess came and adviced her to fold the tray table, and place her bag down. She listened to the former but not to the latter. Finally, we landed after the traumatic turbulence! The moment we landed, she wanted her bag down. She started to get restless. It was evident that she wanted her bag down immediately from the locker above. I did not care. I paid least attention. We waited till everyone left, and we were almost at the end. She somehow managed to capture Kichu 's attention and asked him to get the bag down! She smiled and walked away. I did not want to curse her! But then, it is hell especially when it is middle seat and your fellow passengers not co-operate.
But when even if it is the window seat, this does not end. In one flight, I took over the window seat from Kichu. Unluckily, the person behind me was a boy, a boy less than 2 years old! He found all his happiness by kicking my seat, crying, talking and by pulling my hands from behind. It lasted for more than 2 hours, but finally he slept! Now that's like a good boy
Well, that is how few of my journeys have ended! I have not gone in any other flight trips after that! But definitely will make sure that both of us get separate window/aisle seats and never the middle seats again! :)
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