May

3

People are awesome

Filed Under Rhymes with Rant, Quotable | 

everywhere i go i seem to bump into some of the most lovely and talkative and open people. people that for some reason don’t think twice about telling me that they left their wife last week because her son is a meth addict who tried to hit on him after spending some time in prison. i feel so blessed that people trust me with their stories. their lives.

just a few memorable quotes from this trip:

first there was friendly Patricia, the waitress at the Seattle airport that fed me gin & tonics while i waited to check in my luggage. she reminded me of what Tina might be like if she ends up waiting tables when she’s 50+ with a 16-year old daughter. we chatted MacBooks and screen size and kids and creativity.
“The cheese platter is the best deal here! Only 9 dollars and look how much you get!”
(she spoke the truth. even i couldn’t finish all that cheese.)

and Steve, the Vietnam war vet from Arkansas that pitched me his “A Suburban Murder of Crows” short story because he saw me reading and thought i was a writer.
“All lawyers are like crows, portrayed eating corn in a field.”
(no idea what that means? yah, me neither.)
“I’m going 8 hours north of Edmonton to shoot a 7 foot - nose to tail - black bear.”
(i liked him a little less.)
“I think George Bush is easily the most moronic president in our history.”
(i liked him a little more.)
“I think we should bring back the draft.”
“You have eyes like that National Geographic kid.”
(to Patricia, the waitress. she accepted the compliment with perfect grace.)

then there was Feeley (stitched to the front of his uniform), the full-camo army kid straight from Kuwait that sat next to me from Seattle to Newark and talked way too much. he even reached over and paused my movie when he noticed i fell asleep during a Kaplan Immunology chapter. i promptly woke up and un-paused it because that woman’s voice is a perfect sedative to me.
“I was hoping to sit in First Class dressed like this. It’s happened once before.”
(instead he was stuck with me.)
“If you hadn’t told me you were Canadian, I would have guessed Minnesota.”
(guess i’ve been hanging around too many Amercians.)
“Wow, your bag is shiny!”
(i think Tiffany said the same thing when she first saw it in Barcelona!)
“Did you *wear* a blanket?”
(referring to my shawl-poncho.)
“Were you sleeping?”
(after elbowing me awake. uh, no.)
“Who is your favorite country singer?”
(i said i just couldn’t narrow it down. his was Kenny Chesney.)
“WHY won’t this SEAT go BACK?”
(as he pushed the button and rocked our entire row hard enough to scare the poor folks behind us. we soon learned were in the non-reclining row right in front of the fire exit.)

and lastly, adorable Travis, brother of Blake, a duo on their way to holiday in the Dominican Republic. we shared a wall outlet while watching videos in the Seattle airport and bonded.
“Little old ladies are so sweet.”
(after claiming he slept on one all the way to Newark.)
“I need to get me some of those wheely shoes for work.”
(said while watching an 8-year old roll by on his heels. when i asked what he did for a living he laughed and said “finance!”)
“The Jerk is a classic!”
(sure is!)
“Toronto is like the USA and Seattle is like Canada.”
(or it might have been me that said that.)

there was obviously much much more. but i’m lucky enough to get this much out of my tired brain as everything swirls into one big long 40 hour trip. i didn’t exchange anything more than first names with any of these people (and a little money with Patricia), but they helped make a super long trip more bearable. i’m so very thankful on a regular basis for the peace i’m able to muster up and deal with life’s hiccups as they unfold. i hope everyone else got to their respective destinations safe and sound and with the correct luggage.

and now, peace be damned. i’m ready to go home.

Comments

3 Comments so far

  1. Steve on May 3, 2008 8:21 pm

    *wonders if ‘i just couldn’t narrow it down’ is a sweet way of saying ‘none, I’m a rocker girl’*

  2. gillian on May 3, 2008 8:42 pm

    You know, that’s a rare thing with me, strangers telling me stuff. I think it’s because I go about my life looking pissed off at everyone. Supposedly. I also avert my eyes and ignore people when they talk to me.

    I do, however, get the person-beside-me-on-the-plane talk. I think you can’t not.

    I really liked Seatac. I like how they have restaurants and salons and back massage available. Mmm.

  3. Sarah on May 3, 2008 10:10 pm

    LOL…you can’t possibly still be en route to Nevis!! It’s like…100 hours since you left! I seriously hope you are back home before I go to bed tonight. That’s like two sleeps! At least you’ve met some characters along the way and seem to be in great spirits!

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