Six Hours in the Air

Flying is not my favorite pastime. It has not improved in the last few years. Seats have gotten smaller (really), and the overhead baggage compartments are now the size of glove compartments. Its rather like being forced to be part of a big cattle drive. Gobs of people of all sorts and flavors mill about anxiously, then stampede the gate when their flight is called. You are run down a gangplank into the bin of the plane and swatted along by others until you get crammed into your assigned slot, which is, of course, never big enough to accommodate you *and* the big fat cow seated next to you. You play elbow war until someone wins, then its a matter of hanging on until the trip ends and round two begins (because of course there are no direct flights to wherever it is you want to be). Can you tell I do not care to fly?

This trip didn't involve the usual two hours to get through the security lines (how did that happen?), and I have learned to just not take any liquid anything that might cause you to get pulled out of line and strip searched in full view of the entire world. The new wrinkle was the tighter restrictions on luggage. You can check one small bag (under 50 pounds), and carry on a VERY SMALL single bag. A purse may in fact be too large.

On one leg of the trip, ALL bags were forcibly taken from us at the door of the plane and checked 'curbside' for later retrieval. Women were fussing about medicine, men were balking about computers. The stewardesses were adamant. There is no room. How could that be? There has always been room. But once we were on the plane, we realized they were telling us the truth. Have they added a row of seats? Did they remodel and remove the luggage space?

You felt somehow violated, ill at ease. Is this some small taste of what Jews experienced as they were forced aboard trains, and their stuff was taken from them? Would we end up in a bad place? Sure, they try to make nice by offering you food for sale. Used to be you were provided a free meal. Then they removed all meals, and you only got a drink if you were lucky. Now the meals are back, but you only get one if you pay for it.

In the midst of all this angst, I reached up to hold God's hand, like a little girl feeling awkward and shy at a new school where you haven't learned the rules yet and all the faces are strange. He was right there. And though the airlines have eliminated all flights that aren't completely full (I know because they changed my plans three times before the date of departure), I managed to sit next to the *only* empty seat on the plane. It was a welcome relief. My comfort zones are always challenged on planes. I wouldn't do well in third world countries!

Six hours of cramped quarters was about all I could endure. I was happy that I could go directly to the hotel, unpack, and take a walk. Thank the good Lord for getting me there safely and even, for the most part, on time. Whew! Now if I can just get used to the three hour time difference, things will be swell.