Maybe This is What Sent the Jet Blue Flight Attendant Over the Edge....

I travel a fair bit and it seems that planes bring out the worst in us. A few weeks back on a flight from Boston to Philly I found myself on a small plane (2 rows on each side) with a large family who appeared to be headed on vacation. The father had pushed his over sized suit case on wheels past no more than 10 notice boards and displays warning that normal carry on suitcases would not fit this commuter flight (let alone the behemoth trunk he was wheeling). At the plane door he was confronted by the typical pushy flight attendant who tried to take the bag but was told by the patriarch in no uncertain terms "IT WILL FIT!"  Hearing the commotion I quickly deduced that there would be a part 2 to this story and hustled aboard in an attempt to sit close to see this one unfold. I secured a seat next to the father, buckled up, got out my twinkie and Pepsi, and prepared for the show. I was not disappointed.  The father, in true jacka** fashion, waited until the isle was full of passengers trying to make it to a seat and then stood up, blocking the isle, and began the impossible task of pushing the 30inch wide suitcase into the 10 inch covey. After a couple of minutes and a few loud sighs from the audience in the isle (and one from me), the man's persistence turned to sheer pandemonium as he pounded on the bag in a last ditch attempt to shave 10 inches and 50 lbs off of the bag. As the sound of plastic cracking began to sound from the overhead compartment, the feisty attendant leaped over seats and people in a failed attempt to get him to stop. In response the attendant's pleading to stop before he broke the overhead compartment, the man responded she should "shut up and back off...it will fit!" The attendant retreated and for a moment, my admiration went out to the man. I had never seen anyone challenge the attendants. Those pushy broads rule the air with an iron fist! As I was pondering his verbal victory against the forces of evil I spotted the two airport security dudes making their way through the crowd toward the man still wailing away on the bag that was far from even half way into the overhead compartment. As security drug him off the plane the flight attendant followed with the oversized bag. The man's last words as he was drug off the plane was "It was almost in!" The attendant, not to be outdone, stopped at the plane door, wound up, and chucked the bag out the door while screaming "too big!" She then turned, brushed the hair out of her eyes, grabbed the mic, and in the calmest voice, welcomed us aboard our rather short flight from Boston to Philly. about that time the wife and kids quietly arose from their seats and sheepishly exited the plane. Some start to vacation I thought.

Then I sipped my Pepsi, ate the rest of my  twinkie, and fell asleep.