I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday and got to spend some quality time with family and friends. Like many others, I found myself on a plane recently with folks traveling to Christmas destinations and I’d like to recount an experience I had during one of those flights. I’m just getting settled into my seat in row 3, when I hear the flight attendant greet a little girl who’s just come on the plane. The girl, whose name we learn is Beth, is 6 years old. How do I know that? Because, she tells us. The flight attendant says, "Well hello there! Aren’t you cute?" Beth says, "Thank you. Yes, I am. My name is Beth and I’m 6 years old." "Me, my mom, Dana, and my little brother Dennis are going to Grandma’s for Christmas." The flight attendant smiled and replied, "Well that’s great, Beth. Where are you from?" "We live at 123 Elm St in Greensboro," Beth replies. "Grandma is picking us up at the airport and we’re going to stay with her and my Grandfather," Beth continues as the flight attendant tries to ascertain where exactly her mother might be. Beth reassures the flight attendant that her mother is right behind her with Dennis. "Dennis doesn’t say much," Beth interjects. "Grandma says it’s because he can’t get a word in edgewise." At which point, she launches into a fairly extensive list of what little Beth and Dennis each requested from Santa for Christmas, and then begins to sing Jingle Bells. As the first 6 rows are now laughing uncontrollably, anticipating what Beth will say next, a surprisingly calm woman carrying a small boy approximately 4 years of age (I won’t attempt to guess the woman’s age) we assume are Dana and Dennis appears in the entranceway. The entire front of the plane spontaneously and without orchestration greets the newcomers saying, "Hey Dana!" to which Dana says, "Yes, I know. You know I’m Dana, this is Dennis and that’s Beth." "I’m sure you also know where we live and where we’re going," she continues. Dana gets Beth reoriented and she begins to move down the aisle way pausing to say hello and Merry Christmas at every row. During this entire encounter, Dennis never said a word.
If you had a humorous holiday story you’d like to relate, please send it along (snelson@aasv.org) and it might appear in a future Doc Tales.