Airplanes: Wine in a Plastic Cup

As you know, I flew in from Korea on Tuesday and arrived in California in the afternoon. I got the cat settled, repacked for San Antonio, had dinner with a good portion of my family and went to sleep (kind of, see previous entry). The next day I flew to San Antonio (via Oakland to San Diego then San Antonio). The first leg was a short flight, like an hour, and the second leg was about 3 hours.

I usually wear my head phones the whole time and/or read when I’m on an airplane. It’s just easier to ignore the people around me and the fact that I might freak out if I think too much about how airplanes work (or potentially don’t work).

The flight was completely full and I was on southwest (a choose your own adventure seating airline). I like to sit as close to the front of the plane as possible, and always in front of the wings (otherwise it’s just too bumpy). Like I said, it was full, so I grabbed the first open seat I could find, which was a middle seat between two white guys. It’s not my first choice to sit next to guys, I prefer little old ladies (they’re usually smaller, friendly, and don’t care if your butts touch in the cramped seating). But like I said, my first priority is sitting close to the front. And this was the only seat.

So I sat down and took out my ipod and kindle, preparing to ignore people for the next three hours. The guy in the window seat started talking to the guy in the aisle seat. Window guy had free alcoholic drink coupons that he was offering aisle guy, and since I was right between them, he asked me if I wanted one too (after he asked how old I was), he had a bunch. I said sure, thanks. Then the three of us started chatting (social convention when someone gives you something and/or buys you a drink). We talked about work and where people lived and such. Then window guy fell asleep against the window and it just left me and aisle guy to either continue talking or awkwardly peter off into silence.

I probably would have gone with awkward since, but at that point my white wine in a plastic cup arrived (and aisle guy’s wine came too). So we kept talking.

I should probably clarify that this guy has a son who is my age and we were just talking good naturedly about movies, tv shows, books and living in different parts of the country.

Now anyone who knows me, knows I’m not a chatty-cathy type what-so-ever. But it was probably a combination of wine, topics I was interested in and the fact that I’ve really only had Justin to talk with for the past six months. But I talked nearly the whole time, all three hours. My mouth was dry by the time we landed because I’d been talking so much.

It was weird at first because I usually only talk to people who are very familiar with me, and I tend to speak in short-hand with them, so I’m probably not very comprehensible generally. When I’m talking to someone I Don’t know I am forced to complete all my thoughts and sentences out loud and in a way that someone else could follow. It was like a brain teaser. PLUS when he found out I was a writer he wanted to know all about that (he does…something, but wanted to be a writer too, he just never did and was very encouraging). So I was thrilled to talk about me (who isn’t? honestly). AND I was trying to convince him and his wife to start watching my favorite show ‘The Big Bang Theory’. Also, I got to suggest one of my favorite mystery series ‘Aunt Dimity’ since he said he was sad he’d stopped reading and really liked Agatha Christie mysteries.

I felt a little bit like my mom, she always has the best time talking to people she meets on airplanes (or anywhere really) and that’s a trait of her’s I’ve always admired. Most of the time it’s just that conversation, but sometimes she’ll hit it off with that person so much that she’ll make friends. Since my goal when we move back to the states is to be more sociable and make friends for me and Justin to have a social life With, well, it was good practice talking.

Bonus: one thing I discovered was, when I talked about my writing, I became more inspired to write. So, thanks random guys on an airplane for a) giving me an alcoholic beverage voucher and b) getting me excited about my work again.

P.S. my life sounds Really Cool when I’m just telling people about it, but in reality, day to day, it’s pretty boring. The best part of my day is when Justin comes home and we get to make dinner together.