Dear Shawn,
The funniest thing happened today. Our plane arrived at the gate and as the passengers were coming off, my crew walked down to board, since the inbound was a little late. When I got to the end, near the plane, there was a man standing there. There was nothing remarkable about him. He didn't seem odd or out of place, as it's normal for someone to be standing there, if they were seated on the plane in front of someone they are flying with and choose to wait there for their other party to exit the aircraft.
For a few more minutes, passengers continued to exit and finally, the parade of life ended. The man was still standing there. The purser from the inbound flight came to the door and looked out and saw him there. She asked if he was waiting for a checked bag. Sometimes, we have to gate check a bag, which comes up in baggage claim, not plane side, but some people think we are like Mother Airline Express, where the bag is returned in the jet bridge. He didn't indicate that he was waiting for a bag. He just stood there, sort of expressionless. She didn't know what else to say.
The other two flight attendants emerged in the doorway- one was holding a back pack that had been left by one of the passengers on the plane. When they saw the man standing there, right in front of me, they knew instantly that it was his, so they assumed that was the reason he was standing there. They handed the back pack to him, and he placed it over his shoulder, and still he stood there, as if waiting for something else. The purser even asked him, "Are you waiting for someone? There are no more passengers on board."
"No," he responded. There were next a series of blank stares. He stared at the crew, they stared back. My crew stared at him and then the inbound crew, who stared back. It was very strange. We needed to board and no one was saying anything. So finally, I broke the silence, "Well, sir, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."
A light seemed to come on in him with my little cliche, and he turned to start walking up the jet bridge towards the terminal, but he stumbled and nearly fell. Catching himself, he continued on as if nothing had happened. The crews all got wide eyed.
I knew two of the crew members, and we hugged in passing, and they mentioned that he had had a few drinks. I'm guessing he had more than his share, based on his performance. The whole thing lingers in my mind and has continued to make me laugh as I think about it. The odd, stares, the way he just stood there. How I finally had to say something to encourage him to walk away from the airplane. Just another day at the airport.
The funniest thing happened today. Our plane arrived at the gate and as the passengers were coming off, my crew walked down to board, since the inbound was a little late. When I got to the end, near the plane, there was a man standing there. There was nothing remarkable about him. He didn't seem odd or out of place, as it's normal for someone to be standing there, if they were seated on the plane in front of someone they are flying with and choose to wait there for their other party to exit the aircraft.
For a few more minutes, passengers continued to exit and finally, the parade of life ended. The man was still standing there. The purser from the inbound flight came to the door and looked out and saw him there. She asked if he was waiting for a checked bag. Sometimes, we have to gate check a bag, which comes up in baggage claim, not plane side, but some people think we are like Mother Airline Express, where the bag is returned in the jet bridge. He didn't indicate that he was waiting for a bag. He just stood there, sort of expressionless. She didn't know what else to say.
The other two flight attendants emerged in the doorway- one was holding a back pack that had been left by one of the passengers on the plane. When they saw the man standing there, right in front of me, they knew instantly that it was his, so they assumed that was the reason he was standing there. They handed the back pack to him, and he placed it over his shoulder, and still he stood there, as if waiting for something else. The purser even asked him, "Are you waiting for someone? There are no more passengers on board."
"No," he responded. There were next a series of blank stares. He stared at the crew, they stared back. My crew stared at him and then the inbound crew, who stared back. It was very strange. We needed to board and no one was saying anything. So finally, I broke the silence, "Well, sir, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."
A light seemed to come on in him with my little cliche, and he turned to start walking up the jet bridge towards the terminal, but he stumbled and nearly fell. Catching himself, he continued on as if nothing had happened. The crews all got wide eyed.
I knew two of the crew members, and we hugged in passing, and they mentioned that he had had a few drinks. I'm guessing he had more than his share, based on his performance. The whole thing lingers in my mind and has continued to make me laugh as I think about it. The odd, stares, the way he just stood there. How I finally had to say something to encourage him to walk away from the airplane. Just another day at the airport.
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