Work, life and things in between – Day 50 – A flying circus!
I am sitting on the plane. The passenger next to me is at most 20 years old. He has a middle seat. Much to his distress, the screens are not working and there is therefore no movie on board today.
As far as I can tell, this is a major issue for him. He is evidently challenged by the prospect of the next four and a half hours. I am beginning to sense that maybe I should be too! I can tell, this has the potential of turning into a circus..
For the first 30 minutes he keeps trying to make the screen work, turning it on, off, on again, off again, and then again……finally, he gives up. I guess even he has come to terms with the definition of insanity!
He pulls out his I-phone, plays some games, fiddles with the magazines in the back pocket of the seat in front of him, even tries to reach for my back pocket. I draw the line.
He twists and turns, tries to sleep for a good thirty seconds or so, not long enough for me to finish my page, goes through his entire pack of gums and finally pulls out his lap-top. I am thinking that he is finally going to settle down.
He turns the computer on and selects a movie for “mature audience”. Kid you not. In fact, I am not sure I am mature enough myself to watch this movie…or actually maybe I am too old already? That could be the problem.
I look around, everyone’s eyes are on his screen. They whisper and fret but nobody says anything. I elbow him a bit. He looks at me like he never saw me before. “I am not sure this movie is a good idea” I said. He raises his eyebrows as if to say “what do you mean”? Had I said, “Do you mind if I open the window, it is a bit stuffy in here” I think he would have reacted in the same manner. Somehow he made me feel like I was the odd one!
Eventually the flight attendant came and asked him to shut it down. He had no choice in the matter. I am sure he did not understand why. In fact, this would have been a great conversation to have. I bet it would have taken us to reality shows and what is this thing you guys want to protect that you call privacy?
Some things just don’t mean the same to different people.
Then he selected some high action movie where the sound reached me even through his headset and over mine (listening to Brahms….double hit on generation gap!) and while he is watching the movie he is also playing some games on his I-phone…I suppose to keep him busy for the few nanoseconds when the guys are dead in the movie and the action slows down or something…he is making me dizzy.
I am pretty good at multitasking myself, but this is some serious multitasking. Perhaps my thoughts around the benefits of being able to sit still and taking in the surroundings are over rated, but I believe it does everyone some good. It is often thought of as a regenerating moment.
Of course, who needs regeneration at 20?
He reminds me of my first born child when he was a preschooler. His energy level was so high (and still is, although there is a wonderful calmness about him today) that I would regularly open the back door of the house and tell him to go run around the yard. “Just bring the energy level down boy; Mama here can’t deal with it no more!”
I feel like doing the same here but they won’t let me open the back door! To day 51.
The photography is courtesy of Onorio Catenacci . Thank you. www.onoriocatenacci.comI am sitting on the plane, on my way to my Mom’s birthday dinner. The passenger sitting next to me is at most 2o years old. He has a middle seat. Much to his distress, the screens are not working and there is therefore no movie on board today.
As far as I can tell, this is a major issue for him. He is evidently challenged by the prospect of the next four and a half hours. I am beginning to sense that maybe I should be too!
For the first 60 minutes he keeps trying to make the screen work, turning it on, off, on again, off again, and then again……finally, he gives up. I guess even he has come to terms with the definition of stupidity!
He pulls out his I-phone, plays some games, fiddles with the magazines in the back pocket of the seat in front of him, even tries to reach for my back pocket. I draw the line.
He twists and turns, tries to sleep for a good thirty seconds or so, not long enough for me to finish my page, goes through his entire pack of gums and finally pulls out his lap-top. I am thinking that he is finally going to settle down.
He turns the computer on and brings on a porn movie. Kid you not. Honest to goodness. I am thinking it is a mistake and he will quickly skip to the next movie. Not that I would be expecting Bambie or anything, but porn? seriously?
I look around, everyone’s eyes are on his screen. They whisper and fret but nobody says anything. I elbow him a bit. He looks at me like he never saw me before. “I am not sure this movie is a good idea” I said. He raises his eyebrows as if to say “what do you mean”? Had I said, “You will need your umbrella they are forecasting announced some rain in here” he would have reacted in the same manner. Somehow he made me feel like I was the odd one!
Eventually the flight attendant came and asked him to shut it down. He had no choice in the matter.
Then he selected some high action movie where the sound reaches me even through his headset and over mine (listening to Brahms….generation clash is everywhere as you can tell) and while he is watching the movie he is also playing some games on his I-phone…I suppose to keep him busy for the few nanoseconds when the guys are dead in the movie and the action slows down or something…he is making me dizzy.
I am pretty good at multitasking myself, but this is some serious multitasking. Perhaps my thoughts around the benefits of being able to sit still and taking in the surroundings are over rated, but I believe it does everyone some good. It is often thought of as a regenerating moment.
Of course, who needs regeneration at 20?
He reminds me of my first born child when he was a preschooler. His energy level was so high (and still is, although there is a wonderful calmness about him today) that I would regularly open the back door of the house and tell him to go run around the yard. “Just bring the energy level down boy; Mama here can’t deal with it no more!”
I feel like doing the same here but they won’t let me open the back door!