Adventures on airplanes – The honeymooners and the aunts that would not dance

You get on a flight and take your seat. The seats next to you are empty. You are hopeful but you know that you are not going to be lucky enough to have them both empty – you weren’t all that nice at the check-in counter. You sit there and look at people boarding. You look at their eyes as they scan seat numbers; that is the fastest way to know who is going to sit next to you. You realize how judgmental you are. Your preferences in people show up very vividly. Let it be a woman but not two women with a baby each. Please please don’t let it be someone with a weak bladder – not when you have the aisle seat.

I sat there looking and wondering and then a pair of lovebirds showed up. You know the sickly sweet types that touch and kiss each other at every opportunity. I saw their eyes scan and stop just above me. I evaluated them and scanned through my priority list. I had heard honeymooner horror stories from my Thai friends – they encountered many on their flight back to Thailand. But I had also one sat through the beginnings of a ménage à trois in a train once so these two seemed manageable.

They held hands and giggled a lot. They sneaked a kiss and when they finally fell asleep they were all cuddled up with each other. My only gripe was they incessant needs to go to the restroom with each other – many many times. Anyways, the long flight gave them ample time to rest and then they started to discuss the wedding.

“Seems everyone was tired after the wedding,” he said.

“Yes, they had fun, the women danced a lot too,” she said.

“Yes, why did you have the dance? Is it a tradition on your side,” he said.

“It is a tradition. All the women dance. All did dance except your aunts ,” she said slightly accusingly.

 “Yes, my aunts did not dance,” he said warily.

“Why? Did you not ask them? Or they did not want to?” she said.

At this point they were still holding hands. Not the loving holding hands but not letting go as they did not want to be the first to let go.

“It is ok if they did not dance, did you mind that?” he said defensively

“I don’t care, why should I mind if they danced or not”. Her voice was shrill.

I could see him wishing that the aunts had just gotten their act together and shook their hips a little. I could see her loosen her grip on his hand. I could see that they were learning to be married.