Comments on: Airport Observations #1 http://middlezonemusings.com/airport-observations-1/ It's about lessons learned... from life! Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:44:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Robert Hruzek http://middlezonemusings.com/airport-observations-1/#comment-2264 Robert Hruzek Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:24:19 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/airport-observations-1/#comment-2264 Howdy, Anna; welcome to the Middle Zone! That's a corker, all right! Being naturally contrary, I think I'd probably stand in her way until Heck froze over. But maybe that's just me... Howdy, Anna; welcome to the Middle Zone!

That’s a corker, all right! Being naturally contrary, I think I’d probably stand in her way until Heck froze over. But maybe that’s just me…

]]> By: Anna http://middlezonemusings.com/airport-observations-1/#comment-2262 Anna Mon, 29 Oct 2007 13:26:32 +0000 http://middlezonemusings.com/airport-observations-1/#comment-2262 A few years ago I flew to London and in the customs line at Heathrow, there was this elderly lady. She would inch her suitcase up beside the person in front of her and yawn and stretch and pretty soon she was in front of them! I watched this happen to 10 or 12 people behind me and when she got to me I blocked her, I stood in front of her suitcase so she couldn't pass, but she was so persistent that she wore me down. It came down to a choice of confront her or let her pass, and so I let her pass. Then she proceeded to cut the next 25 or 30 people until she was in the front of the line! After she went through, the people around me started talking about her. They thought it was funny and even admired her! I thought it was unfunny and extremely rude, but I only shared that with my husband. But, I've wondered ever since what that was about. Why did 40 or 50 people (mostly Americans) let this woman cut in front of them? Are we push-overs? Would we have confronted someone younger? I don't know, but somehow the event unsettles me even after several years. A few years ago I flew to London and in the customs line at Heathrow, there was this elderly lady. She would inch her suitcase up beside the person in front of her and yawn and stretch and pretty soon she was in front of them! I watched this happen to 10 or 12 people behind me and when she got to me I blocked her, I stood in front of her suitcase so she couldn’t pass, but she was so persistent that she wore me down. It came down to a choice of confront her or let her pass, and so I let her pass. Then she proceeded to cut the next 25 or 30 people until she was in the front of the line!

After she went through, the people around me started talking about her. They thought it was funny and even admired her! I thought it was unfunny and extremely rude, but I only shared that with my husband.

But, I’ve wondered ever since what that was about. Why did 40 or 50 people (mostly Americans) let this woman cut in front of them? Are we push-overs? Would we have confronted someone younger?

I don’t know, but somehow the event unsettles me even after several years.

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