Mile High

Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport is a major "hub", so, naturally, I've changed planes there many times. And passing through its terminals, I'm not usually reminded of the incident. But for some reason, on the way to and from Tucson, I thought about it. I even told the story to the woman I was flirting with on the plane back. (Maybe I was trying to give her some ideas.)

Y'see, I have often, in many places and situations -- found myself the naif; the inexperienced one. Such a place and situation was an airplane, some years back, heading from Los Angeles to Dallas, where I would change for a plane to New York.

Next to me on this plane was a good-looking, mildly rednecky guy who was trying to get into acting and stunt work, if I remember correctly. But his more immediate concern was to -- on this flight, either join or reaffirm his membership in the "Mile High Club".

If you don't know (and at the time, I think I didn't, membership in the Mile High Club is achieved by having sex in a plane while in flight, usually in the lavatory. (But don't try to smoke in there!) And this guy seemed to think he might accomplish this feat with the cute flight attendant with whom he and I were frequently chatting.

Only thing is, she was more interested in me than he.

And I probably looked pretty uncool and otherwise aesthetically challenged as I generally did (and do?). But I guess there was something there that spoke to her, aside from my mouth. Because -- no -- she didn't sponsor me for membership in the club.

But she did invite me to come live with her in the suburbs of Dallas, rather than continuing my trip to New York.

I regretted saying no from the moment she vanished from site in the Dallas terminal. But I didn't drive and I didn't have money and I didn't understand how a person could make such an offer so quickly and I only mentioned the first two problems and she basically said she'd take care of me and I imagined she'd get fed up with me and . . .

I don't know.

But when you think of all the stupid, pointless, unrewarding, and even destructive adventures I've plunged into, it seems a poor moment for rationality to have kicked in.

Maybe taking her up on her offer would have changed my life.

But then again, maybe if I'd gone with her, I'd be dead.

That's how I make myself feel better about missed opportunities -- by reminding myself that had I done anything differently, I could have set in motion a chain of events culminating in my premature death.

Of course, some contemplative souls will tell you there are many kinds of death.

I wonder if she remembers me.

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22 January, 2007 @ 17:45 GMT
http://blogs.chortle.co.uk/andrewjlederer