My boss was telling this story the other day, and I could not help but wonder where this lady grew up, what sort of parents she had, and why in the world she’d ever think it’s okay to be such a snob.  So, enjoy and ask yourselves the same questions I did!

In his former work life, my boss traveled across the world quite frequently.  He was on airplanes just about every week and encountered tons of rude, annoying, and even downright crazy people.  Once, while traveling in the southern US, he was traveling in first class (ah, those were the days!) and the flight attendant came up to him to ask him what he’d like to drink.  He told her, and she moved on to the next row.  The flight attendant then asked the man in front of my boss what he’d like to drink.  The man told her, and she then asked the same of an older lady who appeared to be the man’s wife.

The lady did not answer.

She asked her again.  A bit louder.

The lady once more did not answer.

Once again, the flight attendant, in her nicest and most heartfelt I-think-this-lady-is-hard-of-hearing voice asked her what she’d like to drink.  The lady STILL DID NOT respond.

The flight attendant then looked at the man, asking him if she was hard of hearing.  He replied, simply,

“SHE DOESN’T TALK TO THE “HELP.”

At which the flight attendant looked aghast and asked the man what the lady would like to drink.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the last person you want to make mad or talk down to on an airline flight, when you’re trapped in said aircraft for an hour or more, is the flight attendant.  Flight attendants are your last line of defense from the “crazies”, they provide drinks and blankets, and they can make your life a living hell if you really make them mad.  (I’ve seen this go down myself on a flight.)  So, even though  the older lady “didn’t talk to the help”, maybe this wasn’t the time to bring that little tidbit out into the open.

Trust me that whatever the flight attendant brought her, she most likely didn’t want to drink.  I’m sure that it had an extra special ingredient in it when it came back from the drink cart.