Absolutely Clueless

“The World is so unjust and where has all the decency gone.” I heard her say; she must have been in her fifties. Immaculately dressed lady in a group of 5 women; all of them in the same age group. She had been my co-passenger on a recent flight from Florida to Washington DC. Now standing in the “re-booking” line for United and saying these words.

“I am surprised that they missed the flight” another co-passenger commented with a chuckle. We all in the flight knew that they will.

Flash back to 30 minutes ago. The flight landed at the airport later than scheduled. There must have been more than 150 passengers in the cabin as the flight was full. As it touched down the air hostess announced that people with no connections to remain seated and let the passengers with connections deplane first to make sure that no one misses a connection.  Most of the people in the flight followed these instructions and stay seated.

I was on the absolute last seat of the flight so I could see this whole story unfold. A few minutes passed with most of the people left the plane only last 7-8 rows left. People with connections; as everybody thought; had left the plane earlier and only then rest of the passengers had started leaving. Now with final few passengers left; this group of ladies who had been sitting all the time got up and our lady in the lead said, “I can’t believe that no one gave us way; what is wrong with the people?.” I looked at them with disbelief (and I was not the only one doing that; everyone left in the plane joined me in that) They didn’t even stand up earlier for anyone to know that they may have a connection and now they were just a few minutes away from catching their next flight. Getting angry and voicing opinions about the unjust world and disrespectful people they got off the plane. And our lady in the lead made sure that she complains to the plane crew in detail about that before anyone on their group could leave.  Everyone in the plane knew, that very moment that they will miss the flight

Flash forward t; the group is grumbling to everyone about the unjust they have been subjected to. And anyone who had witnessed this whole episode some time back in the plane had just one question in their mind, “if they had a plane to catch why didn’t they stand up in the first place while other passengers with connecting flight plans where leaving. May be they assumed that people will know. But How?” I know this appears stupid, why would anyone assume something like this?

It has been almost a whole day and I am thinking; were they really being stupid? Don’t we all do this everyday? Not saying things to our family, Coworkers, supervisors, subordinates, store clerks and so on and always assuming that they will figure out what we need. And also we mostly get annoyed at them for not being able to understand. I have done that often. Am I being stupid? I don’t know the answer but I know those 5 ladies were there, in that flight for a purpose. And that purpose is served.