tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2360548355687690623.post-69156742546809435882008-06-18T11:02:00.000-07:002008-06-18T11:04:33.010-07:00Our family was heading home from a family vacation and because this family vacation included quite a few members of our extended family, we were scattered around the plane. This was fine with me. I was sitting next to an elderly woman and her husband, we exchanged smiles and I helped her put one of her bags in the overhead compartment. <br /><br />I settled into my seat, I pulled out the book I was reading, partly for show, so that the woman would look over and be impressed with my interest in reading, oh and a classic too!!!! I smiled to myself as I looked into my carry on. It included a CD player, CD's, batteries, chocolate, various snacks, a bottle of water, my glasses case (my glasses were on partly for show too), and my journal that I kept during our vacation. I glanced across the plane as people were settling into their seats and the announcements started about how to fasten your seatbelt and felt particularly content with where I was seated.<br /><br />There was the remainder of my family, in for a long flight. Mom and Dad were matched up with Veronica and John while Aunt Denise was sitting with Paul. Claire was with Grandma Nichols in the two seats in front of me and the rest of our group was out of my range of vision, which was just fine with me. I began to feel more at ease and wondered what snacks would be going around and what movies would be played during our long flight. I read for awhile, and when my eyes began to become tired I put away my book and decided to put on my headphones. During that process I reached down to get my purse and when I looked up, there was Claire's sleepy face looking at me and she asked me for a piece of chocolate "since I had my purse out anyway." I was a bit annoyed that I was being asked when she had just as much chocolate; it was just in the overhead compartment. It was a bit of an inconvenience to me, I mean taking out the chocolate, unwrapping it and breaking off a piece. I looked at her and as I put my headphones on my ears and shut my eyes I said "eat your own." Even for me, this was rude. There was no reason that I shouldn't have given her a piece. I had created a bubble, which included the woman next to me who wouldn't interfere with my trip or make conversation. I was irritable, it had been a long trip and we were all tired. But honestly, she wanted chocolate and she even waited for the opportune moment of me having out my purse. I now wonder how long she had been waiting to make her move. She knew that I'd be reaching for my purse periodically; she wasn't facing me, so I wonder how long she had been cranking her neck, waiting for me to make my move so she could go in for the kill.<br /><br />I tried to have my music distract me. The guilt started creeping in and began to consume me. A few minutes later, I too had a chocolate craving, but couldn't fully enjoy it, thinking about how I deprived Claire of that same enjoyment. So, that is when I decided to hand her a piece, a generous piece of chocolate. Her eyes were droopy and she had her headphones on. I felt so good, I had done a good thing, even though I had sacrificed a piece of it, it wouldn't go unremembered, I would remind her when she was opening hers when we got back home. A few minutes later the movie started and I plugged in my headphones and began to watch. I saw Claire stand up and I heard my grandmother's laugh and her voice say "oh poor Claire." I wondered what had happened. When I looked up I saw Claire with Chocolate melted on her pants, her hand and her hair. She was in disbelief, she was in a daze. She said that she had fallen asleep with it. She then took the walk of shame to the bathroom. I was laughing so hard, shameless. I have a tendency of laughing at other's embarrassment. I was absolutely cracking up, my face was red, I think my leg was slapped as well. I was shaking in my seat. When I calmed down and had a few tired bursts of laughter I looked toward my neighbors, completely forgetting them. The woman had a look of "oh really, I guess we've seen your true colors." I uncomfortably pulled open my book and tried to forget her stare that indicated that I wasn't the person she thought I was. <br /><br />All I had to do was forget the situation ever happened and not laugh anymore and then perhaps I would be able to re-enter my neighbor's good graces. Just as I thought I was going to be able to control my self, Claire walked back to her seat with a look of bitterness that sent me over the edge again. This time, I caught more than my seat-mate's eye, there were several turned heads. I was going to laugh, and that woman could judge all she wanted to, it was funny. Good deeds to not go unrewarded.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2360548355687690623-6915674254680943588?l=twonicholsmakeadime.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Maureenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00238062310724942593noreply@blogger.com0