Have you ever been in a situation that just plain turned ugly? This weekend, I experienced first-hand how quickly people seem to turn into animals. The worst part? I found myself teetering on the slippery slope of entering the animal kingdom.
It was like the scene from Pinnochio when the little boys turn into donkeys. Tails were growing. Horns were coming out of the heads of all those in line. I was at the airport and they had cancelled our flight.
Not only did they not have another flight until the next morning, but they offered little assistance and support to most in line. They had two flights – with minimal vacant seats – that were flying into airports within driving distance of our destination. Other than that, there was no plan B. It was pure chaos.
When my cell rang, I was surprised to hear an airline rep on the other end. For whatever reason, she had called to help me and not the other 75 people waiting in line. At that moment, I felt I had the upper-hand. I started to rationalize that my being on one of those flights was of the utmost importance. Even though I knew all the other people in line had their own very important reasons for reaching our destination, I instinctively followed the “every man for themselves” philosophy to life. It was a scary feeling, yet, I couldn’t stop.
Nothing really happened from the phone call. Fortunately, I was already at the front of the line anyway due to my fear of this kind of situation (I always seem to get to airports with more than enough time…) and was one of about five people that were able to board a flight that day.
As I grabbed my ticket and ran for the gate, I looked back and saw a scene from the Discovery Channel. I felt fortunate to get out of there with only slight scratches. Many others, I fear, were left to fight to the death.
Lessons learned from the experience: 1. ALWAYS get to the airport early. 2. Don’t scream at the airport employees. 3. Try to not bring out the claws and wait your turn. 4. NEVER work at an airport.
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