The Last Day of a Very Long Trip

Normally the longest trip is four days. However, last week they created an extra special five day trip, just for me. Don't be jealous.

Normally on the last day of a trip I phone it in. I just want to get home. Nothing interesting happens. I don't try to make extra conversation with passengers. My smile is most definitely an effort.

The last day of this trip was quite the exception. My hotel van didn't show up (which was fine because I am always crazy early) so the hotel staff gave me a free breakfast while I waited for the next van. How nice was that?!

As I was doing my classic walk through the airport (pulling luggage with one hand, holding and looking at my phone with the other, carefully scanning my peripheral for obstacles and people) a strange man walked awkwardly towards me and then past me saying, "Your so cute" in a strange accent I couldn't place. weird. So I looked up from my phone made a weird face and kept walking towards my gate as quickly as possibly.

Once on the plane one passenger brought us fun size Butterfinger Bars. Yum.

Another Passengers brought each of us this hilarious sticker... He then thanked us for all we do and apologized for all the mean passengers he has seen over the years. He also said he is glad we are trained and onboard, but hopes he never needs us in that capacity. You and me both, Sir.

On top of all of that, the Captain was handing out the book "The Age of Flight". It is a book about the history of United. I already have one, so I declined. But still, how nice was that?!

Whilst all this awkwardness and generosity was going on, one person told me I look like Elizabeth Shue, another said I resembled Jodi Foster, and someone else said I look like (name escapes me), a tennis player from the 1970's.

These cultural references give you the general age of the people I work with.

It is always awkward when people say you look like a famous person. What do you say? What if you think the person is ugly or crazy? (Like when people said I looked like Britney during her drugs and head shaving phase. Thanks???) I usually just say, "Oh, thank you. I haven't heard that before." and then pretend to know who the person is they are talking about (Elizabeth Shue? Seventies tennis player?)

I am pretty sure everyone who looked at me that day could tell I had had a long five days. I mean, I still have a gouge and bruise on my forehead from a run-in with a floating shelf in one of my hotel rooms. So, I think everyone saw me coming a mile away, with a slightly crazed and extremely worn out look, and thought they better be nice to me. Which they were.