I’d heard that seats were crowded and uncomfortable on airplanes, but when we arrived at ours, I found them to be fancy and plush. I sat down in my designated seat, the one next to the window and admired everything around me. I was puzzling over the roominess and the elegance of everything, which seemed so contradictory to all I’d heard, when I discovered that we were flying first class.
Terry and Bob had seats directly behind us. I learned their names only after we were already seated. We didn’t shake hands because we were buckled in by then, but I twisted my neck and smiled at them. I was pleased when they smiled back. No grouches were accompanying us. Big plus.
Terry was the one with hair so fair it was almost white. He resembled a picture I’d seen of a Viking warrior. Bob had black hair and looked like he might have Japanese heritage. Both were in their thirties, tall and well-muscled, and they were each attractive enough that I’d seen women eyeing them out in the waiting area.
Our seating arrangement was two seats next to each other, although I saw that the section on Timothy’s other side were single seats with screens around them. I liked our configuration better and was thrilled that Timothy had given me the window seat. It seemed more secure than being out in the open, which I realize is a completely irrational thought. (But, I’d once heard that people liked the front seat of a plane because they figured they’d get to their destination first, which was an equally bizarre idea.)
Anyway, I’d be able look out the window and see the ground. I hoped I’d be brave enough to do so. When my friends and I rode amusement rides, I always kept my eyes tightly shut until the ride was over. Seeing the speed and angle our little car was going seemed only to make the ride scarier.
I suddenly heard a loud bang. I gasped, thinking that the plane was already collapsing, even though we hadn’t gotten off the ground yet. Timothy reassured me that it was a sign that the cargo had been loaded, and the bin doors were being shut. Explanations really helped to steady nerves, I decided.