Durango - 2001

The Return Flight
Our United Express flight leaving Durango en route to Denver was one of the most enjoyable flights I’ve ever flown. Doug and I were lucky enough to get the last seats on an earlier flight we hoped to make in order to avoid a storm rolling in to the area. I told the gorgeous ticketing agent “Happy Valentine’s Day” then walked out to the plane on the tarmac and watched with a smirk as the all-female ground crew readied the plane for departure.

I climbed up the steps to the cabin and looked for my seat. There were 32 seats on this plane, three seats across each row in a pattern of 1 then 2 until you reach the rear of the plane where the rows narrowed to two single window seats then two seats next to the bulkhead. My seat was very literally the last seat on the aircraft. I found it rested at the end of the aisle next to the galley. If I leaned forward and stretched, I could reach the door handle of the biffy from where I was sitting. My feet straddled the aisle. Sitting next to me, in the window seat, was a young recently graduated college coed with a Jesus streak and a late twenties budding businessman sitting in the seat directly in front of the girl. And, at the opposite end of the aisle, a very attractive young stewardess sat facing me.

I took my seat and sat patiently while the rest of the passengers took their seats and stowed their belongings. The stewardess appeared carrying a rather large ornate hand painted box. She made an attempt to put it in one of the overhead compartments and then started walking towards me. She got within a couple feet and said “would you do me a favor?”. As she was bending to her knee, I replied “you want me to hold it for you?”. She laughed and slid the box between my legs under my seat. She was smiling a beautiful smile as she got up turned and walked to the front of the plane. She shot me a number of smiling giggling glances from that time until we were airborne.

She eventually came back to begin the beverage service and told me she couldn’t stop laughing about my comment. She handed me a coke, a glass, and a bag of trail mix. She had only enough time to serve the girl and guy to my left before turbulence forced her to take her seat. She strapped herself in and watched me attempt to pour my drink and eat my snack as the plane heaved. She was laughing and poking fun at me pantomiming my movements and then motioning to put the drink on the floor between my feet. I was dancing and adjusting to the movements of the plane all the while laughing and watching her watch me. The ride smoothed out and I took a swig of my drink. Suddenly, the ride bottomed out. The plane dropped. I immediately compensated by raising my drink well above my head. I somehow managed to not spill a drop. The girl next to me panicked lost control of her body and threw her drink over the seat in front of her and her trail mix all over me. The drink in the guy’s hand shot straight up burst on the console above his head and rained down on him. I was laughing hysterically. Our stewardess was laughing, and, sprite was dripping all over the place. I apologized to this guy for laughing, but added that it was really really funny, and smiled at the girl to my left who was still in a bit of shock. I escaped but for a couple drops and a few flying bran chips. The stewardess came back to help clean up as soon as the ride became smoother. She also said Doug, who was seated next to her at the front of the plane, requested that she serve me complimentary cranberry juice. He was turned in my direction and laughing.

For the remainder of the hour long flight, she and I just laughed and traded glances. I wished her well when I disembarked and bounced down the gangway. She was engaged to be married... the ring hadn’t escaped my notice.

It was the most fun I’ve had on an airplane.