On a recent two-hour flight, I found myself seated next to a young woman who quickly made things uncomfortable. First, she took off her socks. Then her sweater. Then came the loud chewing. But the worst part? She casually threw her dirty, smelly foot onto the tray table of the empty seat between us.
I asked her, politely, to put it down. Her response? “The seat’s empty. I can do what I want.”
That was it.
I walked to the flight attendant, got a cup of warm coffee, and on my way back… whoops — spilled it right on her foot.
She shrieked. I shrugged. “Sorry, I tripped. Maybe next time keep your feet where they belong.”
She sat quietly the rest of the flight.
Moral of the story? Being polite is good — but some people only understand boundaries when they’re served with a little heat.
