Tale of the Bitter, Old Gate Agent
Today, I am musing about people who are convinced their lives are terrible, so they make them that way.
As I was flying home from Utah (I'm back in New York), I flew through Chicago. I'm not a big fan of O'Hare Airport, but that's the way that it happened this time, so that's life. Anyways, there was this super bitter gate agent. She hated her job and mostly her life, I think. She was so miserable, that she was making everybody else miserable. I tried to make her day easier and lighten the area around her, but she would have nothing of it.
For example, there was a lady who came to check in for the flight. She was seventy-five years old, and was going through chemotherapy and so she was very weak and feeble. When the gate agent found out that she was booked for a seat in the emergency exit row, the bitter gate agent informed the woman that this was not going to be possible. The emergency exit door was much too big for her and she was not legally able to serve in the exit row. However, because of all the flights in Chicago being grounded the night before because of windstorm, the plane was full and had a huge waiting list as well. So, the gate agent was going to boot this lady from the flight. Overhearing the issue, I informed the gate agent that if they needed someone to switch with this lady, I would be happy to switch spots with her. I am small and short, so I don't find airplanes uncomfortable really at all. Put me where you like. I had a row 25 seat on a Airbus 320, so it was towards the back, but it was an aisle seat so it wouldn't even be that bad for the lady. The gate attendant said, "No, ma'am you're fine. Mind your own business!" and then told the lady that she would look for another seat, but she would most likely not be able to find one and that she would probably have to wait until the next morning for a flight (the 9:15 pm to Rochester was full too). I wanted to scream, "No. You found her a seat, just give it to her!" It made me angry.
As I was flying home from Utah (I'm back in New York), I flew through Chicago. I'm not a big fan of O'Hare Airport, but that's the way that it happened this time, so that's life. Anyways, there was this super bitter gate agent. She hated her job and mostly her life, I think. She was so miserable, that she was making everybody else miserable. I tried to make her day easier and lighten the area around her, but she would have nothing of it.
For example, there was a lady who came to check in for the flight. She was seventy-five years old, and was going through chemotherapy and so she was very weak and feeble. When the gate agent found out that she was booked for a seat in the emergency exit row, the bitter gate agent informed the woman that this was not going to be possible. The emergency exit door was much too big for her and she was not legally able to serve in the exit row. However, because of all the flights in Chicago being grounded the night before because of windstorm, the plane was full and had a huge waiting list as well. So, the gate agent was going to boot this lady from the flight. Overhearing the issue, I informed the gate agent that if they needed someone to switch with this lady, I would be happy to switch spots with her. I am small and short, so I don't find airplanes uncomfortable really at all. Put me where you like. I had a row 25 seat on a Airbus 320, so it was towards the back, but it was an aisle seat so it wouldn't even be that bad for the lady. The gate attendant said, "No, ma'am you're fine. Mind your own business!" and then told the lady that she would look for another seat, but she would most likely not be able to find one and that she would probably have to wait until the next morning for a flight (the 9:15 pm to Rochester was full too). I wanted to scream, "No. You found her a seat, just give it to her!" It made me angry.
Comments