Going back again to my flight attendant days, I am reminded of a kind gentleman who certainly made a lasting impression on me.

Often people fly the 16 minute flight from Toledo OH to Detroit MI to make a connection to their final destination. On a 16 minute flight, there is enough time for the plane to get off the ground and fly for a few minutes. It is not a flight where it is safe for the FA to be out of the jumpseat except to prepare the flight for arrival.

This particular flight at a 6:15 AM departure. I greeted the passengers and got everyone settled in and we took off. The wheels left the ground and as I heard the gear come up, I heard a call light ding. I looked for the light and could see a man a the back of the plane reaching for the call light button again. He did not appear to be in any physical distress so I wasn’t immediately concerned that he was having a medical emergency. I held one finger up indicating I would be with him in a moment.

He reached up for the light again and dinged twice. We were still barely off the ground so I was not comfortable leaving my seat for what didn’t appear to be emergent. Again I motioned that I would be with him in a moment.

He clearly wasn’t willing to wait as he began to ding incessantly. I decided maybe it was urgent after all, got out of my seat and walked to the back of the plane. Here is a summary of the conversation.

Me: Are you okay sir? How can I help you?

Him: You need to get me a rum and coke!

Me: (Dumbfounded and not sure I was hearing him correctly.) I’m sorry, could you repeat that?

Him: You NEED to get me a rum and coke.

Me: Sorry, sir. There is no beverage service on this flight.

Him: YOU NEED to get me a rum and coke.

Me: Sir this is a 16 minute flight. It is not…

Him: (Interrupting) What don’t you understand?

Me: This is a 16 minute flight. There is no time for a beverage service.

Him: GET ME A RUM ANND COKE.

Me: Sir, this is not a beverage service flight, it is not even safe for me to be out of my seat.

Him: RUM! AND! COKE!

Me: I am returning to my seat now. I will not continue this discussion.

As I walked away, the first officer announced we were beginning our descent and that I needed to prepare the cabin for arrival. I returned to the back of the plane to prepare for arrival. I sat in my seat and let the crew know the cabin was ready.

When I looked up at the passengers, I saw him smirking at me with a newspaper in his hand. He held it up and tore off a one inch strip and threw it on the floor. He continued to smirk as he shredded the entire paper into strips and dropped them on the floor.

I smiled and talked with the passengers in the front row until we landed. All the while I was thinking how proud he seemed to be of his behavior, that he appeared to think his behavior was affecting me. I am not sure but I think. he was under the impression that flight attendants cleaned the planes after the flights. Not the case.

Then I realized that somewhere there might be married to him. Maybe there was someone who was his secretary. There are people in this world who might have to deal with his behavior on a daily basis.

When anyone around me is drinking a rum and coke I think of this man and the shredded paper.