Perception Shift

Perception Shift

I was having quite a day! Allow me to elaborate. On my way to North Carolina to visit my father and sister, whom I haven’t seen and haven’t been on good terms with, I encountered a problem. As I walked away from the car, I realized I didn’t have my phone. I distinctly remembered leaving it in the car, so it must have slipped out of my pocket and been picked up by a bystander who took it along. I tracked it to New York, then New Jersey, and down the coast.

I gathered my old phone and prepared for my journey. I even changed my flight and ended up with a window seat, which I rarely choose. Things seemed to be going well until a taller gentleman was in the aisle seat when I arrived, leaving me with the window seat. But wait, could my luck improve further? It did when the middle seat remained vacant! Then, a cheerful, larger man arrived, and he pointed to the seat. In my head, I thought, “WTF.” He was smiling and appeared to be the happiest middle-aged man on the plane. As he struggled to get situated in his seat, I patiently waited. When I finally reached for my seatbelt, I noticed he had mine. He laughed and said, “That’s why it was so hard to get on.” In my mind, I thought, “No, it’s because you’re a big dude.” He got settled and mentioned he couldn’t wait to land and get some food. Go figure, I once again silently judged.

After takeoff, I dozed off and woke up when the beverage service came around. The man in the middle seat was still smiling and very cheerful. He handed me my pretzels and seltzer and mentioned that the WiFi wasn’t working, fiddling with his phone. Then, he looked up and kindly told me he had fixed it and explained how to connect. His pleasant nature began to win me over, and soon enough, we were engaged in a lively conversation.

Once again, I realized that I had judged a book by its cover. This time, however, the book didn’t allow me to judge and walk away. He continued to reveal his character, and we even exchanged numbers. I’m confident that we will collaborate on a project to benefit others. He mentioned that he wasn’t supposed to be in the seat next to me, but it was offered for $10, and he took it. You never know when and whom you’ll meet. On a day when I needed a positive vibe the most, I found one.

To be continued…

Thank you for reading,
Your Friend Wakime