Christian Living

Seat Change

by Anne Adams
03/09/21
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Mrs. Jerome settled in her window seat in coach and settled back to ponder the reason for her trip.

What a time for her sister Edith to have a stroke! And why did they have to ask her to come help out?  They could have hired a nurse so why bother her? Now she'd have to miss George's annual law firm dinner and the chance to make sure he made a good impression on the bigwigs.  After all, there was a senior partner vacancy coming up and if he got it that would mean a lot - for both of them.

Yes, she tried so hard to make an impression on everyone so George could be successful even if it cut into their frugal budget. She always made sure she looked her best and mixed with the best people though sometimes that meant spending money they didn’t have. Then a glance around her made her grimace – being in coach was so demeaning - she should be in first class. And if it wasn’t for their limited budget she would be! Still, she thought, that would certainly change when George got his partnership. No, only the lower classes traveled in coach and at the moment the vacant seat meant she didn’t have to come into contact with one of them.

But that soon changed.

Effie Temple slowly settled into the aisle seat next to Mrs. Jerome and fastened her seatbelt. She made only a fleeting glance at her elaborately dressed middle aged seat mate since she was too busy thinking about her upcoming journey.

It was so exciting! A new grandbaby – and Tina and Fred had asked her to come help out, even paying for her ticket. Oh, she knew Tina would be a fine mother but she would still need help and Effie was so flattered to be asked.

Yet there was a heartache – that her precious Jim hadn’t lived long enough to know his first grandchild! He would have been so proud!  Oh, they’d had a good life, even though despite working hard, they never made much money. Even now she pinched pennies, and she knew she couldn't dress as well as her seat mate there. Still, that didn’t seem to matter since Fred and Tina were doing so well.

Just then Effie became aware of the flight attendant leaning over to speak to Mrs. Jerome. "Ma'am, you'll need to fasten your seatbelt. We're ready getting ready to take off."  Then before the attendant could move on, Mrs. Jerome snapped the belt and beckoned her closer. She spoke in a harsh but audible whisper and Effie couldn't help but hear the words. "...You've got to find me another seat...Obnoxious person ...can't sit here... I have connections...."

The flight attendant straightened her mouth a thin line and as she did so, her gaze took in Effie. "I'll see what I can do." Then still checking seatbelts she headed for the front of the plane.

Effie kept her gaze down and clutched her handbag, but she felt her cheeks tingle from the vibrations of the unspoken hostility from the next seat.

A short time later, after the plane took off and as the flight attendant came by for drink orders, Mrs. Jerome took the chance to whisper a question. "Have you arranged it?"

The attendant's reply was terse. "Ma'am, I've explained it to the captain and though we're almost completely full he'll see what he can do. I'll check with him in a moment."  Mrs. Jerome sat up rigidly as the attendant finished her rounds, then headed toward the front of the plane and got on the intercom phone to the cockpit.  A few seconds later she replaced the receiver then returned to lean over to speak to Mrs. Jerome.

"We're very sorry you're not happy with your seat," the attendant said, "We certainly don't want you sitting next to a person you consider unacceptable. Though we're mostly full I did find a seat in first class."

Then as Mrs. Jerome's tight grimace became a simper the attendant said to Effie. "Now if you'll get your things together, ma'am, we'll move you up front."

"But many that are first shall be last, and the last first." Mark 10:31, KJV)