helpless

So, let's start with terrorism ... terrorism at its best, I guess.

As I was about to board my plane bound for California, a young man ahead of me in line asked me to go on first.  Hmmmm, I thought.   He's a bit unkempt, he's got longish hair and he looks scary; scary in that the could take me down and hide my body very nicely.  First he'd cut my head off, though.

That scary, Kris?  Well, no, not that scary.  But close.  I'm gonna say that he looked a bit like a terrorist.  I just knew he was hanging back for a reason.  Maybe he had a box cutter on him and was gonna bring down the plane.  Then he'd cut off my head.

When he asked me to go ahead of him, he looked at me and said, "This is my first flight."

Sure, I thought.  Oh sure.  And I memorized his face in case ... in case, I died?  No, that wasn't it.  But in case ABC News was waiting for me at the other end and wanted to know exactly who he was and what he said to me.  "Yep, Mr. Interviewer, he said, 'This is my first flight.' "

Reluctantly, I boarded.  Reluctantly I found my seat and successfully, we all flew to California.

The plane did not come down.
There was no trouble aboard the plane (delays, yes, trouble, no.)
My head was not cut off.

Know what I learned from this?

That I'm stupid.  And not compassionate.
America is stupid.  And not compassionate.

And that I watch too many movies.

That young man was truly nervous about flying and I missed a great opportunity to put someone at ease, to help a scared young man and to possibly be a better human being myself.

This will not happen again.

.