I recently traveled with my son on Southwest Airlines. My son had a wonderful time experiencing the entire travel process now that he is a big boy of 6 years old. One of the great things about having children is seeing things through a child's eyes again. I was a corporate road warrior for a couple of years in a previous life. Although I secretly enjoyed traveling to new places and eating at new restaurants, truly the airport grind and time in flight could get a little routine.
I knew I had earned my expert travel badge when the TSA guys stopped trying to explain to me like I was stupid what I needed to do with my laptop and my shoes and the fact that my favorite hoop earrings would not make it through the metal detector.
(I knew better about my hoops and it became a favorite game to make bets with the agents about whether I would set off the detector or not. I won enough money with that game to keep me in gin and tonics for most of my flights. Anything to break up the routine and feel like a personable person during an impersonal time in our aviation history. Ask me about the time I flew with my husband on a trip with my breast pump when I was breast feeding my infant son. My husband was nice enough to carry the heavy thing through security for me. Let's just say his chest went under some serious scrutiny that day.)
So, considering myself a somewhat seasoned traveler, imagine my surprise when we arrive at the sky-cap booth to check our bags, and my son's eyes get really big as he watches the ripped attendant pick up our huge bag and throw it over his shoulder as if it were a pillow onto the belt moving the bag quickly out of sight behind him. My son, looking at the attendant says: "Wow, you are super strong, are you a superhero or do you just work out?" The attendant smiled at him and whispered: "Both." My son smiled and gave him the two thumbs up as if to say his secret was safe with him.
Inside the terminal we go to the restroom before we hit security, and all he can talk about is water and soap that come out with a wave of his hand. "Like magic, Momma", he says to me eyes sparkling.
At security, my son is thrilled when his backpack is chosen for search. I did not know that the little Nintendo DS needed to come out and ride in it's own tub like a laptop would. I am annoyed at this delay, and look down to check my watch for the time, when suddenly I hear the sound of my son's laughter as the TSA guy is describing to him in animated detail his favorite game he likes to play on his break with his own Nintendo DS. My son is happy to have found a kindred spirit and playmate.
On the plane, the fun continues . . .I watch the older gentleman in front of us sitting in the aisle seat roll his eyes when my son announces he will also take the aisle seat versus the window seat. This does not please our friend in front who is pretending to read the Wall Street Journal. I ask my son if he wouldn't want the window instead, and he says: "No Momma, the aisle seats are much better. Look how everyone has taken them first before the middle or window seats." I look up astonished he would notice something like that, but he is right, the aisles are almost all taken. I sigh and agree to let him have the seat, while mentally reminding myself to watch his feet to make sure he isn't absentmindedly kicking Gordon Gekko in the back during the flight.
When the flight attendant, a charming gentleman, comes to take our drink order my son orders first. "May I have a Sprite, please?" The attendant shoots me a look and murmurs: "Good job, Mom, you don't see manners like that any more." I wish I could take the credit, but he is really good about remembering his manners.
By the end of the flight, my son has played a little with his DS, he has chatted with the woman in our window seat about school and his friends, and he has drank a Sprite and had two bags of Southwest peanuts as a snack. I never did understand why Southwest chose to make peanuts the snack of choice. It is the one food most related to food allergies (hence the appearance of peanut free flights with pretzels) and honestly, when over 100 people eat peanuts in an enclosed cabin it smells a bit like urine to me. Perhaps, I am just weird that way, but I am reminded of the smell every time the peanut bags rip open and people begin to eat the only snack they will see for the next hour and 30 minutes.
Although I was not drinking on this flight, as I had my son with me and it was a morning flight afterall, but it did strike me that perhaps the choice of peanuts came from the liberated 60's and 70's, during the era of hot and friendly, mini-skirted, female "stews" and how every businessman who flew always had a drink in his hand after a long day at the negotiations table. Planes were like flying cocktail lounges back then. . .and what would be served as a free salty snack at the bar, peanuts.
When I fly, and am in the mood for a cocktail, I will order a gin and tonic. It's easy, it packs a punch and I don't have to wait too long for it. But something about peanuts and gin, just do not mix. Try it, you will see what I mean. Foodie votes "just say no". (High five, Miss Traci Loub.)
At the end of the flight, they sang Happy Birthday to someone celebrating up front, and then the flight attendant from before came back to my son and plopped this peanut hat on his head. Look at the time and creativity that went into making this thing. overlapping peanuts with pretzels then held together with Luv cocktail stirrers. There is even some additional detail in the front to let people know that this is the front of the Nut Crown.
I was instantly charmed - with my son, the crew, Southwest, even with the stinky peanuts. Foodie fun on a flight, I loved it. Enjoy.
Comments