MARCY'S FLIGHT NUN TRAVEL BLOG- SOME CREW MEMBERS YOU NEVER FORGET!!

Every employee group has a few "Characters" that are a bit unorthodox but just such fun to work with! The Airline industry is no exception!  I've certainly encountered my share during my career! They seemed to get away with antics I would've been strung up for!  And yet, I Loved working with these people!

One such "Character" was a little gal from the south!  Now- unfortunately I never forget a face, but never remember a name- so our subject will not be named! She was all of about 5 foot 2, cute as a button, and had long dark hair pulled back in a pony tail.  She had a sassy way about her, a fun way of looking at the world,  and a rather unorthodox way of dealing with whatever came her way!  I only worked with her a few times, but found the experiences always fun!

On this particular flight we were heading nonstop from Detroit to Honolulu, Hawaii.  I was the Lead Flight Attendant, working first class. She was assisting me in my service.

In First Class we use to serve Champaign and Mimosas (Champaign and orange juice combination) before take-off and during the meal service.  Once the meal service was done we were going to serve another round of Champaign.  This little gal unwrapped the top, took the metal holder off of the cork- and then it happened!  The bottle got away from her and rolled down the isle!

What happened next is etched in my memory!  She ran down the isle, grabbed the bottle, and started towards the galley.  Just as she reached the front the cork popped!  Yep- it hit the ceiling (rather than a passenger, thank goodness!)  Champaign started shooting out of the bottle! Without a thought and in a split second this gal put her mouth over the top of the bottle!! Everyone was watching- I felt a bit horrified!  Then her eyes crossed!

All of First Class erupted in laughter!  I'm standing there with my mouth hanging open!  Oh Dear!!

After a moment she removed her mouth from the bottle, shook her head, gave a shudder, looked at the passengers (who were now transfixed on her!)- and said in her sweet southern accent "My Mama taught me never to waste!"  The First Class again erupted in laughter!

I think I said something like "Well- I guess we'd better throw that one away!"  A gentleman in the first row said he didn't believe in waste either, alcohol kills germs, let's not waste it, and held out his glass to be filled! Others lifted their glasses too!  There wasn't one look of disapproval from that group!  Amazing! How is she pulling this off!?

Later I noticed her pouring a Mimosa into a paper cup.  She had found a little elderly gentleman in Coach class and had chatted with him at length.  She told me he was a former service man, and a delight to talk to! She wanted to share a bit of the bubbly!  I watched as she walked to the back, handed the gentleman the cup- and gave him a quick hug.  He beamed.  I couldn't fault her for that.  She had made his day!

Like me, she loved chatting with the passengers!  And they beamed with pleasure when she talked to them! 

I watched her kneel beside a small child that was getting antsy.  With the mother's permission she pinned a "Junior Flight Attendant wings" on the child's dress and had her walk around, helping in giving glasses of water to people.

She introduced the little girl as her "mini-me". The little girl loved it, and so did the passengers!

Her humor was so contagious!  Down to Earth and straight from the shoulder, this little gal could give a punch line with the best of them!

On our return trip from Honolulu back to Detroit she again assisted my First Class service.  She was going around with the bread basket, seeing if anyone wanted a second dinner roll.  A gentleman at a window seat said "Throw me one of those, would you?" 

She paused for a moment, said "Okay!!"- and with her tongs launched a roll in the air! I watched that roll go air born, thinking it just might land somewhere it wasn't intended! He caught it, thank goodness! He gave her a big grin! Again she did something rather unorthodox, but was a big hit with the passengers. Rather than disapproval, people in First Class were commenting on her good throwing arm!!

Later she broke up her crew meal into 3 parts and found a way to share it with some teenagers sitting near the last row of coach.  I asked her about it and she simply said- "They were still hungry. I'm not!" 

Later on in the flight she sat on the floor of the isle talking to one of the First Class passengers seated in the first row.  She somehow made whatever she did look like a normal part of how we did things!

I often wished I could pull off just some of her antics, but knew if I tried I'd fail miserably, and probably loose my job in the process!

As I said, I only flew with her a few times.  I believe she went to a different base.  But the times I did fly with her I knew would be awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed that Hawaii flight and laughed years later at the memory of some of her antics!  I smile with the memory of her every time I open a champaign bottle!

It's easy in a career like ours to sometimes take ourselves a bit too seriously, which made people like her like a breath of fresh air!

The bottom line for me was how the passengers enjoyed and responded to her. That was more important to me than the "look" of sophistication. 

So- for all you "Characters" out there who make life a bit lighter, more fun, and down right playful, kudos!  

And for the Flight Attendants and Pilots who have made my flights a bit more exciting and enjoyable with your antics-  Thanks for the memories!!