MARCY'S FLIGHT NUN TRAVEL BLOG- A TOUGH SITUATION THAT TURNED INTO A TRIUMPH!

 

We all have perhaps one moment in our lives when something takes over our heads, and we do something "a bit risky" that turns out great! Mine was a relatively small thing, but causes me to smile when I think of it- so I'll share it with you.

I was working on a DC-9- heading to Chicago's O'hare field from Detroit.  It was early morning. The flight was filled with business men in First Class, and a full load of passengers in Coach.

Since that flight was fairly short, we served coffee and juice, with little time for anything else.  At least, that's the way it normally was.

As we got closer to Chicago we encountered thick fog and cloud coverage.  I could tell we were beginning to circle. The Captain called me to the cockpit and told me Chicago was "socked in" - in other words, too foggy to land!  We were going to circle for a while, hoping the sunrise would burn off the fog.

I could tell tensions were mounting in First Class as the business men beginning to check their watches every few minutes. Something "clicked" in my head. I had to do something to offset the tension. I grabbed a coffee pot and a tray holding creamers and sugar. Standing at the beginning of First Class I made a statement.

I said something to the effect that I could tell we were all getting tense, and nothing was bette in a tense moment than a joke!  I told a "Pilot" joke. Lo and behold, they all burst out laughing! I poured coffee.

Everyone in Coach was looking, wondering what was so funny! So- I grabbed a fresh pot of coffee, and every 5 rows I told the joke. And so it went- tell the joke, pour coffee! Everyone seemed to like the joke! At the back I grabbed a fresh pot of coffee and haded to First Class.

And so it went- front to back. Tell a joke, pour coffee! I think I was on my third joke when the Captain made the announcement. We were heading back to Detroit! Oh my!

I pulled out all the stops and told a "Brunette Stewardess" joke- basically making me the blunt of a joke. Front to back I went. Surprisingly, folks still were all laughing!

I made the "landing in Detroit" announcement and took my jump seat. I was a bit puzzled.  Usually my jokes got a mild chuckle- but that morning I had a happy audience while basically going nowhere! The fact that everyone seemed to enjoy my dialog was a bit "surprising"!

After landing and parking at the gate the Captain got out of the cockpit to "face the music", as he put it! I remember him saying "Oh God! This is NOT going to be pretty!"

The First Class passengers deplaned, thanking me for a wonderful flight! The Captain looked at me in total confusion! All he could whisper in my ear was "What?! We didn't go anywhere!"

As the rest of the passengers deplaned, many people expressed appreciation for the "Show"! Not one passenger complained. The Captain kept looking at me like I was from a different planet! After the last passenger deplaned he asked "What the heck did you do?!"  I told him- I simply told jokes and poured coffee!

People have asked what the jokes were. Since this was almost 50 years ago I simply can't remember!  I know they were silly jokes about Pilots.

I guess Humor can indeed get you through almost anything!

I'm not sure why I decided to do that- but that was one time my instincts were correct.  As my career progressed I saw many wonderful Stewards and Stewardesses have those instinctual moments- some that required acts of humor, or compassion, or courage. 

In comparison my triumph was very small, but one that stayed in my memory of a difficult situation that turned out well, thanks to humor!

Until next tome, Dear Readers!  May you find something to give you a belly laugh each day!

Life Is Indeed An Adventure!  And A Bit Of Humor Can Make The Foggiest Situation Tolerable!