Thursday, February 09, 2006

Flying

I love flying. I really really do. Flying in an airplane is the closest I'll ever get to physically flying, since there's something about human anatomy that makes it incompatible with flight without other devices.

I love taking off. I love turning in the air. But more than anything, I like sitting all alone in my row, and listening to everything around me. Yes, I'm an eavesdropper and a voyeur. I listen and watch other people. Most of the time, I'm quite social and talk to the people around me. But lately, I've become a bit withdrawn. Something about tears welling up in my eyes at inopportune moments that make conversations awkward. And I'm nothing if not a gifted conversationalist. So if I can't use my gifts adequately, I prefer not to use them. Make sense?

Anyhow, I was completely alone in my row on last night's flight to Atlanta. I had checked in online earlier in the day and had purposely chosen a seat that was in a deserted area. Alas, some other flight was cancelled, and most of the seats in my deserted area became full. But not my row. That's good, because I had a book I was enjoying, and some Hershey's Kissables that begged to be eaten.

And then the man behind me began to talk. Well, the men behind me began to talk. But it was the man who was directly behind me that captured my attention. He had a sweet deep bass voice, so similar to James Earl Jones. I closed my eyes and just let his voice wash over me. He and his seatmate talked about their families, their sports cars, visiting Atlanta, and many other things. I really didn't pay attention to the meat of the conversation, just the music of it. When the other man would talk, I would get a little irritated because his voice fell short of melodious. But my ears rejoiced when the man behind me spoke again.

It's odd to get such pleasure from a voice that you don't know, a voice which belongs to someone you cannot see, have not met, will probably not ever hear again. Yet it made my flight so pleasureable. Made me so glad I turned down the offer of a headset for XM radio. I had the music of the voice behind me to listen to.

There were a few more people who were interesting, like the woman who had on so much perfume that I could smell it two rows away. And the two dudes (what else can I call them??) in front of me. And the man to the side of me who looked strangely lonely. I made up a story about him in my head, something else I tend to do about complete strangers. It was a neat story. I just can't remember it now.

I wonder what other people do for fun. :) Me, I look and listen.

5 comments:

Chad B. said...

When I fly I like to play "Who's the Sky Marshal"

sarah cool said...

Hahahahaha, Chad!

Jenette, I also love to watch and listen! (That's probably another reason why we get along) Tyler says I'm nosy, but I LOVE to look into people's windows at night when their lights are on. (Not like crawling through their lawn to stare into the window with my face pressed up against it, but from a normal distance!) I just like to see how people LIVE.

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Chrissy said...

Jenette, that musical voice was serendipity for you~~I'm glad you had a good flight. {}C

Martiel said...

I did a similar thing, being amused by strangers near by, people watching...I BLoged about a guy I saw hiding from a friend of his, check out the post. It is funny, I titled it Hide & Seek, in the December blogs.