Thursday, January 5, 2012

Civility is alive and well

Civility is alive and well. While traveling home on a big ol' jet liner I witnessed an act of selflessness.

Me strumming the banjo, my bride knitting
Just outside gate C41 following a discussion with the airline representative, who was telling me the plane had left the gate and what I was seeing was a mirage, we sat down for the anticipated four hour layover. My bride and I decided to sympathize with the OWS (occupy wall street) people. Thus empowered we occupied four seats- two for our bottoms and two for our carry on luggage and coats. We were steadfast in making sure the 1% did not break into our space! 


As we people watched (do people even people watch anymore? Half the people- if not more- were keeping their heads low staring at the screen of either a smart phone or a tablet. Another topic for another time) we observed a couple a few seats away from us. The man bent over and examining a credit card that he saw lingering under the seats to our left.


With all the announcements at the airport about unattended bags our immediate thought (ok, my immediate thought) was to call TSA, have their bomb squad come in and disarm it. OK having the TSA come in may have been an extreme thought but if they could dismantle a credit card debt bomb why not?

I cringed when the gentleman reached under the seat and picked the card up. I was very fearful as he did so. The thought of the credit card exploding in his face was not a pretty picture.

It didn't explode!!

What relief! He asked the woman who occupied the seat if the card might belong to her. She declined. (not unlike when credit card companies have declined me in the past). The older man than took the card to the SouthWest counter and turned it over to them.

Civility, chivalry, or just plain good Samaritan doing the right thing. It is great to live in these United States..

jsf

As a side note to the bride of the Air Force pilot and two children traveling to Raleigh/Durham: the uniform we questioned was an army dress uniform.

Thank-you for your service and sharing your husband to protect our nation.