Oh how wrong we were!!! Without going into all of the details because well... frankly... there are just too many and my blood begins to boil and my stomach begins to roll each time I start listing them all....Let's just say that anything and everything that could go wrong with 16-18 year olds.... did. I spent 9 days in a completely panicked state 24/7. I think I slept a total of maybe 3 hours every night. I was so stressed I got all "bunged up" as our British tour guide so politely called it, and could not go the entire time we were there. I could hardly eat any of the meals provided, and every time we all went to see something, I spent the majority of the time counting heads... basically, not enjoying Europe.
We finally all make it into the plane for a 9 1/2 hour ride back to Dallas. I sit down in my seat all the way in the very back of the plane in Coach with a massive sigh of relief that for the next 9 1/2 hours, I don't have to worry about anything. :) My semi-pleasant thoughts are interrupted though by the young 5 year old boy in the seat next to me who is screaming bloody murder and crying uncontrollably at the top of his lungs. I start looking around for his parents and then realize it is just he and I in the 2-seater area of the plane. I am his adult for the ride... God help me! I realize that if he cries for the majority of the flight, no amount of earphones is going to help me. I already have a headache, which is getting worse by the minute, and just about the time I'm about to go find Dylan to beg him to switch seats with me, a flight attendant comes to get me and says "we have a situation, and I need you to come with me."
WTH??? I watched everyone get on the plane!! What could possibly be wrong??!!! I grab my backpack (my only bag) and head up to the front, with the child still screaming, my head still pounding and now my stomach is rolling. I just want to be home!!! The flight attendant takes me all the way back out onto the walkway and presents me to this very sleek-looking business man who proceeds to ask me if he can change seats with me. At first I'm kind of taken aback by the situation, uh, excuse me? Change seats... sure, I guess. Huh? Basically, his ex-wife told him at the last minute he had to take their son over to the States with him. His son... the 5 year old screaming child in the seat next to me... has been screaming since they brought him on the plane over 30 minutes ago, and apparently, the rest of the people in Coach are complaining. (I don't blame them!) The business-man dad needs to sit next to his son; therefore, he needs my seat. Do I mind taking his, he asks? I don't care... Coach is Coach... so I told him sure, whatever he needs. He acts like I am doing him a huge favor and then starts to tell me I'm in for a treat because he has a good seat. I'm smiling and thinking okay dude, whatever you say! The business man takes my ticket stub and heads to the back, and I turn to follow him when the flight attendant turns me around and says "No ma'am, you belong in First Class now."
SAY WHAT???!!!!! Are you for real??!! Shut up!!! Hell yah!!! That's what I'm talking about!!!
All of these thoughts are careening through my head at the words, FIRST CLASS. But on the outside I calmly say, "sounds good" and follow the attendant up to the seat RIGHT BEHIND THE COCKPIT!!! My mind says again: Eeeeee! I am seated in a chair at least 3 times the size of the ones in Coach with 3 times the size of leg room. The air smells like Febreeze up in First Class and it is quiet!!! There are only 16 people in the entire compartment. Each person has their own TV. Each person has their own table.. not tray, but table. Each person has their own overhead bin for luggage. Each row of 4 has their own flight attendant. I was trying so very hard to keep my mouth from dropping to the floor!! But I mean, First Class people! As I'm sitting there in awe, this sweet older gentleman comes over to tell me "He is Pierre and will be serving me for the entire flight." He is too cute! A little grandpa looking guy with a beautiful French accent!! He asks me what I have been doing over in France, and I tell him only that I have been chaperoning 20 plus teenagers all over England and France for the past 10 days. His eyes are huge at this point, and he says to me "But you are so little!" I laugh, because I get this all the time. Another flight attendant is with us now, listening to the story, and both of them agree that being bumped to First Class was my gift for putting up with them all week.
Dude!!! You. Have. No. Idea.
But I smile and say something like yah, what a deal!! :) They both then tell me "I am not to leave First Class until I get off the plane in Dallas, and I am not to worry about those kids back there for the entire flight." Don't have to tell me twice!! So I sat back, relaxed and had a grand time!!! I had a 3 course meal entirely of seafood and it was oh so yummy! I had a salad!! That sounds silly, but only 1 of our meals for 9 days had a salad with it, and I was craving greens so bad!!! I had a nice glass of white wine with a pineapple lime finish which paired oh so nicely with my seafood. I had a huge roll and did not feel guilty about it one bit. :) I put slippers on my feet to snuggle in. You can even change into PJs if you want (I didn't though). I received not only a blanket but a mini-comforter as well. I received multiple pillows. Pierre and I had a lovely chat about Normandy, the cemetery, WW II etc. THE BEST PART! THE CHAIR LAYS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BECOME A BED!! FULL, FLAT 180 DEGREES!!! Pierre literally tucked me in, and I slept for 6 hours straight, only waking when Pierre informed me we were 50 minutes from Dallas and my chair had to come upright.
I walked off that plane feeling like a million bucks!!! I walked off that plane, knowing I would cherish that First Class experience always. In all honesty, it was a huge excess, and I cannot imagine people expecting that kind of treatment all the time. But, for the one and only time in my life, it was a treat!!
P.S. What about Dylan? Did I feel bad he was sitting back in Coach- yes. Would I have given up my seat in First Class for him- if he was seriously ill or dying, yes. Did I run back and tell him before the plane took off- yes. What was his reaction- a huge smile, a big kiss and the words "What the heck are you doing back here then? Get back up there and enjoy it, you deserve it!"
Lastly, I walked off that plane fully believing in Karma:
"Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience that you need? Because this is the experience you are having at that moment."
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