This happened to me a few years ago while flying from DC to Atlanta. After the airlines quit handing out free earbuds, I got in the habit of throwing a decent, but not expensive, set in my laptop bag.
I was listening to the music channels where you plug into the armrest, but I had been up late packing the night before and I was tired, so I pulled my earbuds out, laid them on my lap, and dozed off.
I don’t know how long I was asleep, but when I woke up, the earbuds were gone. I then spotted them – in my seatmate’s ears! She noticed that I saw that she was wearing my earbuds. So she hands them back to me and says,”Sorry, I didn’t think you’d mind.” Did I mention that these are “in the ear” type earbuds? I didn’t know whether to get mad, or puke.
So I said, “No. You keep ’em.” Now get this. She gets all snotty because I don’t want them back. She goes,”Why? Because I wore them?” I said, “Yea! I don’t want your ear wax.” The rest of the flight passed in stony silence. We ended up looking at the same flight information display after deplaning in Atlanta. She gave me one last dirty look. Then we went in opposite directions and, thankfully, I never saw her again.
– Eric S.
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow. You sound like a jerk.
I think the only jerks here are the OP's earbud-stealing seatmate and you.
Poco eats other peoples earwax for dinner. He mixes it up in his chili.
Ewwww! I don't blame you one bit!
You are not a jerk.
There really are people out there who would steal your stuff and then act like you're the crazy one. Don't even know what to do with these sort of people.
I'm with the OP too. I wouldn't want to wear the earbuds after someone helped themselves to them and stuck them in their ears. That's not only theft, that's disgusting. It's not your fault she has a bad attitude and thinks she has the right to use other people's property without asking.
I'm with you. I'd never wear them again. It's truly stunning that a total stranger on a plane would even do that. Hell, I wouldn't take a newspaper or anything else that belonged to a sleeping row mate. Completely amazing.
You did a great thing by straightening out this individual for the rest of her life. Despite that to most normal people pulling something from someones ear and putting it into someone elses ear is not a normal behavior, the freak that you have encountered truly beleived that there is nothing wrong with it. At her next Thanksgiving everyone might be shocked that she is no longer double dipping and that they can hear the sound of hands being washed when she is about to come out of the restroom.
ewwww omg I cannot imagine this. I am by no means a germophobe, but that's just a little too much from a stranger. My family, fine we can share, but a total stranger? eww no way. You were so right on to let her keep them. But frankly I'd of probably asked her for the $10 they cost since she used them without your permission making them unsuitable for your use. lol
You definitely did the right thing. I wouldn’t use my earbuds after a total stranger used them without my permission.
Gross. Other people's earwax (which counts as a "bodily fluid" btw) seriously should not be shared. You did the right thing and your seatmate clearly just didn't expect to be called on it.
What a bitch. You should've kicked her ass.
That is gross!
My dog Poco is reincarnated and posting on the net!? Poco! Honey!
It sounds just like something she'd say!
What y'all, except that first a-hole, said.
Complete agreement Demo.
That's just gross.
Quick rule of thumb: If it went in somebody else's body hole, it shouldn't go in yours too. Blecch.
Nasty
Poco sounds like he is the one that stole the ear buds. Anyone who just takes anyone's possesions any where, anyplace is a thief,basic as that. So next time is that person going to grab your drink and chug?…….gross
Pedia-lax in your drinks could be a good but cruel joke. Use a stopwatch/timer to see how long, and how often it works.
Fleet Children s Pedia Lax Liquid Stool Softener Fruit punch 4 oz << still under the security reg size too!