I have read many of the stories on this website, and I can say that I have shared most of these experiences. I have been thin and sat next to a person who was grossly overweight, and I have been grossly overweight and sat next to a thin person. There is usually a way to be polite in either situation, and accommodate your fellow passengers. Then I experienced something that was so outrageous that I think the story belongs here.
I was on my way back to NYC from Orlando. We had been waiting our turn for takeoff for well over an hour when a woman two aisles ahead of me, and on the other side of the plane, began to scream. She seemed a bit hysterical, and was attracting everyone’s attention except the flight attendant’s. She was seated next to a guy who had long, unwashed hair, perhaps axle grease or just dirt on his face, and was wearing a pair of coveralls. He was laughing, and his toothless grin reminded me of the characters in the movie Deliverance. He had a large portfolio on his lap which he opened to show the contents to the woman seated next to him. When he did, the entire contents jumped out and began jumping around the cabin. The portfolio was filled with perhaps as many as 75 to 100 green tree frogs from Florida. It seems he was bringing them home to feed to his snakes. The frogs were everywhere, jumping on me, the people in front and behind me, all over the cabin. The man seated next to me, a biologist it turned out, cautioned everyone not to touch these particular frogs since they emit a sticky substance that can cause skin and eye irritation that may even require medical treatment.
I called a flight attendant and explained to her what was going on. She told me she would have to take this to the captain. A few minutes later the captain made the announcement that we would be going back to the gate. The flight attendant came by my seat and said I hope you’re happy now. I was; I just wanted to get off that plane. By this time, there were frogs everywhere. I was doing my best not to come in contact with them, but like everyone on the plane, they were on my feet, legs, under the seats, and couldn’t be avoided. I just tried not to touch one.
About 20 minutes later the pilot made an announcement that we were going to take off anyway. I couldn’t believe it! A two hour flight to NY, with a plane load of frogs that can cause skin irritation or burn your eyes. The plane took off, 2 1/2 hours late, and I spent the entire time trying to keep the frogs off me, and listening to other passengers scream in terror occasionally as a frog jumped on them. This, like most of the stories I have read on this site, could have been controlled by the airline, but they never seem to care do they? I imagine many will find this account humorous. I laugh about it myself, but let me assure you, this was no laughing matter for any of the passengers on that flight.
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