Best Friends

October 24, 2007

in Baby & Kid Stories

I was on a non stop flight from Tampa to Toledo in a wide body L1011 I think they’re called. I was seated on the right end of the middle 5 seats, beside a family of 2 boys, an 8 year old girl, and their mother. As we’re taxiing to the runway, this little girl suddenly decided that I was her ‘NEW BEST FRIEND’, and proceeded to tell me ALL about her vacation, her school, her smelly brothers, her rash that is “still kinda itchy,” her whole history, in fact. During one of these stories she mentioned that her teachers say that “I talk too much…do YOU think I talk too much? ‘Cause I don’t think I talk too much. I don’t really think someone can talk too much. ‘Cause they’d run out of air”; a miracle I was now begging for.

These endless stories and opinions were only surpassed in pain by the fact that I was sniffling and my eyes were watering profusely for some unknown reason. I soon found out the reason, however, when I noticed that the gym bag she’d been holding in her lap for the entire flight was intermittently squirming. I finally realized that in the end of the bag was a gray haired freakin’ CAT, to which I’m very allergic.

So here I am, sitting in an enclosed tube of aluminum, with recycled air, next to a squirming shedding live allergen spewing beast, and I’m not referring to the little girl mind you. As the flight ended, her mother thanked me for entertaining her little “joy” (her words), and off they went, hopefully into another town far away from me……

{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

zebra April 2, 2009 at 9:56 am

Oh no, poor cat!

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Susan April 2, 2009 at 11:14 am

lol poor women and cat.

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Geetar April 2, 2009 at 11:17 am

Here kitty kitty…. KITTY KITTY WHY AREN"T YOU BREATHING???? WAKE UP KITTY KITTY!!!!

Poor cat is right.

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Whiney kid April 2, 2009 at 2:10 pm

Cat allergies suck…bad mother keep your puss away from me!

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Eric April 2, 2009 at 2:15 pm

Oh, suck it up. You don't say anything to suggest the child was misbehaved — she liked you (which goes to disprove the myth that children are good judges of character. Anyone irritated by a polite but talkative child is an idiot.

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Amber May 19, 2016 at 4:26 pm

I like kids, I have one. I do not like entertaining other people's kids and answering a million questions. You have kids, you talk to them yourself and let others relax in peace.

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Jesse April 2, 2009 at 2:31 pm

"Anyone irritated by a polite but talkative child is a idiot."

NOT true. The simple fact that someone does not want to hear all about some random kid's rash, vacay, and brothers does not make that person an idiot. People are allowed to not enjoy children, or even random adults who talk your ear off for the whole flight.

That said, I think the OP could have been less passive and said something–politely and in a friendly manner–such as, "It's been really fun chatting with you, [kid's name], and I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, but I think I'm going to listen to some music and read my magazine for a little bit now. Enjoy the rest of your flight."

Also, if Mom noticed that the passenger was getting annoyed, she should maybe have stepped in and entertained her daughter. I understand the relief of not having to pay attention to your kid for the entire flight, but a)it's not the passenger's kid and thus not her responsibility to entertain her, and b)she's a seatmate, not a free freaking babysitter.

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Collin April 2, 2009 at 7:14 pm

You mean someone actually talked to you?!? I surprised after all of your whining and bitching that anyone wants to be your friend. The little girl was probably allergic to your strong scent of DUMBASS.

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Jenni April 2, 2009 at 7:34 pm

I would have asked her, "hasn't anybody ever told you that you aren't supposed to talk to strangers? There are some very bad people out there". I would have said it loudly enough for the mother to hear as well hoping that she'd get the hint.

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Anonymous April 3, 2009 at 1:19 pm

Why was the cat in the bag (no joke intended) instead of a carrier or something? o.o I thought there was regs against that.

That sucks, though, your whole experience. 😐

Amazing how quickly people cry "intolerance" on this page. A child like this would drive a nun to swear (I've dealt with the never ending speech before…5 hours worth).

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Shannon April 4, 2009 at 7:37 am

Your post was hilarious! I get what you are saying about people talking to you. For some reason people are very comfortable around me and feel the need to tell me absolutely EVERYTHING about themselves. I listen, I give advice when needed, but I still wonder why they, no matter how old they are, feel so inclined to do so.

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sexygal May 20, 2015 at 12:18 am

What's wrong w/ it??? Go with it and enjoy the fact that they DO feel comfortable around you! Not many people, me included, feel "comfortable around" people that much! You're extremely fortunate that people "take to you" so quickly!

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Private Porksword April 4, 2009 at 9:22 pm

At least the girl was friendly. Sorry to hear about the cat allergy though.

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Anonymous April 5, 2009 at 11:58 am

LOL. The way you wrote up your experience was too funny.

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SamH April 5, 2009 at 4:33 pm

Eric:

Anybody who considers having you as a friend is a martyr. Talkative kids are annoying to adults and other kids alike. It is not my job to entertain someone else's kids. If you want to–have at it. Just don't expect the rest of us to unpaid babysitters.

And while you are entertaining the chatterbox brat, crawl down from the cross. Someone needs the wood.

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devon April 11, 2009 at 9:49 am

poor cat….i hate strange little kids who talk your ear off. i have a 6 yr old son and if tries this, I start talking to him to distract him so the person won't get annoyed.

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EM April 16, 2009 at 8:56 am

Usually in a polite chit chat with your seat mate you are eventually asked what do you do… Unfortunately I am a doctor… My seatmates and those around proceed to ask me medical questions. I then find out things about perfect strangers that I never want to know.. nor do they understand that I can't magically diagnose them

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Sarah April 17, 2009 at 3:15 pm

I've got bad allergies and have to take Zyrtec daily to keep them at bay, so I totally understand how you suffered allergy-wise.

One time when I travelled, not in America mind you, this little boy about 9 years of age in front of me decided I was his new best friend. When I smiled, and then put on my headphones, the boy hit my knee in order to get my attention. I'd take the headphones off, tell the boy I wanted to listen to music, and then put them back on.. Only to be hit on the knee again. FINALLY his grandmother next to him noticed and yelled at him in another language, and accompanied it by a spank. A spank, singular, and definitely not beating him into oblivion. Therefore, not child abuse, simply a disciplinary measure.

Needless to say, the child didn't bother me for the rest of the journey.

There are some adults in this world who love chatty children and others who prefer seeing and not hearing them. Strangers are not free babysitters, they're people you know nothing about, so think twice about letting your talkative child spill personal details to a complete stranger. Sure you might never see the stranger again, however there's also the chance of you seeing that person in court for molesting your child. All the self-righteous, self-appointed defenders of chatty children would not be singing the same tune if their own child told a pedophile or pervert on the internet personal details about themselves.

People seem to have forgotten that their children should never talk to strangers.

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Atari May 31, 2009 at 7:38 pm

Dude, why did you come on a website meant for whining and fussing, and then proceed to WHINE AND FUSS?!?!

What do you think this is? A website about complaining about your horrible flight?

Geez. Stick to talking about rainbows and lollipops and what wonderful 'joy[s]' children are.

We don't come to this website to hear you talk about your bad flight experiences.

Collin, I'm sure, agrees.

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sexygal May 20, 2015 at 12:22 am

That's totally ridiculous! This IS a site where people "share" their flight experiences! You KNOW that! What's the purpose of this nonsense you're talking abt???? Honestly, ppl! GROW UP! Quit being so damn sarcastic!

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Icalasari July 27, 2009 at 2:14 pm

Thanks alot Atari! You broke my sarcasm detector!

Eric: Please, don't attach my name to your idiocy. I know that, when I was a child (and even today on occasion), I could drive people insane with my babble

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Traveler1 May 19, 2016 at 7:35 pm

I'm in two minds. On one hand I do not condone the old adage "children should be seen and not heard", I think it's great that an 8 year old be allowed to express herself, however..the mother should have realised that there is a time and place for such things. That's not really teaching the child to have foresight and judge of character. A little chat here and there is harmless but yeah, you are not there to entertain anyone, kids included, the mother should realise you are not interested and talked to the child herself

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