I was flying from Washington to Nashville. I knew something was wrong when I got on board, I had been assigned the aisle seat in the last row on a very small regional jet, i.e. just opposite the bathroom. My seatmate, a young college student, had her face hidden under her turtle neck sweater. I thought she was just kind of weird when the odor from the bathroom hit me. It was nauseating, they had apparently not cleaned the bathroom for months because it smelled of urine and fecal matter. The gag reflex kicked and I thought I was going to die.
My seatmate started to crack up when I made a face. She said that she had been fighting the same reflex ever she got on board.
We both sat with our noses directed at the air stream blowing from the vent. And we both pretty much died when the vent stopped blowing air right before we took off.
It was a 90 minute flight and neither one of us could believe how many people just HAD to use the loo during that short of a flight. Most of them made a face as they went into the bathroom. Many of them looked like they were holding their breath when they got out. Some shot glances of pity to us when they got out too.
My seat mate was whipping out every single cream, makeup, etc. from her purse and spreading the moisturizer on her arms just to keep the smell from overwhelming us.
The kicker was when a young mother took her potty training daughter into the bathroom with the training seat. The little girl was taking her own sweet time doing her business and not paying attention to the smell, I thought her mom was either going to pass out when she walked out. Needless to say I was very vigilant in keeping the dang door closed as tightly as possible.
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Gotta admit, that's pretty shitty.
::cymbal crash::
Bah-doom, chhssshhhhh.
I suppose that this is the type of story which cannot be commented upon in detail, except to say that it was fairly entertaining.
I liked how the seatmate was using copious amounts of moisturizer in an attempt to cover up the effect of the smell locally – brilliant!