Sunday, September 14, 2008

People Watching

I went to a wedding this weekend. To get to this wedding I had to fly. To fly, I had to go to the airport. That's where the show went on.

There was a lady in front of me in the main line going up to security. She got flagged for additional checks so she went to the special line at the side. I wasn't, so I went to the line next to hers. So I am standing on the other side waiting for my carry on stuff to come down the belt. She comes over to my line and stands there as well. I think to myself, uh ok whatever. My bags come down the belt, followed by the person behind me. I am there putting my shoes back on and putting my laptop away so that I am good to walk to the terminal. At this point the lady the lady starts getting very upset. She wants to know where her bags are. She knows she came through before me and the person behind me and our bags are coming out and hers aren't. At which point I point at the other line, where her bags are sitting and backing up the people who are in that line.

Next was the lady who was in front of me going through the actual security check. She was probably about 35, well to do type person. She was dressed nicely, probably has a personal chef, trainer, stylist, whatever else rich people have. She had a cup of fruit with her. Probably a nice healthy snack to have with her on while she is waiting. We got to the part where you put your bags on the belt to go through the X-ray and you walk through and at some airports they have the air thing that blows on you. Well she is putting her stuff on the belt when she gets this unhappy look on her face. She asks the security person if she can carry the fruit with her through as she walks through and not put it through the X-ray. He says no, it has to go through the X-ray. At this point she looks like a kicked puppy. She hands him the cup and asks if he would throw it away. She won't eat food that has been X-rayed. He tells her the X-ray won't do anything to it but she insists she wants to throw it away. The security guy is bewildered and throws the cup in the trash. I just wish I had been cool enough to think of something witty at that point that would have completely screwed up her moral/hippy concepts.

After I arrive I am waiting for my ride to pick me up. He decided to take a 'scenic' tour of Philly so I ended up waiting for a bit. Yay for street fights in the ghetto. There was one guy who apparently got the curbside valet. I saw a guy sitting in the car for probably 15 minutes right there waiting. He wasn't dressed in a uniform or anything so I figured he was just a guy waiting for someone. I figured he got bored or something and decided to circle around. He starts pulling away when I see a guy running up clearly as fast as he can with his suitcase and bag waving frantically. The valet stops and apologizes. He gave him the keys and the guy proceeded to load his car and eventually drive off. Apparently the valet was at the wrong terminal which is why he sat there for so long. Glad I didn't pay for that service.

Next was a lady who was probably in her mid to late 40's. Not a small or young lady. A car with a few people in it pulled up. A guy about her age comes running out of the car, they both jump on each other in this dramatic hug. They are picking each other up and spinning around. Kind of like in a movie but they didn't look like a typical movie couple.

The airport is a good place to people watch. People are so strange and there are so many of them at the airport.

1 comment:

webbie said...

The airport. The mall. The DMV. I too am a people watcher. Give me a Diet Dr. Pepper and a place to sit and I will spend hours watching "life".