At some point in your life, you’re probably going to go on a really long flight somewhere. Maybe it’ll be to a study abroad experience, or service trip, or even just an excuse to get the heck away from home for a bit. Regardless of where or why you’re going, for ten or more hours, you’re going to be sitting next to someone you’ve never met before and will probably never meet again.
When you really think about it, the concept of sitting two inches away from a complete stranger for that long, without any (or at least very little) interaction is kind of bizarre. You might introduce yourself and ask what their name is if you’re not awkward (like me), but in reality, you’re either going to be focusing your attention on that book you brought or the in-flight entertainment. There have been a couple times when I, or someone next to me, was brave enough to strike up a conversation, and those were probably some of the most memorable flights I’ve ever had.
Earlier this year, I flew from Los Angeles to Dubai on my way to India. The flight from LA to Dubai was a 16-hour movie binge-fest from take-off to landing with a few naps thrown in here and there. I was completely committed to indulging myself with the movies from the past few years that I hadn’t gotten the chance to see and a couple of classics I’d been meaning to take a look at, but then I met Ali.
I’m just going to put this out here now; Ali and I didn’t talk much. We probably acknowledged each other for about fifteen minutes before turning back to our individual entertainment, but afterward, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
Ali was a young architect in L.A. flying out to Tehran to visit his family.
That’s all I know about him. No last name. No hobbies. I don’t even remember what he looked like. But I found it strange -- I don’t really know how to describe this feeling -- knowing that we were both from the same area going to two different parts of the world that just happened to be sitting next to each other for a part of the journey.
It’s odd to think of how many people you come into contact with once and never see again. Or how many people you see every day but know nothing about. And it’s even more peculiar when you think about how each person has their own complicated life with their own problems.
Next time you’re on a plane ride and you don’t know who’s sitting next to you, take a few minutes to introduce yourself. Maybe you’ll end up with a good story. Maybe I won’t introduce myself every time I’m on a plane, but this is what I’d like to say to whoever has crossed paths with me:
Hi, you don’t know me and, odds are, you probably won’t know too much by the end of this flight. But I’d like to introduce myself anyway.
I’m Rena. Yes, I’m really short. And yes, you’ll probably never see me again. There are seven billion people on this planet, and by some strange coincidence or, however, the universe works, we’ll be spending the next couple hours sitting together while we travel and then go our separate ways.
So I want to let you know that, you, as a person, have made an impression on me and everyone you have or will ever meet. You could just be the guy who always orders the same cup of coffee at exactly eight thirty-five every morning, or you could be the inspiration for a writer’s story. You have made an impact on me. I'm not going to lie -- I probably won’t remember you all that much. You might get filed in the “Weird Guy on the Plane” folder. Or you could be that adorable old man who told me where he and his wife were going on their 60th wedding anniversary and how they met (while successfully restoring my faith in humanity).
So on the likely chance that I will never see you again, I hope life treats you well. I hope you get what you need. And of course, I hope you have a safe flight.
