Overheard

OVERHEARD, this week on a early-morning Northwest flight from Philadelphia to Minneapolis:

Captain: Folks, as you can see, we have a lot of open seats this morning. So I have a bit of an unusual request. Those of you who are sitting next to and open window seat, if you’d please move over so you’re sitting by the window we’d appreciate it.

That way, when we’re taxing out next to all those US Airways guys, they’ll think we’re full.

Crashing Naked

A READER (MARK) submits this for Overheard:

About 18 months ago, I was going through security at SJC when I overheard a short sound bite that perfectly captures our misdirected approach to airport security.

I walked passed a pilot in full American Airlines uniform, being wanded-down by moving, but not thinking, contract airport security personnel.  He was upset at the perceived intrusion of his personal space, sufficient to cause him to exclaim, “Waddya mean with that?  Dammit, I’m the pilot … I can crash the plane NAKED!”

Heh. Thanks, Mark.

Overheard

A NEW SEMI-REGULAR FEATURE for Seat 1A: "Overheard." When you travel as much as I do, you often find yourself in a position to hear snippets of conversation that leave you thinking, "Did that person really just say that?" Here's an example from my travel last week. Overheard at a restaurant counter:

Customer speaking to woman at counter: "That's a beautiful name. I named my cat that."

Seriously: Who compliments someone by saying they share a name with their cat?

By the by, there are websites fully devoted to this concept. Overheard in New York is first and best among them. Not all content there is safe for family viewing (one can overhear much in New York, after all), but they're almost all funny. A recent entry:

PR girl #1: I love your outfit today!
PR girl #2: You know, I was walking down the street, and this homeless man in a box told me that "Purple is the color of royalty."
PR girl #1: Don't joke about that. I could be joining him, if my apartment doesn't come through.
PR girl #2: At least he lives in Manhattan.

--Office, 53rd & Broadway

Heh.

Have an "overheard" item you'd like to share? Submit it and I'll post it. Send submissions to alan dot l dot nelson at gmail dot com.