Sitting next to Moses

Being in three airports these past few days has made me think of all the airport stories I have never written down. Not stories I have heard but my own stories.
I was sitting in the Newark before boarding the plane and had some time to people watch when all of a sudden I thought to myself; who am I going to be sitting next to? Will I be between the two Harley biker guys who sat across from me in the lobby? One of them had a black leather vest on and his arms were bare except for the tattoos that covered every inch of skin like a shirt. His friend wasn’t as colorful but seemed a bit shadier in his eyes. I imagined me sitting in the middle seat between them. I looked around; it’s Newark so almost every nationality was represented. I ended up sitting with a Hasidic Jew on my right and a Russian behind me.
This situation made me think of another time when we were flying to Colorado to visit my brother. The whole family was with me and in our experience they always sit the children as close to the back of the plane as possible. We had the last row on both sides up against the bathrooms. This didn’t concern me because with little kids sitting near the bathroom can be a big help. I got three of my kids comfortable, seated and settled. We survived the standard fight over who gets to sit near the window. (This was between our two middle girls) I sat with the baby on my lap. (Emma was 18 months at the time) Across the aisle Alastair sat between our oldest and a poor single man who looked alarmed at his seating arrangements. Everyone was seated on the plane when the airline Stewardess came to us and said we needed to change our seats. I was so annoyed. The baby’s bag was under the seat, all toys and activity books had already been taken out, sippy cups were an arm reach away and I wondered if they had any clue how long it took us to settle. I was not moving! So I said “I have 2 children in this small space and a baby on my lap…I’m not moving.” To which she said “well, either the people on the right of this aisle need to move or the left…someone needs to move.” I looked across at Alastair, the stranger and Heather then said calmly to the stewardess, “Move them.”
So, up they got with all their things and they moved closer to the front of the plane. I felt victorious…I protected my little spot. Next thing I know, I see Alastair stop in the aisle…he lets three men squeezed past him, Alastair catches my eye and looks at me with a mischievous grin. I look back at him “what?” I reply with my eyes and he laughs…almost out loud. Then I saw what amused him so greatly!
Coming down the aisle towards us were three men. The first was a little white balding man with a briefcase handcuffed to his arm. He sat across from us, in the window seat. Next, came a man dressed in orange jumpsuit with shackles on his feet and handcuffs on his hands. He scooted into the middle seat. The third man was the biggest man I had ever seen. Bald, African American, strong man who barely fit into his aisle seat. Alastair now sitting in his new seat (up front) is straining to watch my reaction….grinning the whole time. I process the situation and realize they are transporting a convict who obviously needs these two other men as well as chains. The only thing separating him from me and my little wide eyed, overly interested girls was a small aisle and the big guy. I later learned that the big, strong guy’s name was Moses. The name seemed to fit him.
So, I humbly sat in my protected little spot that I fought so hard to keep. Thinking of all the movies I have seen where they transport convicts. I just prayed he didn’t have to go to the bathroom for the whole trip. (They always find a way out in the bathroom….at least in the movies I’ve seen.) :)
I never figured out who the convict was or his story but I spent most of the trip trying to answer the girls’ questions. We got off the plane and all had a good laugh at mommy trying to keep her “special seat”.
Mostly, it was Alastair laughing! ;)
We all arrived safely and yes, he did go to the restroom. Moses stood out side the door the whole time.
Guess they won’t make a movie out of this one!