Grist to the Mill

01 April, 2005

PLANE

Got on an aeroplane - the majority of people had already boarded. It was a standard plane with three seats either side of a central aisle. I took a seat in an aisle seat - two people were already in the window and middle seats. Captivity and proximity in transport situations create irresistable 'people watching' opportunities. This is especially true of the tube. The couple next to me were properly overweight and really filling out their economy single seats. They linked arms and rested their hands - more like big paws, really - on each other's denim-clad thighs. It seemed a bit over the top, to be honest, even for the most devoted couple. I thought 'maybe they are reassuring each other with touch/their presence because they are scared of the take-off', but they carried on doing this all through the flight. I looked at them for a couple of minutes while they dozed and they reminded me of a bear family.... Later, when the hostess came around, they just happened to wake up in time to order tea, diet coke and two kit-kats.

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