Denise - A Friend and Colleague

Denise and I have spent the last 3 days doing workshops in Indianapolis - and eating coconut almond ice cream - yummy!. We managed to get the same flight home and luckily as we checked in - there was .... yes you guessed it.... a seat be side me for the first flight! While I love meeting new people - it's also nice from time to time to have a friend beside you. Denice and I had worked together at one time and every Christmas season spend a wonderful day shopping. This time we were together as she "filled in" for another instrictor who was sick.

So what do you chat about when you've just spent 3 days together? Not much - we had chatted a lot over the 3 days - so now Denise relaxed and read her book and I worked on some follow-up for my workshops so I'd have the next day open.

One thing we had talked about during a long walk one night was airplane ettiquette. So if you're on a plane right now and reading this - make note....the armrest between you and the seat beside you is not yours to hog! Nor should your seatmate get it. Basically we concluded it belongs to no one - it is merely a divider - like the stick you use in the grocery store to separate your food from the person in front of you. In fact - there may be times you want to put the divider up to give both of you more room. Maybe I will do a chapter or appendix on good ettiquette while flying - any input?

As we landed in Cleveland we both were starved. But - running a bit late too. So after a quick trip to the ladies room, stopped to get a snack. The checkout line was slow - so Denise says she has some snacks in her bag - let's go. They annouce our names right as we're getting to the gate (hadn't realized we were that late) - and as we board the plane Denise has to gatecheck her bag...need I say it's the bag with the snacks! (not that we needed them really)

This next flight we are not together - you'll read about my seatmate in the next chapter. As for Denise - she was stuck next to a guy who had been drinking a bit too much... poor Denise.