A drink is spilled on a young man by the attendant during a lengthy trip home. Threatening to fire her, he yells at her. Later, he discovers that if not for her kindness, he might not have survived years earlier.
Connor yelled, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” as he glared angrily at the stewardess. When she was giving him his drink, the glass dropped from her grasp and shattered all over him.
He was eager to return home after a lengthy flight following a five-day business trip. And he now had to cope with an uncoordinated senior flight attendant?
“Woman, you’re too old for this work! You should leave the job to someone qualified and return home to take care of your grandchildren. He went on.
“Sir, I’m so, very sorry! The words “The glass slipped” fumbled out of her mouth as her face turned scarlet with shame.
“This is not acceptable, you old woman, listen! Your managers will be made aware of this! He kept yelling and trembling with rage.
Olivia apologized sincerely, but her cries were ignored. She attempted to dab Connor’s shirt, but that only made him angrier. “Sir, it was a sincere error. I’m sorry, please forgive me!” she pleaded.
“I’ll see to it that you never work here once more!”
“Please, sir; I adore my work. This was a real—
“Young woman, get out of my sight!” Defeated, Olivia scurried out of the way and headed back to the crew rest area.
Age 63 was Olivia. She had been employed by the airline for many years and enjoyed her profession, but she wouldn’t claim everything had gone without a hitch. Connor was the most irate passenger she had ever encountered.
She was competent at her job most of the time, although accidents occasionally happened. Or maybe her irate passenger was right all along. When should I think about retiring?
The airport…
Finally, the jet touched down, and Connor was reunited with his mother, who had gone to pick him up. Finally happy to be back in his hometown, Connor was eager to get there and get some well-earned relaxation.
They waited at the baggage carousel as he put a hand over his mother’s shoulder. They talked as they waited since his mum was curious to learn about his international experience.
His mother then fixed her gaze a little distance away with squinted eyes. When Connor turned to see, he only saw the old stewardess and the rest of the flight crew walking toward him.
Adelaide, Connor’s mother, seems to recognize Olivia. She moved in Olivia’s path, stopping her in her tracks, as the team drew up to where she and Connor were standing.
“Olivia?”
“Adelaide?” Olivia responded, and then they joyfully embraced.
After chatting for a time, they exchanged contact information with the intention of meeting up soon.
Adelaide went back to where her kid was and saw the bewilderment on his face. “What a jewel that woman is!”
She stated that 35 years prior, when carrying Connor, she had been on a flight and required medical assistance. Olivia had a few medical gimmicks up her sleeve and took care of her throughout the flight, making sure both she and her baby were safe and healthy since there was no doctor on board.
We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for that woman, she said. “I still believe that she was placed on that flight that day by God to preserve our lives.”
Connor’s expression grew sad. He blushed in humiliation, but he refrained from telling his mother what happened on the plane. After arriving home, Connor went to his bedroom to try to get some rest, but he couldn’t because he kept having flashbacks to the events on the plane and at the baggage carousel.
He ultimately made the decision to contact Olivia and request a meeting in order to express his regret for how he treated her. He called Olivia the following day after getting her phone number from his mother.
Would she like to meet him to apologize in person? he asked. The week would be spent working, according to Olivia, but the weekend would be free.
Several days later…
Olivia and Connor met at the airport cafe. Connor turned to face Olivia once they had sat down and made their orders. “I genuinely regret how I behaved on the journey. I should not have been so impolite and arrogant.
“I perceive. You must have been exhausted because the flight was so long.
“I’m sorry; there still was no justification for how I treated you.”
“I accept your apology.”
Connor praised her profusely for her unselfish efforts and stated he had learned of her generosity to his mother 35 years before. He also expressed his interest in learning why she continued to work for the airline all these years later.
Olivia revealed that she fell in love with the sky after taking her first flight as a teenager. She pursued flight attendant training after graduating from college and has been employed as one ever since.
She laughed, saying, “It makes me so happy to serve passengers so high in the sky. I might say that it is my calling.
Connor reflected on how much he detested his job. He suddenly realized that he had spent his entire life in the wrong profession. He took the decision to leave his career and look for something more fulfilling right then and there.
He left that cafe a changed man and thanked Olivia for letting him see the possibilities that life has to offer. Additionally, Adelaide and Olivia began to catch up more and become the closest of friendships.
What can we take away from this narrative?
Respect is due to everyone. Everyone should learn to respect others, regardless of their age. Despite Olivia dumping a drink on him, Connor ought to have handled the plane event better and treated her with respect.
Always aim to pursue your passions. Olivia was content with her job as a flight attendant despite her advanced age. Connor was also taught the same by her.
Tell your friends about this experience. It might motivate them and make their day better.
