I saw him, as I was limping through Denver International, didn’t think much of it. Saw him again in the B gates. Like the Empire State Building, BIG men stand out in the crowd. This early twenty something, man was surrounded by a group of twenty somethings. He was my height ,around 6.4 and over 300 pounds with a baby face.
We noticed each other at the gate, we were on the same flight to Sacramento. I reinjured my foot in Kansas City and was in a great deal of pain. Like a true stupid ass macho warrior, I limped for 45 minutes from one terminal to the next, my ego wouldn’t allow some teeny tiny person to push Godzilla’s first cousin (me) around in a wheelchair.
At the Gate, I said to myself, what are the odds we’d be sitting on the same side of the plane with the plane leaning to the right.
I’m usually the very last to board, I dont have to wait for people to settle in, I can walk directly to my seat. PLUS, I like terrorizing the villagers, (passengers) slowing down and eying the middle seat, wispering enough so they could hear me, is this my seat? Some people react in terror and others pretend and look forward. I know that they are praying to the gods, ( Oh please dont let him sit here!) Sometimes, I throw it in reverse, B28? This really gets um.
The reality is, my seat is always an aisle seat, of the right side of the plane near the rear. I was so busy terrorizing the villagers that I forget King Kong Jr was on the same flight to Sacramento.
God, has a sense of humor
There he was. King Kong Jr in 34B, my seat was 34C hooray! (not really!) As I opened the overhead, I could see the smiling eyes of his friends. Jr looked at me and then away. He’s built like me, long legs and broad shoulders which forced a third of my body into the aisle. It was an intimate introuduction as we were crushed up together with thighs and shoulders touching. My right foot was killing me.
No one will have coffee or tea on this flight……….
I knew they would have to relocate me because there was no way they were going to get the cart down the aisle. Worse, if there is another large person on the flight, they were going to have to use the other bathroom, this aisle is closed! Jr was clearly uncomfortable with both hands resting on his knees, he is nervous and didnt want to upset dad.
A couple of flight attendents had to squeeze through. In the back, they were having a conference and I knew the topic was King Kong and son. I was hoping they would relocate me to first class where I could take the pressure off my foot.
One of the flight attendents tapped my on the shoulder and directed me to an empty row being me. “How did that happen? an empty row ? She saw the pain on my face and encourged me to put my foot up, the problem was we were on the right side of the plane and I couldn’t comfortably rest my right foot. Meanwhile, Jr is doing a discreet happy dance, I could see the seat bouncing in front of me.
We arrived at Sacramento’s Terminal “A” on time. I waited for to everyone to leave before attempting to stand. The flight attendant wanted to call for a wheelchair, but I’m still a warrior, (a weakened warrior). This is terminal A, I said too myself, ” its a small terminal, I wont have too walk far”
God has a sense of humor…….
We were at the tip of Terminal A, the corridor went on forever, with several twist and turns “My god, this is long-where are we Atlanta?” the flight attendent quipped. Finally freedom, I stopped, I couldnt walk anymore. Within a couple of minutes. There were three people with wheelchairs……..
God has a sense of humor………..
Three people, a strong looking women, a tallish man and a small man. The small man won. Carol Marrow, tell him what he’s won. King Kong with bag, nearly 380 pounds AND luggage. This is ridiculous…. I said to myself. The Ultimate Insult. A tiny man pushing me. It looked like I was in a magic chair. No one could see him behind me ,he had to look around me to see where we were going. In my head, I’m screaming. This is embarressing, lets me walk! My conversation to myself continued. Then I moved my right foot. My inner voice said shut the fuck up!
The hundred and thirty pound man was strong, very impressive, we were moving at a rapid clip. “I asked him how he was doing?” he said fine!! Two minutes later, we were slowing down. I asking him again. I kidd you not- his voice changed, he sounded like “Mickey Mouse, “When he said ” I’m okay”
At baggage claim, he was free of King Kong I forgot to tip him.
I saw Jr, and his entourage as they were leaving the terminal. I smiled at him and he waved at me. In my head, I said bye son. It’s been interesting.
CityFella
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