The People You Meet in First Class: When Chance Meetings Become Life Changing Conversations

By Eric Paul Pearson

The People You meet in First Class is a compilation of over forty years as an airline traveler in both Coach and First Class beginning in 1974. The stories provide unembellished observations in the airport and on the plane as well as some insight into deep conversations that occurred between the author and other travelers and airline employ

• Language: English
• Publisher: Author Academy Elite
• Release date: Dec 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781946114785

Eric Paul Pearson

After many careers and numerous short and long journeys, Eric Pearson has become recognized not for his accomplishments rather for the accomplishments of the people he has impacted during his many journeys. It started as early at Elementary School where Eric and his sister spent their lunch recess periods helping other students in the school wing where the severely disabled children received their education. It seemed only natural to Eric that a world of diversity and inclusion would lead to a kinder / gentler place to live. This attitude of helping others continued through the Boy Scouts where immediately upon earning his Eagle Rank he volunteered to become a Jr. Assistant Scout Master thus share his knowledge and teaching skills to others. Doing what he loved in the service of others. Eric knows no boundaries, loves extreme challenges and works tirelessly to help others discover that through failure, success becomes sweet and everlasting. Eric sees opportunity as a challenge, not a closed door. He played Varsity Soccer in college having never played a sport in high school, coached swimming in his local community having never swum on a team himself, and also coached high school lacrosse and basketball having never played either game. He taught Middle School Science with a Physical Education degree; developing his own curriculum and teaching high-talented seventh graders in a Prestigious Private School setting. Eric continued to strive for success through others and after completing a BS in Education at Bowie State University, and an MS in Technical Management at the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering. He became the Radar Antenna Manager for the most sophisticated Fighter in the U.S. Government inventory; accomplishing this feat having had little formal training in engineering or electronics. In addition, Eric later became the Sector Director for Cross Sector Program Initiatives for Northrop Grumman becoming the highest ranking Physical Education Major in the corporation. As a child Eric had two dreams; 1) to be a short-order cook and 2) to be a comedian. Eric has perfected his love for cooking and was even interviewed for an opportunity to compete on the Food Channel's Show - "Chopped for Non-Professionals". Eric injects his ability to tell stories and his love for humor in every motivational speech and leadership experience he leads around the country. Though his wife says, "Eric, you are not as funny as you think" Eric is able to keep an audience entertained while sharing valuable life experiences through his stories and personal stories. His volunteer accomplishments have been recognized as he served as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and on several Industry / University Board of Directors: National Association of Colleges and Employers, Southern Association of Colleges and Employers, America Society for Engineering Education, and the Cooperative and Experiential Education Board for ASEE. In 2008, Eric Pearson completed and self-published, "Ryan's Stories: Gods Perfect Child" as his grieving process for the loss of his fourteen-year-old profoundly disabled son and as a tribute to his wife Kathy who gave up her career to raise and nurture Ryan. Eric developed a nationally recognized New Graduate Engineering & Manufacturing Rotation Program and then a Cross-Country Leadership Training Program (LTP) where the graduates of these programs have become highly successful in own careers.

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Praise For

The People You Meet in First Class

If we could spend our time on earth with such an inquisitive, educating and cheerful disposition as Eric, I believe we’d all have found a solid foundation for personal happiness. His stories never waver from compassionate and tender humor regardless of the different situations and people involved. As in Eric’s previous book, Ryan’s Stories—God’s Perfect Child, you’ll realize that Eric’s lifetime of professional and personal experiences continue to guide and inspire.

C. Mason Gates, Chief Career Officer, ThincCareers

While most of us may pass through similar situations in life, Eric has an uncanny ability to capture the present moment in vivid detail, making you feel as though you are truly reliving that experience with him. His passion for helping others and making a difference clearly shows in his stories from the way he adds great detail, pulling you in, and making you feel the impact of the moment and the deeper meaning.

Nahid Bzorgi, Director for Corporate & Foundation Relations

College of Engineering, North Carolina State University

In The People you Meet in First Class, author Eric Pearson delivers an in-depth view of air passengers. His talent for storytelling provides insight into the love and passion he has to help others. He is a difference maker wherever he goes.

Kary Oberbrunner, author of ELIXIR Project, Your Secret Name,

The Deeper Path, and Day Job to Dream Job

The People You Meet in First Class

When chance meetings become life changing conversations

Eric Paul Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Eric Paul Pearson

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

Published by Author Academy Elite

P.O. Box 43, Powell, OH 43035

www.AuthorAcademyElite.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, and recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction, personal experiences of the author. Where possible the actual names of people included in the book have been approved and authorized. Where permission was not possible, the names have been changed. The information in this book is distributed without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability with respect to loss or damage caused in any manner by the information contained in this book.

Paperback: 978-1-946114-52-5

Hardback: 978-1-946114-53-2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017904467

Author Academy Elite, Powell, OH

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the many overlooked heroes—the employees of the airlines and airports who keep things running 24-7 and 365 days a year. Everyone who complains about the service at the airport, condition of their luggage, misplaced baggage, and long lines should spend a day in the shoes of the many service personnel who keep the airlines and airports running. A logistical nightmare goes on behind the scenes, only appreciated by those who have been fortunate to peek behind the curtain and see the impossible tasks which create the appearance of a smooth and easy flow of often-impatient travelers.

We must also recognize the people who fly for a living and deal daily with the never-ending stress in airports and in the air. The stress on airline employees during weather conditions, mechanical issues, holiday traveling, large groups of small children, and any size group of people who have never flown before—not to mention those working during and after the 911 disaster—is immense. Their jobs are difficult on easy days and almost unbearable during stressful conditions.

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

The Plight of the Airline Employee

And the Journey Begins

So, Are You a Writer?

I Am Not a Movie Star

My First Cross-Country Flight

The Trip of a Lifetime I’ll Never Forget

The Red-Eye Express

The Two Million-Mile Man

Weapons Aren’t Supposed to be Allowed on Planes, or Are They?

Let’s Make a Deal

Luggage Specials

Who Needs a Claim Check?

When the Other Shoe Drops

What Measures 9 x 14 x 22" and Weighs Forty-Five Pounds?

Beware! Sometimes, You Get What You Ask For

When Things Go Bump in the Day

The Not So Much a Lady in 1D

Thor II, American Gladiators 1992

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

Some Stories Never End

When Your Past Comes Back to You, Can You Handle It?

How Long Before a Conversation Makes an Impression?

Prop Jets, The de Havilland – 8

A Lesson in Immigration Law

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Late Night at the Marriott

Left Out in the Cold Again

How Much Is That Room by the Hour?

Early Flights can be Really Cool

The Trip That Became a Pilgrimage—A Most Fortunate Journey

Athlete or Actor, Be Whichever You Are

Stranded in Philadelphia with No Way to Get Out

Now Boarding Gate C16

In This Corner, Weighing in at 95 Pounds

Pay Attention and Read the Safety Instructions

Oh, No! Déjà Vu

Why Are Some Flight Attendants Introverts?

What Do You Do When You Fly with a Star?

An Interesting Career Change

Strength Comes From the Heart

A Very Special Flight Attendant

I Felt Like Houdini

The Science Lesson I Didn’t Plan

March Madness 2005, When Losers Realize They Are Winners

A Gentle Giant with a Generous Heart

Hey, Coach

Strange Bedfellows

Last Minute Hotel Reservations Can’t Be Good—This One Bugged Me Out

Travel with an International Flair and Most Unexpected Connection

Chicago to Baltimore—Not Enough First Class Seats

Feed the Troops—It’s Your Turn

When is Shampoo Not Shampoo?

My Wife Says I Am an ‘Airline Alcoholic’

Airline Alcohol Research

This is Not an Emergency—Though it had me Worried

Dispelling a Vicious Rumor About Lobbyists

Lobbyists and Golf are Sometimes Like Oil and Water

Gate Attendant Under Fire or Clear and Present Danger

What Airport Am I In?

A Pleasant Surprise

When You Fly with the Boss

A La Carte leads to Profits and Musical Chairs

My Last Flight Through Philadelphia – A Rollercoaster of Emotions

Famous People – Never on My Flights

Met My First Celebrity on a Plane Today

Musical Chairs, Without the Music

Preparing for Airport Security

TSA Security in Chicago—A Pleasant Surprise

Just When You Get Used to TSA Doing Something Sensible

XXXX Flight 520 ORD to LAX—Such a Disappointment

Whoa Buddy, What’s the Hurry?

Am I seeing Double?

Meeting Another Road Warrior Validates My Own Stories

Some People Can’t Take a Hint

Delayed Again in Philadelphia–Another Case of Musical Chairs

Sleeping on a Park Bench

I Have Little Sympathy for Rude Cab Drivers

The Door is Closed; Please, Oh Please, Turn Off Your Electronics

An Engineering Solution to Phone Violators

The Frugal Flyer

A True Step Up from Coach to First Class

Now We Have Preferred Boarding Lanes

You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For

The Advent of the ‘Preferred Boarding’ Line

There is Plenty of Room for My Luggage—A Case of Denial Played to the Limit

Stories from Mr. Wings

Customer Service Employees—It’s best to be Nice to Them

Gate Watching Tells It All

What’s Up with That?—Things That Annoy Us All On a Flight

Does Anyone Pay for First Class?

What Was He Thinking—Don’t the Clothes Define the Man

Excuse Me, Sir, is That Seat Taken?

Check Your Expiration Dates 207

Sometimes a Good Deed Doesn’t Get Punished

Sir, Are You in First Class?

There Is a Sheep Stowed in the Overhead

Annoying Situations that Must be Accepted and Endured

Did I Do a Good Job?

Sharing With Sheri from Shrewsbury (Pennsylvania)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Fasten Your Seatbelts; You Are in for the Thrill of Your Life

We Have More in Common with Others Than We Think

Seldom Recognized

When an Engineering Solution is Required

Please, Not Two Flights in a Row

One In a Hundred? More Like One in a Thousand

Hot Sauce! Get Your Red-Hot, Hot Sauce!

International Etiquette, or Not

When Is It Appropriate to Go Shoeless?

Always Working—When is Enough, Enough?

Baggage or Do I Mean Luggage?

An Unexpected Surprise

Bon Voyage

Travel after Retirement—It’s Just Not the Same

Stephanie the Hat Lady

Sorry, This Seat is Taken

Reserved Seating?

The Price of Admission

It’s a Wrap—That’s All Folks

That Never Happened Before

And That’s the Rest of The Story – Paul Harvey

About The Author

Foreword

To know Eric is to know what it truly means to love your neighbor as yourself. If you are one of the many people Eric writes about, you also know that he is a great listener, genuinely interested in your story, and slow to judge. He has a way of putting others at ease, almost like the coach at the sidelines of a big game—your game of life.

In this reading, you will appreciate how he touches the lives of those he meets along his journey. You will also note that Eric’s seat on the aircraft has been anywhere from first class to the back row on a very noisy de Havilland Dash-8. But regardless of where you might meet Eric, you always feel like you are traveling first class—that’s just the way he treats others. As you read the stories in his book, you may find these strangers and their experiences very familiar. If not, you will likely come away a bit wiser, a bit happier for the experience, and certainly a bit more empathetic toward the next stranger you meet in your own travels.

As I reflected upon the words for the foreword for Eric’s book, I wondered what it would be like if we all treated each other with a first-class perspective. In the United States today, it seems that too many have forgotten the golden rule. Instead of looking at one another with empathy, society seems to dwell on our differences. It’s as though we have written a new rule: seek first to be offended and then to offend. So I thought, What would it be like if we all treated each other like first-class citizens? Rather than call Eric for his thoughts (sorry Eric), I decided to turn to the Internet.

Try this exercise: search the Internet for characteristics of first-class travelers or statistics of first-class travelers’ The search results turn up very little regarding the people who travel in first class. Instead, you will find a great deal regarding the expectations we should enjoy as we travel first class.

First-class travel is meant to be an exceptional experience. But don’t be fooled by all the advertising hype. Traveling first class isn’t all roses, but it does help the weary traveler to be specially treated for just a few hours. There is a lesson in this very thought. Sadly, I have missed many opportunities to chat with those sharing the ride with me. Whether flying first class or on the bench seat of a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (yes Eric, we have this in common too), I have missed many opportunities to truly share a journey rather than just a ride. So, what would it be like if we all treated each other, even the weary traveler beside us, like first-class citizens? Wouldn’t we all be a little better for the shared experience?

I encourage you to read the stories that Eric shares with this thought in mind. You will come to understand that your own trip can been greatly enriched. Simply look at the person in the seat beside you and say, Hello. How are you? You will meet someone who is on a life journey—a journey that you have the opportunity to briefly share. Eric helps to bring his fellow travelers a little closer to home—our home. Through his stories, you will likely find someone you can relate to. You may meet someone who seems very familiar. Or you may simply experience the adventure that travel can bring and experience the fellowship that comes from spending a little time talking to a perfect stranger. Like Eric, I hope you will also learn to appreciate your fellow traveler a little bit more, whether you meet them on a plane, train, bus, or on a walk through your local town or park. Who knows? You might just meet someone you really like!

So, read on. Eric’s stores remind us that we may be very different from the person in the seat next to us, but we also have much more in common than the row number printed on our tickets.

Dr. Kevin A. Leahy

Acknowledgements

I must acknowledge my wife and daughter, Kathy and Erika, for my absence from so many family events over the years and the numerous long-term travel periods where it appeared I was having fun flying around the country for business. During this time, they maintained the home front for the last six years of my employment when I travelled extensively. These travels caused me to miss much of the time Erika spent pursuing her undergraduate studies in English. While I continued to gather stories for this book, Kathy managed the responsibilities of both mom and dad, supporting Erika’s daily challenges of a chronic illness and college studies.

A very special thank you and shout-out goes to my lifelong friend and sister, Jeannette Bair. She constantly encouraged me to write my stories, keep the process moving forward, polish them well, and never give up the search for the next conversation. She personally worked with me through two major edits and restructuring of the book prior to sending it through professional editing and printing. She pushed me to keep providing my work to her for editorial review and content clarity. She insisted we go through the entire book twice before declaring it ready for the professional edit. And most of all, she collaborated with me in discussions of how to include / exclude some of the sensitive content. Yes, it was difficult to hear why I should delete some of the content altogether; several interactions I thought were my best stories ended up on the cutting room floor. You know you are making the right decisions when a change to your work is suggested and you become a bit miffed it is even brought up. That showed me Jeannette was truly in my corner and wanted to ensure I produced the best quality book possible. She wasn’t going to let me make mistakes just to avoid hurting my feelings.

The Plight of the Airline Employee

I received the following on a social media posting from a former fellow employee who, in a previous career, spent fifteen years as a flight attendant and is also married to a commercial pilot. I couldn’t get that story out of her. I searched for the author; however, as with most reposts, no one seems to know the origin, so this one is listed as Author: Anonymous. Since I have great regard for those who toil daily in the airline industry and have created a close relationship with many flight attendants, I wanted to share this list with you. I find this hilarious and quite true at the same time.

So, You Want to be a Flight Attendant?

Go to a resale store and find an old, navy-blue suit that an army sergeant might have worn. Add a white shirt and a tie or scarf. Wear the same outfit for four consecutive days, every week, all year long.

Go to an airport and watch airplanes take off for several hours. Pretend you are standing by for them and they are all full. Go home. Return to the airport the next day and do the same thing again.

Fill several large boxes with rocks. Lift them over your head and place them on the top shelf of a closet. Slam the door shut until the boxes fit. Do this several times until you feel a disk slip in your back. Smile.

Turn on a radio. Be sure to set it between stations so there is plenty of static. Turn on the vacuum cleaner and garbage disposal. Run them all night. Smile.

Remove the covers from several TV entrées. Place them in a hot oven. Leave the food in the oven until it’s completely dried out. Remove the hot trays with your bare hands. Serve to your family. Don’t include anything for yourself. Eat peanuts. Smile.

Serve your family a beverage one hour after they’ve received their meal. Make them remain in their seats during this time. Ask them to scream at you and complain about the service. Eat peanuts. Smile.

Scrounge uneaten rolls off the plates for you to eat two hours later when you’re really hungry. Eat peanuts. Smile.

Place a straight-backed chair in a closet next to a bathroom, facing a blank wall. Use a belt to strap yourself into it. Eat the stale rolls you saved from your family’s meal, preferably while someone’s using the bathroom. Smile.

Ask your family to use the bathroom as frequently as possible. Tell them to make splashing water a game and see who can leave the most disgusting mess. Clean the bathroom every hour throughout the night. Drink stale coffee in the closet next to the bathroom. Eat peanuts. Smile.

Make a narrow aisle between several dining room chairs and randomly scatter your husband’s wing tips and loafers along the way. Turn off the lights and spend the night walking up and down the aisle while banging your shins against the chair legs and tripping over the shoes. Drink several cups of cold, stale coffee to keep yourself awake. Smile.

Stay up all night, then wake your family in the morning and serve them a cold, hard sweet roll. Don’t forget to smile and wish them a nice day when they leave for work and school. Ask them to berate you. Eat peanuts. (Smile)

After the family leaves, take a suitcase and go out (preferably in winter) in the yard. If it’s not raining, turn on the sprinkling system and stand in the cold and the wet for thirty minutes, pretending like you’re waiting for the crew bus to pick you up. Then go inside and wait by your bedroom door for another thirty minutes while an imaginary maid cleans and makes up your room. Smile.

Change into street clothes and shop for five hours. Pick up carryout food from a local deli. Go back home. Sit on your bed and eat your meal. Set your alarm for 3 a.m. so you’ll be ready for your wake-up call. (It’s now 12:30 a.m.) Eat peanuts. Smile.

Repeat the above schedule for four days in a row and you’ll be ready to work your first trip as a flight attendant!

Repeat the above schedule after just three days off, every week, for twelve months straight. Now you’re ready to be a flight attendant!

Now you’ve had a career as a flight attendant!

And the Journey Begins

I had been gathering my stories and taking notes for a number of years with the intention of someday writing a book about my travels. Having recently watched George Clooney portray my life (and that of many other extreme frequent flyers) in the movie Up in the Air, I have