Standing Up to A Bully

Posted on January 23, 2003 in Encounters Vacations

Even when you’re a pacifist, sometimes you’ve got to rise to your feet and confront a guy who is trying to push his way around.

Whey they close the overhead bins on Continental flights, it means that the bin is full. Another passenger and I had placed some fragile items in the bin above our seats. A family who looked and acted like they lived in a gated community, arrived late. When the father started dashing around to look for a place to stuff the carry-ons, he opened the compartment over our heads. The steward quickly told him “When the door is closed, the compartment is full.” He repeated the steward’s instruction and immediately closed the door.

The son, a red-shirted faux hippie/biker, was not satisfied with the explanation. He barrelled up to our compartment, opened it, and prepared to stuff a plump backpack into the compartment.

“Didn’t you hear?” I said. “The compartment is full.”

“Stop your whining. I can get it in.”

I stood up. I had three inches on him. “The compartment is full.”

“I can fit it in. What a whiner.” He squared his shoulders. “What are you going to do to me, whiner?”

“You want to stay on the plane?” I looked over his shoulder and motioned to the steward. He came forward and showed the guy an open compartment. I sat down. Up and down the aisle, the bearded boy whimpered “What a whiner.”

I held back a chuckle.