“Of course sir; would you like anything else with that?” an attractive flight attendant cheerfully enquired. She placed the gentleman’s coat carefully in the overhead compartment.
“Yes,” the customer replied, abruptly. “A Brandy Manhattan – mixed without ice.”
“I’m terribly sorry sir, the only drinks we have available are on the menu,” she said, indicating the laminated card.
“Hmmm,” the elderly man grumbled. He slowly removed a pair of glasses from his jacket pocket and studied the list of drinks. “Bring me a glass of cognac,” he eventually stammered.
“Certainly sir,” the stewardess smiled.
She served the beverage with a small cheese platter and a joyful smile, then retired to the galley. Moments later the light above seat 2B illuminated – she rushed back to the gentleman’s seat.
“This gouda is a cheap semi-hard substitute,” the man barked, “and the cognac tastes like second-rate brandy.”
“Sorry,” the airline representative apologised. She collected the items from his tray. “I’ll let the company know.”
“Don’t worry – I’ll tell them myself,” he huffed.
“Sorry, but it seems our in-flight entertainment system is down,” came an announcement over the PA. “Please wait a moment while we rest the system. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
Almost immediately the light above seat 2B reilluminated. The flight attendant rushed towards it.
“This entertainment device isn’t working,” the disgruntled customer exclaimed. The stewardess had been watching the man’s seat. Prior to the announcement he had been sound asleep.
“How could you possibly need five star food and up-to-date movies on a six hour flight?” she asked, shaking her head. “You’re travelling at close to a 1000 kilometres an hour, 35,000 feet from the ground, in something that weighs over 400 tonnes. Let that blow your angry little mind for the remainder of the flight.”
The smile that escaped as the stewardess walked back to the galley was far less forced than the one she had displayed earlier.
“Yes,” the customer replied, abruptly. “A Brandy Manhattan – mixed without ice.”
“I’m terribly sorry sir, the only drinks we have available are on the menu,” she said, indicating the laminated card.
“Hmmm,” the elderly man grumbled. He slowly removed a pair of glasses from his jacket pocket and studied the list of drinks. “Bring me a glass of cognac,” he eventually stammered.
“Certainly sir,” the stewardess smiled.
She served the beverage with a small cheese platter and a joyful smile, then retired to the galley. Moments later the light above seat 2B illuminated – she rushed back to the gentleman’s seat.
“This gouda is a cheap semi-hard substitute,” the man barked, “and the cognac tastes like second-rate brandy.”
“Sorry,” the airline representative apologised. She collected the items from his tray. “I’ll let the company know.”
“Don’t worry – I’ll tell them myself,” he huffed.
“Sorry, but it seems our in-flight entertainment system is down,” came an announcement over the PA. “Please wait a moment while we rest the system. We apologise for any inconvenience.”
Almost immediately the light above seat 2B reilluminated. The flight attendant rushed towards it.
“This entertainment device isn’t working,” the disgruntled customer exclaimed. The stewardess had been watching the man’s seat. Prior to the announcement he had been sound asleep.
“How could you possibly need five star food and up-to-date movies on a six hour flight?” she asked, shaking her head. “You’re travelling at close to a 1000 kilometres an hour, 35,000 feet from the ground, in something that weighs over 400 tonnes. Let that blow your angry little mind for the remainder of the flight.”
The smile that escaped as the stewardess walked back to the galley was far less forced than the one she had displayed earlier.