Thank goodness for WordPress for iPhone, I am able to document in real time what’s going on in this plane. If anyone knows the Dockerys, they know that nothing can be simple, easy or without some form of “excitement”. This trip is already turning out to be no different.
After boarding the plane and getting comfy (or as comfy as you can be in a sardine can) in our seats, the pilot announces that during the walk thru they discovered a hydraulic leak in the braking system. No bueno. He says that they have to get the part and replace it so the delay looked to be at least an hour. He says that all the remaining flights to LA are fil so we just have to “sit tight”. Them thar sound like fightin words….
I have to admit I’m impatient and I can have a short fuse when you are messing with my vacation…my very expensive vacation. So I had already planned out in my mind the scene I would cause in the event that we didn’t make our connection in LAX to HNL. Needless to say I had to put those thoughts aside when after about 30 minutes the pilot announced that the work was complete. They must have some Houdini’s working in AA maintenance. In fact, I know they do, my dad did that job for nearly 40 years.
Now to the “best” part….as I write this we are about an hour or so into the flight… My daughter taps my shoulder and points at her lap. I look down and see something liquid-like and chunky on her lap. I’m like wtf is that? (minus the f, insert “heck”) She points behind us and I look at her armrest, seatbelt and seat which is covered in…yup you got it…vomit.
The lady behind us apparently had a projectile moment and completely missed her barf bag target. I don’t know how I kept so calm but I went directly into mommy mode and whipped out the antibacterial Lysol wipes I had brought in my purse. Here I was cleaning up a strangers puke. All those hotel management classes about pathogens and bodily fluids suddenly came to memory.
The flight attendant, bless his heart was SO upset. He gave us towels soaked in soapy water, plastic bags to stuff in between the seats and fought with the first class flight attendant to give us a few of the highly coveted, secret blankets made of gold. Well, not quite made of gold but you’d think they were by the way he had to beg for them for his lowly coach passengers! He also gave us free snacks (not that I had much of an appetite after this escapade) and kept apologizing profusely as if he were the one that puked! I told him there was nothing I can do about it, it happens. I haven’t even had any alcohol yet. I’d say I’m doing pretty good.
LAX in about an hour or so now! Hopefully the next flight is I uneventful and vomit-free.
OMG…projectile vomit?? Poor Amber!! I hope the rest of the trip is uneventful!
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Yup it was so nasty. The FA kept asking her to please use the restroom but age ignored him.
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Oh I so hope it’s uneventful from here on out. My word, what a revolting way to start a flight.
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OH! That is JUST GROSS! You’re poor daughter. She handled it quite well actually. I mean should could have put up a really dramatic scene!
“OH MY GOD! YOU JUST PUKED ON ME! THAT IS SO DISGUSTING! WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST GO TO THE BATHROOM? YOU ARE SO GOING TO GET IT! TSK…….”
Yeah, it could have been worse.
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My little one didn’t say a word. If it were me at that age I probably wouldve puked myself….total domino effect!
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I think I would have just looked at the lady with this “WTF?” look on my face. And cried. I was an emotional little brat.
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LOL I truthfully have no idea how we stayed so calm. I think we were both in shock!
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Oh that’s so gross. First thing in my head was… Pathogens or other nasties. Glad the young lady handled this so well, but what of the ejector of the spew? Ick. May your trip be free of projectiles hitherto.
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The lady didn’t say anything and ignored the FA’s suggestions to use the bathroom. When we were landing I heard the all too familiar wrenching sound. Amber and I leaned forward in our seats but Hubs told me this time she had her entire head in one of the larger bags. Another story goes down in the books for us!
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You didn’t — clean up a stranger’s barf, I mean. Seriously? On your vacation, no less? Sorry, but I don’t do vomit — despite my being somebody’s mommy!!
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Yes, yes I totally did. I still dont know how I handled it so well. I had to get it off of my daughters seatbelt and that lady wasn’t helping…. I’m glad I brought the Lysol wipes!
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Uugh how terrible. You have an awesome attitude. Good on ya for keeping your cool.
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Well it has to get better…I like your attitude too.
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That’s awful! Please tell me the projectile vomit lady apologized. At least the flight attendent tried to make up for it.
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He was so nice. I think if he could’ve yanked that lady out of her seat and forced her to go to the bathroom he would’ve. She wasn’t budging. She didn’t apologize until after we landed and were waiting to get off the plane. Some people!!
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Oh I feel so bad for you…What a way to start your holiday…Diane
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It surely was an adventure and a story to go down in Dockery history!
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Oh, poor Amber that was awful!!! How she stayed so calm covered in all that is amazing. Oh, my I can’t even imagine how that must have looked and felt. Did the lady who vomited say anything? This gives me the shivers, just so gross and I am so sorry that happened to your sweet Amber. Hugs
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I’m sorry that I’m just now getting to my comments but thank you! We were both very calm and I have no idea how or why. At the end of the flight she did say “sorry I threw up on you, I have food poisoning”. I thought it was weird how she didn’t seem to be embarrassed at all. If it were me, I would’ve been mortified!!
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I would have been the same way you were. No problem with getting back to me or when. Hugs
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