What Was Going On?
Now she was starting to get nervous. Everyone was staring at her. Not just the passengers, but also the plane's crew had gathered in a huddle, and they were murmuring something while glancing at her.
Clearly, something was wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Then, a man got up from his seat and walked toward her. What he told her next made her stomach drop to her feet.
The Story Of Jessica
Jessica had been a military trainee for some time now. She was ready for all types of situations, but this one was making her uneasy. She felt the anxiety taking over her as she wondered what could be going on.
When she got on that plane, there was no way that she could have ever imagined what she was getting herself into.
She Didn’t Expect It
That day, Jessica didn't expect anything extraordinary to happen to her. For all she knew, all she was in for was a long, exhausting, and rather uncomfortable flight, but that was about it.
Or at least, that's what she thought. She didn't know that she was about to experience a moment that would forever change her outlook on life.
Vacation
Regardless of her dreading the thought of spending hours sitting on that plane, on a seat that would probably be narrow and uncomfortable, Jessica had been looking forward to that day for months.
For the first time in a while, she had been given some vacation time from her training. She was headed for her family's place, and she couldn't be more excited about it.
Looking Forward To It
Even though she had to get on an absolutely packed plane and sit for hours on an economy class seat with little to no room to spread her legs, Jessica was happy. Finally, she could have some rest time and see her parents, whom she had missed to no end.
However, one incident was about to threaten her peace of mind and her well-being during the flight.
31-B Seat
According to Jessica's boarding pass, her seat was 31-B, almost at the very back of the plane and in between two other seats. When she made the reservation, it was one of the last seats available. Even though it would be rather uncomfortable, there was nothing she could do about it.
Jessica kept walking across the plane, tugging her belongings around until she finally arrived at her seat. Then, she stashed her shoulder bag in the overhead compartment and waited. And that's when the problems started.
Waiting
Jessica kept waiting for the plane to take off. 10 minutes, 15 minutes, half an hour. But the plane didn't move an inch. Why was that? What was going on?
It was the first time in her life that she had to wait that long for a flight. And suddenly, she noticed that something strange was going on.
They Were Staring At Her
Everyone on the plane was staring at her. All the passenger's eyes were set on her, and they didn't even try to be discrete about it. And that wasn't all.
The plane's attendants had gathered in a circle, and they were whispering about something while glancing at her from time to time. It seemed like even the pilot had gotten out of the cabin and joined the secretive conversation. What was the matter?
What Was Wrong?
She double-checked to see if she had stored her luggage correctly and according to the usual regulations. She also examined her uniform o see if there was something weird about it.
But everything seemed to be fine. She couldn't put her finger on what was wrong. And suddenly, she noticed a man in a suit walking in her direction.
What Did He Want?
As the man walked toward her, she noticed that the flight attendants were observing the scene from a distance, giggling and covering their mouths.
Now she was starting to feel really uneasy about the whole situation. What was those people's problem? Finally, the man stopped next to her seat, looked her in the eyes, and said some words that left her absolutely stunned.
The Man’s Words
"Sorry, miss, but I can't allow you to sit there," the man said, with a calm but stern tone. Now Jessica couldn't possibly be more puzzled.
"What do you mean, sir? This is my seat," she said, showing the man her boarding pass. Then, the man's explanation of what he meant was something she could never forget.
Why Did He Say That?
The man came from the first-class seats, but he had seen Jessica sitting on that narrow, uncomfortable seat. He felt a great admiration for any serviceman or servicewoman serving in the U.S. Army.
He felt like it was his duty to do his best to help a soldier to thank her for the hard work she does every day for the country. Jessica was moved by this, and she responded to him after a bit.
Thankful
She thanked the man for his generosity and tried to refuse his gesture, but the man kept insisting. Finally, she had no other option but to accept.
Now, she could see that the business class seats were a whole different story. Now, her flight would be a lot more comfortable than she had ever expected. She started wondering how she could thank the man.
She Wrote Him A Note
She asked one attendant if she could send him a drink, but it was not allowed for first-class passengers to buy anything for other passengers. So she decided to do something else.
She wrote a note thanking the man for his service, accompanied it with a $20 bill, and asked the attendant to give it to him. The attendant was happy to comply, and Jessica was glad to pay the man back somehow.
Lesson
"Please accept a drink or snack from me. If everyone treated people the way you treated the service-woman, the world would be a better place," the note said.
This is an inspiring story we all can learn from. This country's soldiers work hard to ensure everyone's safety, and there are little things we can do to thank them for it.