A Brand New Airplane

The highlight of the whole long day of flying (not the 3 hour Ft. Lauderdale to Detroit sitting-next-to-a-Jehovah's-Witness leg, not that the whole Bible-as-God's-word conversation wasn't my fault, it was, I just love to get them all up in a fuss) was the Detroit to Green Bay 56 minute flight in a 1 week old airplane. Usually when you board a plane it looks a little scruffy inside, a little worn and used, like thousands of hands, feet, and hinders have been there before you. No amount of cleaning and effort can erase the years of friction and spilled juice boxes, greasy hands and drool from dozing flyers. They usually smell clean-ish, but the fabrics and carpets bear testimony to their age. This little 65 seater was showroom fresh. The gray leather/vinyl seats were plump and comfy, not with years of ass prints worns into them; the seatbelts were supple and unfrayed, and the seats were a bit further apart and even felt a bit roomier. Suddenly flying regained a bit of the mystique of the old days when you felt special to be there, not like just another plodding cipher crammed in a flying Greyhound. It was almost a pleasure.

--Barbara