“Sorry it took me so long.” His faithful smile still plastered on his face and beginning to look more repugnant than calming at this point. “Here is the carrier.”
“That is not a carrier,” I replied sternly, not believing what my eyes were seeing.
“It is the airline-approved carrier for infants.” He defended.
Amidst the fidgety ramblings of an antsy three year old who was hyper before we boarded, I felt like I was about to go in shock. But it was his next words that really through me in upset overdrive.
“Lay your baby in the carrier …” He started to say, his mouth still curved upward but this time I think his teeth were jagged. I now viewed him as a monster instead of the handsome lifesaver that walked me and my precious children to our seats only a few minutes earlier.
“That is NOT a carrier! That is a cardboard box!” My voice was raised and my fellow passengers were now watching and listening for what they obviously hoped would become an in-flight show.
Still smiling (and obvious training tactic taught at the school of Ignorant Airline Rules and Products 101), Greg politely responded in a monotone voice, “Lay your baby in the carrier. Then slide the carrier under your seat for take-off.”
No way is my baby going in a cardboard box under my seat while this huge metal bird goes thousands of miles into the air!
“You have got to be crazy! The airline is crazy if you think that I am going to put my baby in a box! You’re even crazier if you think that I will put my baby under a seat.” My face was redder than my hair and the rest of the passengers were oohing in disbelief. I am certain that their disbelief was in line with mine and not in support of the idiotic thing this monster was trying to do to my little baby.
A female attendant came over and motioned for Greg to leave. She kneeled down beside my seat, taking my baby’s hand in hers. Her eyes were kind and her face indicated a level of understanding. She is a mother! I knew it in my heart. She will understand!
