She shouted at employees, played music, and let her dog crap on the floor as if the airport were her domain. Everyone was worn out by the time we got to the gate, so I smiled and sat next to her, giving her an excuse to finally leave.
JFK was crowded. Long lineups, grumpy passengers, and delays. As usual. The voice then emerged. Sharp, loud, and hard to ignore.
Airport patrons | Source: Pexels
Yes, I did tell her that I wouldn’t do that. It’s not my responsibility. If she cries, I don’t care.
Everyone pivoted. Near the Hudson News store, a woman wearing a red coat was FaceTiming without headphones while holding her phone directly in front of her. Like a vehicle alarm, her voice broke through the cacophony.
An airport woman using a phone | Source: Pexels
A tiny white puffball dog was squatting in the center of the terminal, directly behind her. The harsh airport lights glistened on its diamond collar.
An elderly man wearing a brown cap came forward and whispered softly, “Miss, excuse me? Your canine companion… He gestured toward the filth that was growing on the tile.
An elderly man with a beard | Source: Pexels
“Some people are so damn rude,” she snapped, then turned back to her phone call. “Ugh, this guy’s staring at me like I just murdered someone. Mind your business, Grandpa.”
Gasps spread through the crowd. One mom near me said, “Oh my God,” and covered her little kid’s eyes like it was a crime scene.
Another traveler raised her voice. “Ma’am! You’re not going to clean that up?”
The woman continued to walk. “They have people for that,” she remarked, throwing a hand in the air.
People appeared to be attempting to comprehend what had just transpired as they remained motionless in shock.
I later ran into her at TSA. As if she owned the place, she pushed past those in line and left her tote bag at the front.
The agent said, “Ma’am, you must wait your turn.”
An airport TSA officer | Source: Midjourney
“I’ve got PreCheck,” she yelled. “And my dog becomes nervous.”
The agent pointed across the room and stated, “That’s not the PreCheck line.”
“Well, I’m still going through.”
Behind her, someone whispered, “Unreal.”
The shoe argument followed.
A woman raising a finger in a frown | Source: Pexels
She declared, “I’m not taking them off.”
“You must,” the TSA agent said.
“I get along with the TSA. They are slides.
“Ma’am, those are boots.”
“I’ll file a lawsuit.”
After a while, she removed them while grumbling to herself. Her dog would bark at anything, including a rolling suitcase, a man with a cane, and a kid in a stroller. Continuously.