What happened to the Friendly Skies?

I'm home tonight from our visit to The Kopitske Farm. We flew in to Green Bay on Wednesday, and spent 3 days with Harley & Donna and Andy & Vicky and their boys. Our time at the farm was full of good fun and good family. Sadly, the flights to and from Green Bay were a little less fun.

The only reason I still have hope for humanity is that my fellow travelers were tremendously kind and understanding. When I couldn't carry my bag, my car seat, and my son, the gate attendants stood idly by and watched me kick the seat half way to the gate. Another passenger finally came to my aid, and when I asked the attendant if I could check the seat there or had to carry it to the end of the gangway, she looked at the guy who'd helped me that far, and said "Oh - you won't help her to the plane?" Like he was some kind of shirker.

On the flight home I stopped at the desk at my gate and asked about any available seats where I could put the carseat so El could ride more safely. The gate attendant said "There's no 2 open seats together. You'll have to ask the passenger in the center seat if he'll move to the seat behind you. It's open. Then your son can sit by you."

Hmm. Not exactly what I had in mind. I thought that would be kind of awkward, but I'd try what she said. After all, she's the boss. So I went to board the plane, and the woman taking the tickets asked if I was checking the seat. I explained what the desk lady had said, and she looked at me like I was nuts. "If they say no, what are you going to do? Bring it all the way back here?" Then she started to get into it with the lady at the desk "Why didn't you talk to the passengers before we started boarding.. blah blah" And of course, we're holding up the whole line, and everybody's staring at us.

"Look - I'll just check it. Never mind." I say. But no, she's got her teeth in it now, and she's going on and on, and of course, I'm horribly embarrassed and I tear up, because she won't let me get on the plane and I feel completely out of control of the situation. I finally get El extracted from his seat and pretty much run to the plane. I get to my seat and the one behind me is in fact occupied. So much for her little plan, and I'm glad I don't have a car seat on my shoulder, but I wish I didn't still have wet eyes...

So then, after we're seated and my car seat has been checked, the original gate lady gets on the plane and comes back to my seat and looks at the guy beside me (who is charming and has already apologized for not being able to help when I was in distress at the gate) and points to a seat three rows up, "You can move there."

"Um, I'm fine here." he says.

"No, then she can put the baby in the seat."

I shake my head, and say, "Actually, without the car seat he would wiggle out of the regular seat belt. I have to hold him anyway."

She gives me that "You're a nut" look again, then precedes to harass the people behind us, who don't speak english and have misplaced their tickets.

"Take everything out. Now. All your papers. Come on. Papers. Now."

Like they were about to have to walk the plank. Seriously.

Anyway, so yeah, my seat buddy and I bemoaned the lack of friendliness in the skies these days, all the while being friendly.

Happy to be home. More about the cool parts of the trip coming soon.