I'm a travellin' gal this week. For work, not for pleasure. Though, it is pleasurable to be in warmer climes. EVEN IF it means travelling AWAY from Baltimore and watching the Superbowl with co-workers who are supporting the left coast team.
Side note: I don't know if you heard, BUT BALTIMORE WON! Yay, team! And yay for the Boy, who, during the first year of conscientiously supporting a team, just so happened to support a winning team. Not that it's all about winning. It's mostly about sportsmanship. And some winning.
But that's not what this post is about. NO! This post is about the awesome five minutes of conversation I overheard on the plane today.
So there's me, sitting there, trying to focus on the book I'm reading. But I can't. This is partially, a teeny-tiny smidgenly bit, due to the fact that digital devices are ruining my ability to remain in one app at a time. It is MOSTLY due to the inane opinions and revelations coming from the woman in back of me.
American Southern Accent Man: I'm originally from Georgia, but I work in Baltimore pretty often.
Woman: We (referring to her mostly-silent husband sitting in the middle seat) lived in Ellicott City for about thirty years, and raised our kids there. But we go to Florida to warm up and just relax. Do you travel much for work?
ASAM: I do. I was recently in Europe.
Woman: Oh, were you? We've never been. Where would you recommend that someone go, of all of the places you've been in Europe.
ASAM: Honestly, the most beautiful city is Brussels. In Belgium?
Woman: Really?
ASAM: Yes,. It's just beautiful. They make some really wonderful things there. Chocolate, beer, and waffles. You walk around, and the whole city just smells like waffles.
Woman: Are they like the waffles here?
ASAM: No, not really. They do something special there. I don't know what it is, but they are unbelievable. And the beer...
Woman: Oh, well, we're total squares. Probably the squarest people you've ever met. Neither one of us has ever had wine, or beer. I don't know why. We've just never had it.
ASAM: ......
Woman: What about Paris? Have you ever been there? Would you recommend it?
ASAM: I have. Let me tell you, the towns and country outside of Paris are beautiful, and the people are wonderful. Really friendly, and kind. But in Paris? They hate Americans. Can't stand us. They are generally pretty rude.
Woman: I don't know what the point of going is, then. You can see it in movies and read about it in books.
ASAM: ......
Woman: Would you take your family there?
ASAM: Oh, sure. If I could afford it, I would love to take my family there, even though, travelling as an American isn't as safe as it use to be.
Woman: I know! My daughter-in-law and my granddaughter both want to go to Paris. And I said, to her, "Have you seen 'Taken'? I just don't understand why you'd want to travel around like that.
Me: (snickering, desperately wanting to turn around and point out that 'Taken' is not a documentary, but instead burying my nose in my iPad, which kind of hurts when you press the screen against your face that hard.)
ASAM: ....
And then, somehow, wondrously, the conversation shifted to a food chain problem in the Everglades. According to ASAM, some one went to 'Africa or the Amazon or some damn country' and brought back a hundred pythons, or anacondas, and released them into the Everglades, and now the snakes are taking over the ecosystem.
Woman: Can they kill an alligator?
ASAM: Oh, sure they can.
And that's when, for my own sanity, I had to stop listening. I actually plugged my fingers into my ears to block out the noise.
Side note: I don't know if you heard, BUT BALTIMORE WON! Yay, team! And yay for the Boy, who, during the first year of conscientiously supporting a team, just so happened to support a winning team. Not that it's all about winning. It's mostly about sportsmanship. And some winning.
But that's not what this post is about. NO! This post is about the awesome five minutes of conversation I overheard on the plane today.
So there's me, sitting there, trying to focus on the book I'm reading. But I can't. This is partially, a teeny-tiny smidgenly bit, due to the fact that digital devices are ruining my ability to remain in one app at a time. It is MOSTLY due to the inane opinions and revelations coming from the woman in back of me.
American Southern Accent Man: I'm originally from Georgia, but I work in Baltimore pretty often.
Woman: We (referring to her mostly-silent husband sitting in the middle seat) lived in Ellicott City for about thirty years, and raised our kids there. But we go to Florida to warm up and just relax. Do you travel much for work?
ASAM: I do. I was recently in Europe.
Woman: Oh, were you? We've never been. Where would you recommend that someone go, of all of the places you've been in Europe.
ASAM: Honestly, the most beautiful city is Brussels. In Belgium?
Woman: Really?
ASAM: Yes,. It's just beautiful. They make some really wonderful things there. Chocolate, beer, and waffles. You walk around, and the whole city just smells like waffles.
Woman: Are they like the waffles here?
ASAM: No, not really. They do something special there. I don't know what it is, but they are unbelievable. And the beer...
Woman: Oh, well, we're total squares. Probably the squarest people you've ever met. Neither one of us has ever had wine, or beer. I don't know why. We've just never had it.
ASAM: ......
Woman: What about Paris? Have you ever been there? Would you recommend it?
ASAM: I have. Let me tell you, the towns and country outside of Paris are beautiful, and the people are wonderful. Really friendly, and kind. But in Paris? They hate Americans. Can't stand us. They are generally pretty rude.
Woman: I don't know what the point of going is, then. You can see it in movies and read about it in books.
ASAM: ......
Woman: Would you take your family there?
ASAM: Oh, sure. If I could afford it, I would love to take my family there, even though, travelling as an American isn't as safe as it use to be.
Woman: I know! My daughter-in-law and my granddaughter both want to go to Paris. And I said, to her, "Have you seen 'Taken'? I just don't understand why you'd want to travel around like that.
Me: (snickering, desperately wanting to turn around and point out that 'Taken' is not a documentary, but instead burying my nose in my iPad, which kind of hurts when you press the screen against your face that hard.)
ASAM: ....
And then, somehow, wondrously, the conversation shifted to a food chain problem in the Everglades. According to ASAM, some one went to 'Africa or the Amazon or some damn country' and brought back a hundred pythons, or anacondas, and released them into the Everglades, and now the snakes are taking over the ecosystem.
Woman: Can they kill an alligator?
ASAM: Oh, sure they can.
And that's when, for my own sanity, I had to stop listening. I actually plugged my fingers into my ears to block out the noise.
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