AIRPLANE CHIVALRY

Newark is never fun. Always difficult in some way. Back and forth across the airport, they tried to take Beatrice over and over....one agent who repeatedly just grunted at me, as I desperately tried to kindly understand what he was telling me to do or where to go, finally said "I don't like musicians - I don't like you"....finally I made it through security and all the way to the gate, both clarin...ets in hand. And then, in the final moment, another tried again - gate check, she kept saying, ignoring my pleas...."we have a full flight, you must gate check, you cannot have two spots in the bins".....and then he stepped forward, my knight in round plastic spectacles, "you can take mine so there's room for hers" - quite confused the attendant said "no, you can't do that" - and he argued..."yes, I can - I was going to take it on, and now I'm allowing that allotted space to go to her instruments - its ridiculous to check a musical instrument".....still conflicted she agreed and gate checked his bag - but still looked conflicted, and still looked at me suspiciously...and then another stepped forward - "take mine too - just so there's no worry".....the people, they came to my rescue, they heard me, they understood, they defended the music...all babies secured in overhead bins....and then I thought, let's get the hell out of New Jersey and breathe that first breath of fresh Seattle air......finally, it's always so good to come home.