To the woman in 17G...

Your Farmer just took a flight from Atlanta GA to San Diego CA. As usual, I steeled myself for interactions with the traveling public. As everyone knows, it's trying at the best of times and especially trying during peak holiday season. Which is now. I did pretty well until I got on-board the flight and settled in my seat in 16F. The woman sitting next to me greeted me and then went back to her own thoughts. Perfect!

All was well until the woman sitting in 17G took her seat.

Have you ever had one of those people sitting near you who talks - loudly and incessantly - about nothing at all an entire flight from takeoff to landing? I heard all about her medical problems, her travel travails, her shopping woes, her hair stylist. And this was only what I heard in-between the use of my noise canceling headphones (thanks to Bose for building a product that recognizes annoying travelers as "noise"). She stood up when the fasten seat belt sign was lit getting reprimanded by the flight staff. She rang the button to get water. Instead of any normal beverage she wanted "milk and amaretto, please - to settle my stomach," and upon getting it complained "don't you have 2% milk? I don't drink any other kind."

But what got me was her observation to her seat mate in 17F (who I have no pity for as she encouraged the confidences) with a big sigh that she would "be alone on New Years Eve with my cats" because it seemed "no one is going to be around."

If you ask me, they're all running for cover.

- Farmer Ted