August 28, 2010
Kevin
When I boarded the little American Eagle regional jet in Springfield, Missouri, I took my assigned aisle seat behind the bulkhead wondering if I’d have the ‘entire row’ (two tiny seats) to myself or if the flight was full.
The flight was not full and just as the Flight Attendant was beginning the required FAA Safety announcements, a man came up from behind me and asked if the seat next to me was taken. But this was just not any man… oh no!!! He was absolutely gorgeous! Tall, muscular, and with an engaging smile. And he was wanting to sit next to me! Of course the seat was available!
His name is Kevin and he told me a lot about himself on our flight to Dallas. He owns a ranch outside of Springfield and has his own airplane and a lot of other ‘toys’ all made possible by his lucrative job working on a deep-water oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
Yes, the Deepwater Horizion Gulf oil disaster had just happened a few days earlier. When we were on our flight to Dallas he was being called into work for a special training session. He explained so much to me about how the deep water oil rigs work especially his job in keeping the rig level and stable and in position. All this is aided by computers of course and this handsome man was an expert in his position.
The oil rig workers endure many hardships while on the water-borne rigs but they are well compensated for the time they spend away from their family and homes. Yet this handsome man was sacrificing a family for this job. I think he planned to eventually settle down, but it is difficult to give up the lucrative benefits of such a job.
Any way we spent a most pleasant flight and he warmed my heart with his smile and conversation. I wish him safety and love….
