Jack Daniels and Jim

It’s been a while since my last blog, as I recently left for the UK to renew my visa. The flight back was the usual mix of business hot shots and expat families in first class, oil guys and charity workers in economy.

Although initially cautious to engage with guys seemingly twice my size (both horizontally and vertically), in my experience all the oil guys I have met have been at the best helpful, kind and considerate, and at the worst a tad sleazy. Obviously it is unfair to prejudge a whole professional group, but you can imagine my dismay when a guy who had collapsed in a heap from drinking at the airport, was given yet more Jack Daniels by his ‘friends’ (‘This’ll sort you out mate. Get it down yer! Down it! Down it!’) before rolling into the plane and onto the seat next to mine.

I have to at least congratulate BA for their sense of humour, for whilst they did let him board the plane, the air stewardess proceeded to taunt him with offers of a cooked evening meal until his face turned the colour of the peas on my plate. She winked at me each time and only stopped when I gestured that it might not be such a good idea- I was wearing a white shirt and had no other clothes on me to change into.

After a few more hours of him shuffling around in his sleep, and me doing my best to prop him back up with tiny airplane sized pillows, he eventually calmed down. As the same stewardess came round with breakfast, this time more gingerly, sensing my unease, he accepted the offer of a juice and greeted me with a timid but cheery ‘hello dear’. He immediately apologised for any misdemeanors, which he had no recollection of, but a ‘very guilty conscience’ about and the conversation soon drifted to his grandchildren, his beloved wife and how excited he was to get back to see them. After introducing himself as ‘Jim’ and helping me with my hand luggage, we wished each other all the best and headed our separate ways.

Whilst this did restore my faith in human beings, and whilst it did teach me not to prejudge, on my next flight from Luanda, I will be sure to have a change of shirt ready, just in case.