Friday, July 4, 2008

Overheard: Inflight between Houston and Memphis

“My brother Frank was born with a birth defect, but at age 11, he was hit by an ambulance in a freak accident. Yeah. I know. So, he’s mentally handicapped. I ask him every day, ‘Frank, do you want barbecue or Salisbury steak?’ That’s all he eats.

But I couldn’t ask him at 6:45 in the morning yesterday when I was leaving, because he was still sleeping. So, I finally got home at 6 last night. He’d been sitting there all day in front of the T.V. That’s pretty much all he does. Yeah. Watch T.V.

So, he’s hungry. The home nurse tried to get him to eat, but Frank said no to everything. He does this all the time. He only eats what I prepare. So, I go straight to the freezer for the Salisbury steak.”

—I never got a good look at the woman recounting this anecdote. She was sitting in the row in front of me on a Continental flight from Texas to Tennessee. The man she was talking to nodded his head numerous times, actively listening. She talked to him like they were strangers.