Juiced Up

The flight back yesterday was generally pleasant, except for a few mishaps that I'll gladly go into detail here.  Everything seemed to be going smoothly.  Charlie and I were sitting together, he had the window seat.  Soon after the plane took off and after there was nothing much to see outside except for clouds he yawned and decided to fall asleep.  With a three year old on a five and a half hour flight, this is a dream come true.  So there I was, minding my own business, both of us wrapped in complimentary blankets when the steward showed up offering drinks.  Of course, I desperately needed one.  I'm talking the hard stuff.  This was the first flight I ever asked for anything but a cola, and I found out just how much of a difference a little alcohol can make to having a pleasant ride. 

Of course, these simple little task did not go so smooth as I would have expected.  First of all, Charlie was asleep with his head on my leg such that the little tray table would not go down without whacking him in the head.  Luckily, I could lower his tray.  I was fine.  The steward reached and set down a napkin for me and then fixed me a drink in a little plastic cup, which he handed to me directly.  Now, of course, the napkin was meant to be my little coaster, so as soon as he sped away to service another passenger I set my drink down on the napkin.  Now, you would not have thought that this would have been a problem.  Except for the fact that the napkin was covering a little secret; the little indented cup holder that's built into the tray.  The cup was misaligned. 

The drink spilled all over the place; the back seat, the blanket, my feet, and the tray surface itself.  It was quitely running down the tray and about the spill onto Charlie.  This would have been a disaster.  He would have awoken and been in complete hysteria.  I used my napkin to sop up as much as I could, but that was not enough, it was still seeping downward.  I begged for more napkins from those around me and luckily I got it all in time before it dripped onto his head. 

This was likely the most single thrillling vacation adventure I had ever had.  It was one to write down in the books, and look I'm even doing it now.  However, it was not over yet.  The best was still to come.

A while later Charlie did awake, when the captain came on the speaker and announced the lunch/dinner service.  As soon as he mentioned the work 'cookie', Charlie's eyes popped open and he sat up.  It's absolutely true!  Anticipating food, Betsy got out Charlie's drink cup from her carrying on bag.  She had alreay filled it was some juice before we left for the airport.  When the food arrived, I gave it to him and he was very appreciative.  I opened it for him and instantly I was filled with sudden horror.  The cup practically exploded, the juice shot out of the top like a fountain, going everywhere.  Looking back, I can understand the whole thing.  The pressure in the cabin had changed since take-off, dropping considerably.  The pressure in the container had not.  Still, knowing what was going on did not make up for the fact that juice was spewing everywhere.

Luckily, it spewed everywhere except on Charlie.  I was doused again, but he was safe.  He thought it was very funny and happily continued eating his dinner while I cleaned up.

Matt