A connection when you least expect it.

I was traveling back from Washington DC the other day, in the middle of a hectic airport, and I was given a little gift. This doesn’t happen often, so it really made my day.

If you’ve ever traveled back and forth to Washington DC, you’ve experienced what is the chaotic and sometimes unpleasant nature of commuter flight boarding. The particular gate I was at is used by many flights in and out of DC, and there can be times when five to six flights can all be leaving within minutes of each other. I always approach this gate with a mindset of calm patience because I know someone or something will go awry, a temper will flare, or a flight will be canceled. It seems everyone in the waiting area is stressed and while the airline’s staff is doing its best, they too can become impatient. The few interactions you have with people in this setting are usually short, terse, and cold.

I was waiting for my flight to be called along with everyone else, when a tall, stately, black gentleman, working for the airline, addressed the crowd. He spoke with authority and addressed the group like the coach of a high school team. It was clear he was in charge and he easily intimidated the throngs of passengers into listening to and following his rules for how we were going to go about the boarding process

After efficiently loading two other flights, he rode back up the escalator to re-address the crowd that was now standing in a semi-circle facing him, waiting for their next instructions. This time he did not speak, he just stood there, standing so straight that it caught your attention. He glared, moving from one end of the semi-circle to the other, finally ending on me. When his eyes met mine, I asked with as much courage and authenticity I could muster, “How are you today, sir?” He paused for just a second and then walked over to me, leaned on the pole next to me, and while looking at me with a gentleness that was not there before, responded “I’m ok, how are you?”

The door was now open; we talked for just a few minutes. He shared a few basic things about himself and I did in return. We did not share any deep secrets, or solve any world crisis, but we talked, genuinely. As my flight was called to board, we shook hands, looked each other in the eye, traded authentic “it was nice to meet you”s, and he returned to his role as a hard-nosed dictator.
His name was Eugene, and while he did not provide any particular service to me that day, he made my experience a little more pleasant, a little more human. So if you see Eugene, or someone like him, don’t be afraid to reach out to them. The gift of these small little connections make every day just a little more pleasant for all of us.