A wealthy man, annoyed to find himself seated next to an overweight woman in first class, began complaining to the flight attendant.
James Courtney knew the flight would be unpleasant as soon as he saw the woman next to him. She was large, and he wondered how he would endure the journey in comfort.
As she sat down and fastened her seatbelt, her elbow accidentally brushed against James. “Watch it!” he snapped. She quickly apologized, “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry?” James sneered. “Or sorry for eating 3,000 doughnuts to get that big?”
The woman looked at him in shock, her eyes welling up with tears. She was young and had a sweet, albeit saddened, expression. Sensing her vulnerability, James continued, “You really should book two seats next time.”
The woman’s eyes filled with more tears, but James wasn’t done. He noticed her worn-out clothes and shoes, a sign of financial struggle. “I guess all your money goes on food, huh? Can’t afford two seats? Maybe your fellow passengers will pitch in next time!”
She turned to look out the window, tears streaming down her face. In the reflection, James could see her shoulders shaking with sobs. Feeling a twisted satisfaction, he muttered, “I know someone in Mexico who could give you cheap liposuction.”
When the flight attendant arrived with the drink cart, James ordered a Martini. “Shaken, not stirred,” he said, adding with a smirk, “I don’t know what Moby Dick here will have.”
The flight attendant, clearly disapproving, ignored James’ comment and addressed the woman. “Ma’am, would you like something to drink?”
The woman wiped her tears and softly asked for a diet Coke. James chuckled. “A bit late for a diet Coke, don’t you think?”
Both women ignored him, but James felt a smug sense of satisfaction. He sipped his drink, glancing at the woman and imagining her squeezing past him when she inevitably needed the bathroom.
Continue reading on next page…