#12 | The People on An Airplane

Rahul Rangnekar
Jul 29, 2017 · 2 min read

I flew home today. And I kept my eyes (and mind) wide open in the airport, looking for inspiration on what to write. Not finding anything super interesting, I turned my attention to anyone, or more specifically, everyone. These are the people I remember.

The TSA agent who was checking peoples’ ID before going through security, and the TSA agent who switched onto his shift and checked mine. The former was tall and lanky with glasses and a slow gait. The latter was shorter and stout, with a long brown beard and brown eyes. They both wore blue gloves, and both seemed like amicable people. At the end of the day, TSA agents are just people doing their jobs.

The airport employee helping out a passenger on a wheelchair. He struggled to get through security for some reason (I think it was his belt?).

The kind man who gave me way to get into line to board the plane. I struggled a bit to move around him, but he was hella chill about it and seemed like a good guy. He sat across the aisle from me on the plane. I think he listens to Soundcloud (or it might have been Apple Music — I didn’t recognize the UI).

Two high school students who passed by me to board the plane. One was holding a box of pizza, the other a box of Krispy Kreme donuts.

The other man sitting across the aisle from me. He helped out a woman trying to store her suitcase, even though she didn’t really need help.

The flight attendants on the plane.

The woman who sat next to me on the plane. She seemed a bit overworked, and she was still working on her laptop during the flight. I hope she gets a relaxing weekend.

The guy standing next to my dad’s car when I got picked up from the airport. He looked at me questionably when I stood next to my dad’s window and coughed so that he would notice me.

Overall, there are very interesting people at an airport and on an airplane. It’s weird to think that every single person, including the hundreds (if not thousands) I didn’t notice lead intricate, complicated, and connected lives as well. And we’ll never know each other and probably will never even see each other again.

Today, I’m thankful for airports and air travel, without which I wouldn’t have been able to take an hour-long flight home. Thank you to the Wright brothers, Boeing, Southwest, my pilots, the flight attendants, and everyone who’s ever contributed to air transportation.

Beyond Limits

Life’s perspective from a 21-year-old. A 100-day challenge to push myself beyond what I thought was possible. To be as inquisitive and uncomfortable as possible. To find and follow a life of peace, courage, determination, and gratitude.

Rahul Rangnekar

Written by

Software Developer && Writer, UC Berkeley Computer Science & Economics graduate

Beyond Limits

Life’s perspective from a 21-year-old. A 100-day challenge to push myself beyond what I thought was possible. To be as inquisitive and uncomfortable as possible. To find and follow a life of peace, courage, determination, and gratitude.

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