The voice of the flight attendant came over the loudspeakers precisely as the textbook said it should. It did sound a bit bored after thirty years of flying.
I was instinctively blocking out the safety message of, “If we experience water landing the seat cushions can act as a flotation device.” It was not easy to bend my large frame into the design of a coach airline seat on the flight from Ames, Iowa to Pueblo, Colorado. And not too many chances of having a water landing in the interim.
I have been flying on commercial airlines since my first trip in 1945, a 24-hour, DC-3 flight from Miami, Florida, to San Francisco, California. It would be hard to calculate how many times I had heard the safety speech.
For years I have wished I could rewrite the speech so that it was at least more entertaining. At the same time my rewrite should sound less intimidating and scary.
Imagine if it sounded more like this:
“Will the people sitting on the aisle please pull their elbows and shoulders in so the captain can see to back up the airplane.
“For all takeoffs and landings will you make sure your tray tables are put away and your seatbacks are in the upright and most uncomfortable position.
“In the event of a water landing (crash) while en route be sure to study the 23-page safety instructions booklet that is somewhere in the seat pocket in front of you. Study it carefully so you can put on your seat cushion without disturbing your neighbor.
“In the unlikely event of a sudden loss in cabin pressure due to some kid opening an outside door, oxygen masks will fall out from the roof which is directly over your head.
“On the outside chance that one or more of your kids are riding in a very expensive seat beside you, make sure you have your oxygen mask on first. Then try and get one on your kid or kids before they turn blue and stop breathing. Then just continue to breathe normally until a crew member advises you that it is OK to stop.
“If you are riding in the mileage plus, free-loading, upgrade seats, for lunch you will be served our famous zucchini lasagna, macaroni and cheese casserole with an extra slice of our new 19-grain bread. We will also be serving all of the free vintage wine you can drink and still get off of the plane without wheelchair help. We will be serving the wine from our new biodegradable cartons.
“If you are stuck in the cheap back seats we will be serving a bologna sandwich with a glass of supposed mountain spring water from a mountain somewhere in Arizona.
“Wine, gin, whiskey, and bourbon are all free for you lucky alcoholics up front. For you cheapskates in the back, once again we have free water; alcoholic beverages are five dollars a pop.
“Since this plane is now going to be late because of the fire in our No. 3 engine, many of you will be missing your connections. I don’t know the arrival gate of our flight or where the bulletin board is located so good luck on making a reservation to wherever you were planning on going.
“When and if we land, keep your seat belt tight across your waist. In the event that you are too fat, tighten the seat belt across wherever it will reach. If it is still too short turn on the flight attendant call button and she will bring you a twenty inch long extra piece of string to add to it.
“Check the seat pocket in front of you to make sure you have not left anything behind. While you are at it check your back and front pockets too in case that is where you keep your spending money.
“Please stay seated with your seat belts on until the plane has come to a complete stop at the gate and the seat belt sign has been turned off. We don’t want you to fall down and sue us. Especially after all of that free booze we gave you while in flight.
“Now that we are finally safely on the ground I want to welcome you to, where are we, captain? Oh, yes. You think we are in Colorado somewhere. That’s fine with me we are safe and as you open the overhead luggage compartments be careful because shift happens.”