When a female on the airline threw her filthy foot upon the tray table of the vacant seat, I gently requested her to take it off, but I had to give her a more firm explanation
I recently had a two-hour flight, yet it will always stick in my memory. At first, everything was as usual: a young girl was sitting by the window, the seat next to me was unoccupied, and I took a seat near the aisle.
She began acting suspiciously about ten minutes after departure. She started by carefully removing her socks, then she undid the buttons on her sweater, revealing a short top. Then she pulled out some food and began to eat, crunching so noisily that it seemed like she was doing it deliberately.
Her filthy, obviously unclean foot, which she boldly placed on the tray table of the vacant seat directly in front of me, was the high point, though. I nearly puked from the terrible stench of that foot.
I made an effort to act civilly. Leaning in the direction of the girl, I murmured courteously:
I apologize, but please show consideration for other passengers as you are not alone in the cabin.
She simply waved it away with a disdainful snort:
I am free to behave as I choose because the seat is unoccupied.
I had had enough. I devised a straightforward yet efficient strategy to discipline that impolite girl
I got up, approached the flight attendant, and requested a warm cup of coffee. Upon going back to my seat, I unintentionally dropped the coffee directly onto her repulsive foot.
The girl shrieked as she leaped to her feet:
Why are you doing this?
I gazed at her calmly and said:
I apologize about tripping, but you know, it’s best to keep your feet to yourselves in a small plane. It’s more courteous and safer.
The child sat quietly like a mouse for the remainder of the flight after wiping her foot with napkins and refusing to put it out again.
I learned from this experience that being overly nice can sometimes be interpreted as weakness.
