Touching land in the Maritimes

An airplane descending in autumn is unlike any other experience, the earth shape shifting into an abstract mural that features dots of colours and cotton puffs where the leaves have been shorn. The land slowly comes into view but its scrubby surface is burnt red and ocher, like a dirty cast iron frying pan. Smoke from a backyard burn wisps sideways, stretching its tendrils as though trying to reach the next province. And the trees, those proud structures that give the country its texture, are standing muted in their colours from my vantage point in the air, shedding their pale colours as the ground zooms up and they reveal cheerful yellow tops.

Yes, I do love flying, especially in the fall.

What I do not love, and what works stupendously against my impatient personality, is the passengers on the plane. Not all of them, mind you, just those few who provide content for internet fodder. I may not like it, but I can understand screaming babies; it's what they do. Heck, it's what I did past the age where one should stop. And I can even understand the people packing and unpacking in the aisles as you stand there trying to get to your seat. They're not (usually) doing it intentionally, but are the product of an airline who refuses to board its passengers in the most efficient way possible.

No, what I have no patience for is people who treat the aircraft like their own personal living room. As the glittering Toronto lights grew smaller beneath me, I was all set to work on some writing until I encountered one of those family room flyers. I'd just opened up the folding tray, set my laptop on...and the guy in front abruptly jerked his chair all the way back, just about sending my laptop onto me.

The seats move back, that my very basic knowledge of physics understands, but it's not something it agrees with, especially on a flight that's shorter than 2h. Maybe it's because I'm not an airplane sleeper, but I can't see how extending your chair all the way back instead of halfway equates to a deeper, better sleep. Hey, maybe it does and I'll gladly recant my words and apologize.


But for Pete’s sakes, if you’re thinking of reclining your chair as far back as it’ll go, check with the person behind you. Not only is it just basic polite manners, but you never know what you’ll be knocking off their tray.

It might be something hotter and liquid-ier than just a laptop.