JFK was chaotic as usual—delays, long lines, and cranky travelers. Then, a sharp voice cut through the noise.
A woman in a red coat, FaceTiming without headphones, stood near the Hudson News store. Her loud conversation was impossible to ignore. Behind her, a small dog made a mess on the floor. An elderly man politely pointed it out, but she snapped back, insulting him before continuing her call. She refused to clean up the mess, dismissing the situation with, “They have people for that.”
At TSA, she pushed to the front, claiming PreCheck, only to be corrected. She argued about taking off her boots, threatening to sue. Meanwhile, her dog barked non-stop, and at the coffee stand, she argued over her milk preference.
I found her again at the gate, still loud on the phone, her dog barking at anyone nearby. I sat next to her, offering a friendly comment about her dog. She ignored me, her call continuing.
The dog barked at an elderly couple, forcing them to move. Frustrated, I remembered a customer service encounter from my past. My mom’s advice echoed in my mind: “Smile and move smarter than they do.”
When she yelled into her phone again, I quietly executed my plan. I casually told her the flight to Rome had been moved to another gate. Without hesitation, she grabbed her things, storming off with the dog in tow.
Silence returned to the gate, and laughter spread as people acknowledged the relief. A quiet applause followed, and I exchanged grateful glances with the relieved passengers.
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