Part III — Salutations to Puerto Rico

Send a prayer

I was standing on line to get my seat assignment on the plane to Puerto Rico. The ticket agent was taking care of the man in front of me. All of a sudden the ticket agent said to me in a very contemptuous way, "Are you going first class?"

I answered, "Yes. I am."

Then she said to me, "Smoking or non-smoking?" in the same nasty tone of voice.

I said, "Non-smoking." Then I said, "What is the matter with you so early in the morning?"

She said, "Man, my husband is in the hospital. I am worried!" She was white, not black, but she spoke like a black lady.

I said, "Just because you are worried, do you have to be so nasty?"

She said, "Send a prayer to him."

I said, "I have already sent one."

Then she put a sticker with my seat number on my ticket and gave it back to me.