An impoverished elderly woman chose to fly business class to be nearer to her son, yet she encountered disdain from her fellow passengers until her true identity was revealed.
Rhea felt self-aware. The elderly lady had boarded the earliest flight from the airport that day and had taken a seat in the business class area, typically occupied by affluent individuals.
Upon entering the cabin, she went unnoticed, but as she settled into her seat, she began to draw attention. She was distinctly out of place.
While the other passengers donned chic and costly attire, Rhea wore her old, worn clothes—her finest, yet they appeared shabby in comparison.
The man next to her was engrossed in his newspaper and didn’t initially see her. When he finally looked up and saw her, he grimaced at her appearance and quickly signaled a flight attendant.
“What is this?” he inquired, gesturing toward Rhea.
The flight attendant, visibly uncomfortable with the man’s tone, confirmed Rhea’s seat assignment before telling him, “This passenger is seated as per her ticket purchase.”
The man appeared nauseated by Rhea’s presence. Before he could continue, he delicately unfolded a handkerchief to cover his nose, then remarked, “I don’t know what’s on her ticket, but I paid for business class to avoid people like her; now it feels like I’m sitting in a rundown alley with homeless people.”
This comment sparked a reaction among the passengers, with some echoing the sentiment. A richly adorned woman interjected, “If I wanted to travel with such riff-raff, I’d have bought an economy ticket,” prompting nods of agreement.
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