People Watching

I have, in my lifetime, traveled quite a bit for business.  Now, my traveling is all for fun and pleasure.  Getting to the airport from Wharton can be a bit of a challenge these days so I give myself plenty of time to get to whichever Houston airport.  I can leave as much as five hours prior to a flight.  I just never know how long it will really take me to get into town, to the airport, park, get to the terminal, check my suitcase, etc.  I really don’t like to run down the terminal any more. 

I don’t mind waiting because I think the airport is the best “people watching” place there is.  Honest to god – what are some people thinking when they get dressed for a flight somewhere. 

In my time of people watching ---

I saw one sweet young thing dressed in black suede knee boots with 4-inch spiked heels, black tights,

a fluffy pink tutu skirt that did cover her derriere mostly, and a black low (as in “boobs hanging out” low) cut tee, dragging 2 suitcases toward a gate.  Even with the 4-inch heels, she wasn’t very tall.  I’m guessing she was relying on the short skirt and low shirt to get the suitcases into the overhead bin.  (Oh – bad, Pamela, bad) 

Then, there was a youngish (maybe late teens) guy that I figured had to just about strip naked to get through security.  He was dressed in black jeans with metal studs up and down the legs; black motorcycle boots with chains hanging on them; black leather jacket with metal studs and he had an assortment of metal studs in ears and face.  I wonder – does security have a dressing room or do they just have people like this start taking off clothes. 

One time I saw a woman, old enough to know better, dressed in very tight jeans (the kind you have to lay on the bed to zip and button – of course all that does is push the fat up and over the edge of the jeans – ick) in a black and eye-blindingly white paisley pattern, a lacy white shirt that hit just above the jean waist (which is why I knew about the overhanging fat) and truly unattractive shoes with very high heels. 

Then there was the gal running (and let me tell you, I was impressed that she could even walk, much less run) to catch a plane dressed in standard business attire – jacket, white blouse, black straight skirt to the knees – until you got to her feet and the f**k-me pumps.  Black pumps with a wedge at the toe of the shoe to raise the height and 5-inch pencil thin heels. 

Another woman I saw, maybe 40-ish to 60-ish dressed for the ranch in plaid shirt, duster, straight legged jeans and boots.  This isn’t odd since I live in Texas and boots are normal for men and women.  I’m just not sure how they get boots off for security.  I’d have to have either carry a boot jack or get someone to pull them off or I have to sit crossed legged and pull like crazy to get my boots off. 

Then there was the couple I’d have never guessed were a couple.  He was dressed strictly for business – suit, tie, nice shoes, briefcase, phone thingie in the ear.  She had on tall platform sandals, jeans rolled up above her ankles with strategic bleach holes up and down the legs, and a fur jacket that came to her butt.  I’m reasonably sure she had on a shirt but couldn’t see that.  And she wasn’t young – another “old enough to know better” types. 

How about the sweet young thing in v-e-r-y short shorts - very short, tight shorts, a turtle neck sweater, a fuzzy jacket that came to the waist of the shorts and – oh yes – knee high, suede Eskimo boots.  I don’t know where she was going but at least parts of her were going to be warm. 

The most sensibly dressed travelers are the 70-ish men and women.  They all dress for comfort.  Of course, they all have the most “matching” outfits I’ve ever seen.  Like, the little lady dressed in pink and lavender athletic shoes, purple socks, lavender jeans, pink shirt, purple jacket.  Or the guy in black athletic shoes with red wavy tire tread soles and black with red piping everything else – pants, shirt, jacket – couldn’t see his underwear but I’m guessing red and black.  Or the lady dressed completely in red and orange – from her shoes to her hat – she looked like a walking flame.

Then – there’s the carry-on luggage.  I have to wonder, once again, what are people thinking.  One young man carried on a huge duffle bag.  It was nearly as tall as he and he was tall.  Plus, it was stuffed full.  He hefted it up to the overhead bin and pushed and shoved and tucked and levered and heaved and put his entire weight behind a final three pushes and got it into the bin.  My personal thought – it’s still there in the bin.  Then there was the guy that didn’t have any carry-ons that I saw but after the initial crowd passed by, got up and searched through every bin for a place to put his windbreaker which he wadded up and shoved in a space between 2 suitcases.  Really????   Back

packs are very popular for all ages now.  And I’m not talking about something smallish you’d put your book and few carry-ons in – I’m talking about the Marine 60-lb back pack.  Why in the world would someone carry one of those rather than roll one of the handy rollie bags?  Of course, 9 out of 10 people carry-on their luggage and that’s almost alarming if you think about all that stuff falling out onto your head.  I check my bag – always.  Can’t reach the damn bin to get a suitcase in or out anyway.

Take care