Hi everyone, I’m Evelyn from Minnesota, and I have a story that will make you think twice before boarding a plane again. My dad and I were traveling from Alberta to Minneapolis. What started as a cozy and comfortable flight soon turned into a nightmare, all thanks to a little boy and his oblivious parents.
The Kicking Begins
About 40 minutes into our flight, a boy, probably around ten years old, started kicking my seat. At first, I thought it was a joke. I turned around and politely asked, “Hey buddy, can you please stop? I really want to enjoy my flight.” His parents shot me a weird look while the kid made a face, but I thought he got the memo.
Five minutes later, the kicking resumed, more relentless than before. This time, he was hitting both my seat and my dad’s. My dad, always the calm and composed man, politely asked the boy to stop as well. And he did… for about ten seconds. Then, it started again. Bam. Bam. Bam.
The Audacity of the Parents
My dad decided not to call the flight attendant. Instead, he reclined his seat as far as it could go. The boy, unable to kick anymore, started whining to his parents. The parents, instead of controlling their son, asked my dad to put his seat back up. “Our son should enjoy his flight too,” they insisted.
My dad politely refused. The audacity of these parents was beyond belief. They had the nerve to call the flight attendant on us. This is where things took an interesting turn.
The Flight Attendant’s Intervention
The boy’s father complained to the flight attendant, “This man put his seat back, and my son is uncomfortable!”
The flight attendant, maintaining her professional demeanor, turned to my dad. “Would you like to keep your seat reclined?” she asked.
“Yes, please,” my dad replied.
“Well then, we have no problem here,” she said, addressing the boy’s parents.
But the drama didn’t end there. The boy’s father was furious and demanded that the flight attendant make my dad put his seat up. The flight attendant explained that passengers are entitled to recline their seats if they wish. Frustrated, the boy’s father started raising his voice, causing a scene.
The Lesson
The flight attendant, seeing that the situation was escalating, called for backup. Another flight attendant and a senior crew member arrived. They listened to both sides of the story and then made a decision that shocked the boy’s parents.
“If your son cannot behave appropriately, we will have to ask you to move to different seats,” the senior crew member said firmly. “We have received multiple complaints about your son’s behavior.”
The boy’s parents, realizing they were outnumbered and outmatched, reluctantly agreed to move to the back of the plane. The boy’s father muttered something under his breath, but they gathered their belongings and moved.
As they walked past us, the boy shot us a defiant look. My dad smiled and said, “Next time, listen when someone asks you politely.” The boy’s face turned red, and he hurried after his parents.
Peace at Last
With the disruptive family relocated, the rest of the flight was peaceful. The flight attendants even checked on us a couple of times, ensuring we were comfortable. My dad and I enjoyed the rest of our journey, grateful that the situation had been handled so well.
When we landed in Minneapolis, we saw the boy and his parents again at baggage claim. They avoided eye contact with us, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. My dad had taught them a valuable lesson in respect and consideration for others.
Reflection
This experience reminded me of the importance of standing up for oneself and others. My dad’s calm but firm response to the situation not only resolved the immediate problem but also set a precedent for how to handle such issues in the future. It’s a lesson I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
Traveling can be stressful, and we all need to be considerate of those around us. Hopefully, the boy and his parents learned that lesson too.
Son Kicks Out 80-Year-Old Mother to Nursing Home, Years Later Doesn’t Find Her There — Story of the Day
When 80-year-old Edith was unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair, her son, Henry, placed her in a nursing home. Years later, Henry realized his error when karma caught up with him. He decided to take Edith back in, but when he got to the nursing home, he didn’t find her there.
Henry Griffith was reared by his single mother Edith after his father died when he was just four years old. Henry came into Edith’s life late, and she loved him more than anything else, doing everything she could to make sure he didn’t miss out on anything.
Likewise, Henry was always there for Edith in any way he could, and he adored her as much as she adored him. But things began to fall apart between them when Henry met his “love,” Courtney Jackson, during his university days.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
In the first month of their dating, Courtney convinced Henry to move in with her, so they bought a little condo with their savings from part-time jobs. Then a few years down the line, when they got married, Courtney began to covertly encourage Henry to move in with Edith so they could save money to purchase a larger house later.
When she noticed Henry was a bit hesitant, Courtney persuaded him that it would also be in Edith’s best interest since they would be able to “care” for Edith better if they lived with her. Henry fell for that, and they moved in with Edith shortly after.
Three years later, when they welcomed a baby boy (who they named Liam), Courtney pushed all household chores onto Edith, claiming she was a new mother and didn’t have enough time for housework. She also used Edith as a babysitter when Henry wasn’t home and she went out with her friends.
Edith didn’t like how Courtney treated her, and she complained to Henry about it one day, but Courtney made everything about herself, and Edith had to apologize to her.
Years later, when Liam grew up, there was no need to babysit him, and therefore there was no need for Courtney to have Edith in the house.
As a result, she began inciting Henry against Edith, often exaggerating how Edith was handicapped and never helped her in household chores or how she smelled bad and couldn’t do anything on her own due to being confined in a wheelchair. She hinted that Edith was better off in a nursing home.
At first, Henry was opposed to the idea. He would never leave his mother in a facility such as a nursing home. Quarrels erupted between him and Courtney as a result, and while Edith was disappointed to learn she was the root of their dispute, she was relieved Henry adored her so much to let her go.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
But a year later, when Courtney became pregnant for the second time, she finally got her chance to kick Edith out of the house.
Courtney was heavily pregnant when it all happened, and she fell ill one day. It was her fault that she didn’t take care of herself, yet she blamed everything on Edith.
“Henry,” she said. “I know you love your mother, but the worst could have happened today. It’s good that the doctor gave me some medications. I’ll be well, but your mother…she is dangerous to our baby.”
“It was just an allergy, Courtney. You must have taken something by mistake.”
“No, Henry,” Courtney insisted. “I’m sure it was because your mom…well, she made lunch today, and after that, I fell sick.”
“What? Are you serious? But mom doesn’t cook these days! How did she…”
“That’s what I’m trying to say…she…Maybe she did it by mistake, but we need to send her to a nursing home before it’s too late, Henry. She’s becoming a threat. Today she made lunch, and I fell sick after eating it. The next time, her actions may harm our children. We need to think of this seriously!”
Henry couldn’t bring himself to send Edith to a nursing home, but when he considered the safety of his children, his parental instincts took over. He made the decision to send his mother to a nursing home.
“Mom,” he told Edith over dinner that night. “I was thinking that because you’re in a wheelchair and I’m not always there to care for you, a nursing home would be much better for you. There’d be people to look after you there, and yes, I guess that would be great.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“A nursing home?” Edith whispered, teary-eyed. “But Henry, I’m fine here. I don’t need extra care. I can manage on my own.”
“No, mom,” Henry interrupted. “You don’t get it. I have to send you. We have no other choice. That’s the best for me, Courtney, and everyone else. Pack your bags by tomorrow morning. I’ll drop you off before I go to work.”
Edith was frozen stiff, unable to believe Henry was sending her to a nursing facility. She turned at Courtney, who was smiling brightly.
Edith knew she was the cause of Courtney and Henry’s squabbles, but she never anticipated Courtney would mislead Henry in such a way that she’d be kicked out one day. But at this point, even she was tired of proving her innocence every time, so she gave up and agreed to go to the nursing home.
“Can I ask you a favor before I leave, Henry?” she asked, trembling, staring at her hands on her lap.
“Yeah?”
“Will you visit me when I’m there? Not very often, but at least on weekends?”
“Sure, mom,” he said. “No doubts about that!”
“Well, then, thank you,” she muttered as she walked away to her room.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Unfortunately, Henry never visited her. Months passed, and his second child arrived. He became preoccupied with parenting and forgot about his elderly mother until three years later when he decided to pay her a visit and discovered she was no longer living at the nursing home.
Henry’s life had taken a turn for the worst in these three years. He caught Courtney cheating on him with his best friend, and when he confronted her, she blatantly acknowledged it. And if that wasn’t enough, she’d transferred all of his assets to her name and evicted him from his house. But that wasn’t all.
Courtney incited Liam against Henry to the point where he hated him. Once, Liam told him he didn’t want him around him. At that point, Henry remembered Edith and how he’d kicked her out.
Having realized his dreadful mistake, Henry wanted to apologize to her and bring her back. However, when he arrived at the nursing home, he did not find her there. He inquired about her at the reception desk, and it was then that he discovered something shocking. “She left here two years ago,” the receptionist remarked after looking over Edith’s file.
“What? But where has she gone? I’m her only living relative,” Henry complained, desperate for answers.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
The receptionist sighed and placed a piece of paper on the table. “Go to this address,” she instructed. “She left after marrying our old janitor, David. Why wouldn’t she, after all? She frequently complained that her son didn’t care about her at all. David treated her as if she were a member of his family. They were madly in love. They deserved to be with each other.”
Henry couldn’t believe his ears. His mother was completely alone and depressed because of him! He wanted to make amends with her, so he went to the address on the note.
A few hours later, he came to a halt in front of a run-down cottage near a tiny farm. He sighed and knocked, and Edith answered. She was still in a wheelchair, but she looked way happier and healthier than before.
“Henry? Oh, my boy! How did you?….”
Henry felt so embarrassed that he couldn’t look her in the eyes. He bowed his head in shame.
“I’m sorry, mom,” he murmured, wiping away his tears. “I apologize for all I’ve done up to this point. I pushed you away to a nursing home, and now that I’ve lost my children to Courtney after she divorced me and kicked me out, I understand how you must have felt. I only get to see my children on occasion, mom, and I know how much it hurts. Please forgive me if possible.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Jesus!” gasped Edith. “Henry, when did all of this happen?”
“It’s been three years, mom. But I don’t blame anyone. I – I deserve this!”
“No, Henry, you don’t!” she said, and Henry looked at her, stunned. “Two wrongs don’t make a right, Henry. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is ridiculous! Wise people move on, as I did. I forgave you long ago. Come here…” She embraced him and patted him on the back. “What you did was bad, extremely wrong, but you realized it, and you want to correct your mistake. People who want to mend their ways should be forgiven. So stop blaming yourself.”
“You’re not angry at me?” he asked, sobbing. “Oh! Thank you, mom. I am so glad you’re happy with David. I found out at the nursing home. I am so happy for you!”
“Oh, I love you, Henry. I am so happy to have you back. David would love to meet you!”
Later that day, Henry met David, and he thanked him for looking after his mother all this time. He also bought a house close to David and Edith’s home so he wouldn’t be too far away from her ever again.
A month later, Henry surprised David and Edith with a destination wedding for them in Miami with his savings. The elderly couple got married in a beautiful ceremony. It was there that Henry met Clara, the woman who not only accepted him but also David and Edith, and they all moved in together like a happy family.
What can we learn from this story?
- A mother’s love has no bounds. Despite Henry’s harsh behavior, Edith forgave him.
- You can’t avoid karma. Henry kicked Edith out at one time and eventually lost his children, home, and everything.
- Never trust others’ opinions on someone. Henry would not have suffered so much if he had not trusted Courtney when she called Edith “dangerous” to his family.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who lies on the couch all day long and mocks his wife for the mess in their house until their mute son interferes.
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