Madrid and Lisbon
A few weeks ago, I got called at 7pm for a MAD with a 12 am check in. Apparently someone popped a slide on a 76-400 and they had to repair it thus delaying the flight around seven hours. Yikes! In spite of the inconvenience, it turned out to be my best crew ever. The crew, whose names I will actually remember, will put all other crews to shame. There is almost nothing better at this job than flying with a crew who has amazing chemistry. Everyone enjoys their jobs, no ego, no drama, and a great sense of humor. I also got a ton of attention (my bread and butter as we all know) for being the only reserve and the most junior by a good few years, which is how I aquired the nickname "Reserve Girl". But it was mercifully changed to "Junior Mama" after I evidently proved myself. The dynamics within a crew always intrigue me. In this one, we were sort of like a family. The grandad: a thirty year senior daddy from Hawaii with a sharp sense of humor and a tender smile; the playful uncles: one a fastidious and caring former Houston based, the other a wry charmer from South America; the worldly Aunt: our good-naturedly put-upon aisle woman who has seen it all yet still sees the humor in it; the mischevious older brother who gets away with anything: our lead, and the last time I saw him, he was parading around the galley during the safety demo wearing a toilet seat cover for a life vest; and finally, the two young, gay Latino boys and I were the kids, running around giggling at inside jokes. I will always remember that trip for the best crew ever; and for being awakened from my peaceful crew rest by a reassuring squeeze of the shoulder and comforting smile from the aft galley Senior Daddy. Just one of those quiet, simple moments of connection with someone else suspended there, in the air, with the whole cabin sleeping and dawn approaching.