I recently heard the following between Kansas City Center and an airliner. The airliner was trying to top some weather and had been granted an even altitude even though he was flying west, because he was too heavy to go any higher.
Kansas City Center: “Airliner 123, how long ’til you can go up? I have to sell this ‘wrong way’ to Denver.”
Airliner: “About 15 minutes.”
Slight pause, then:
Kansas City Center: “Well, what do you know? I told Denver you were the pride of the fleet and it’s your birthday, and he took it. Contact Denver Center on 133.9.”
Airliner: “How did you know?”
Don Stansberry Huntsville, TN