Short Final: Rough Landing

Two years ago, my fiancee and I were chaperoning my 94‑year‑old grandparents on a Delta Air Lines flight to a vacation destination. Grandma walks just fine, but my World War II Marine veteran grandpa had to use a wheelchair around the terminal and an aisle chair (skinny little wheelchair that fits in the aisle between airplane seats) to get to his seat.

There was a hefty crosswind at the destination and we landed rather hard (just like I always do in my Tri‑Pacer). As we were heading down the aisle to exit, the captain took a look at my grandpa in his wheelchair and said, “Boy, I hope that wasn’t because of my landing!”

Jeff Muehl
Detroit, MI