Random Act of Kindness, June 2009

Here's a cute little air travel story: I was returning from Ohio earlier this week after doing some in-person executive coaching work and was now at the airport waiting to board what was to be a completely filled flight back to Chicago. Even so, the gate area seemed particularly crowded, though. That's because the flight before mine hadn't left yet -- maintenance issue.

It took a while to determine the source of the problem (delay). It was then determined that the part needed had to be flown in from someplace else (more delay). And, once it finally arrived, it was further determined that the replacement part was faulty, as well (even more delay). After what was now a 5-hour delay, arrangements were being made to cancel the flight entirely.

A frail, 90-year old lady, was one of the would-be passengers for that earlier flight. But after the gate attendant re-booked her for a flight in the morning, the Little Old Lady refused the hotel room voucher she was given.

"That's too much back and forth for someone my age, " said the Little Old Lady. "I'll just stay in the airport through the night."

Well, nothing the gate attendant, or gate supervisor, could say or do was going the change this Little Old Lady's mind. That's when I stepped in.

"Maybe I can help," I said to the attendant. "If you give me that hotel room, and maybe a meal voucher as well, I'd be happy to give up my seat on the full flight so this Little Old Lady can get home to her daughter tonight." Done.

The Little Old Lady turned to me, nodded, and asked,

"Why, sir, are you willing to do something like this for a complete stranger?"

"Because I have a mom who flies, too," I replied.

"I bet she's not 90-years old, though, is she?!"

"You're 90?!" I asked as incredulously as possible. "No way!!"

And her face light up like a Christmas tree!

So with that, I successfully completed a Random Act of Kindness for the month. "And it's still only June 1st!" I thought.

But wait, there's more: It turned out the hotel's shuttle driver was out sick so the assistant manager came and collected me at the airport. I guess he liked my story because when we got back to the hotel he told the receptionist to upgrade me, free-of-charge, to their one of their best rooms!

What goes around comes around.

So I had a lovely evening, got to sleep a little late the next morning, return to the airport, and, courtesy of a one-hour time zone shift, get back to Chicago in time for the coaching calls I had scheduled for the afternoon.

The end.