Everyone understands how traveling can sometimes be somewhat stressful. It’s a huge ordeal that takes too much time and effort, from booking the flights to packing up and getting ready. But when someone goes on holiday and treats themselves, it turns into an exciting adventure. It can be all new and exciting, getting somewhere nice to relax and discovering new places. Emmit was looking forward to that. He just didn’t know that he would be having a hard time getting to his destination.
The Words Were Out
Emmit had no clue that someone would spoil it all for him while he was eager to travel. The words escaped his lips before he was able to catch himself. For a while now, the woman had been harassing him, and he had had enough. She was hit like a ton of bricks by the words he said, making her recoil, looking scandalized. But how dare she act like this? He only said what everybody thought. All the people around them slowly began to clap. How could this situation have escalated so rapidly?
The Words Were Out
The Airport
If you have ever been to an airport and have flown at least once in your life, then you probably understand how stressful the whole experience can be. It’s no surprise that people become frustrated easily with delayed flights, long lines, and lost luggage. Emmit did not want anything to get him down that day, however. For months already, he had been saving up for this trip and even decided to splurge on a first-class ticket as a birthday present for himself. Little did he know, his day was about to be ruined by an entitled woman.
The Airport
Vacation
Emmit has planned to go to the Dominican Republic. During the last weeks, he worked extra hard to ensure that his workload was all cleared up. The day before his birthday, he even planned to fly out to have enough time to celebrate and unwind when he got there. For just about any scenario, he planned and prepared. The only thing he didn’t plan for was the nastiness he was about to encounter.
Vacation
Hard Work
While he was waiting in line, Emmit hummed and tapped his feet. Life was nice. He made himself something, and now he was reaping the rewards of his hard work. Working as a music executive meant working in the studio for long hours, but it all seemed to be worth it right now. With some much-needed R&R, he couldn’t wait to kick back and relax. He had no idea that someone was about to try to take everything away from him.
Hard Work
A Voice Behind
He calmly watched the line shuffle forward with almost too much to bear as he anticipated the boarding for his flight. However, as he felt someone attempting to push past, he then heard a high-pitched voice coming from behind him.“Excuse me… Excuse me…” the voice said. He turned around, not realizing that he was about to get into the fight of his life as he found out what this woman wanted.
A Voice Behind
Condescending Gaze
The woman blatantly gave Emmit a once-over, slowly and intentionally looking up and down at him, taking everything in. He obviously wasn’t supposed to be there in the same line as her, in her own opinion. She pointed her head, indicating towards the sign that said the line was reserved for first-class flyers. When she spits out the confounding words, her mouth was basically a sneer. Emmit was genuinely fascinated.
Condescending Gaze
Losing Patience
The woman told Emmit, “I believe you may be in the wrong place.” However, she told him to get out of the line before Emmit could correct her and say he was flying first-class. By rudely yelling, she tried to get in front of him. “Let us through.” Said the woman. Emmit attempted to remain calm and to diffuse the scenario. Something was certainly wrong with this woman.
Losing Patience
Staying Calm
Emmit looked at the woman and felt puzzled. He calmly explained that he was meant to be in this line. However, she insisted, “I believe you may be in the wrong place, you need to let us through. This line is for priority booking.” She had in her voice a condescending tone that she didn’t even try to hide. With her, Emmit tried reasoning. “Priority, first-class meaning, correct?” However, the woman refused to let go of it. Emmit would understand soon enough what she was really trying to say.
Staying Calm
Keeping The Peace
“Yes,” the woman snapped, “now excuse me. They will call y’all after we board.” This was when it really got Emmit confused. Why was this woman so sure he was in the wrong line waiting for her? He began to get annoyed. He pulled his ticket out of his wallet and showed it to the woman to prove it was where he was supposed to be. While he owed her no explanation of any kind, he thought it would put an end to the argument. But, he was wrong.
Keeping The Peace
Making A Scene
The woman looked downright scandalized. She frowned and told her friends something loudly, making sure that Emmit could hear her too. “He must be military or something,” she moaned, passive-aggressively. “But we paid for our seats, so he still should have to wait.” Emmit couldn’t have believed what she said. He did not, however, want to create a scene at the airport. He tried to think of excuses for her conduct. She assumed, obviously, that he couldn’t afford a first-class ticket. Was she implying what he thought she was implying?
Making A Scene
Implications
Emmit had a pretty good idea of what that was all about and what the woman was trying to say by this point. But because of his skin color, he did not want to believe she was judging him. How could there be someone in this day and age that thought he was a second-class citizen? He couldn’t truly believe it. Still, he did not want to make any precipitous assumptions or conclusions. He was starting to second-guess himself. Perhaps that woman didn’t mean to come across it that way. But the more he thought about it, the more he became incredulous.
Implications
Rude
He gently explained that he had been waiting in line first of all, and he was not going to move. Just like everybody else, she would have to wait. Maybe she was simply under the stress of flying? He had not thought so. Looking at the rude woman’s clothes, she also didn’t look like she was especially well-dressed. He didn’t want to come to that conclusion, but he wasn’t able to avoid it. That’s what got the whole room to clap for him in his response.
Rude
Who Do You Think You Are?
Emmit turned back to the woman and said, “Nope, too big to be in anybody’s military.” It was actually because of his huge stature that he booked a first-class ticket in the first place! The seat would have given him the space to be comfortable on the flight. Before the retort left his mouth, with his thoughts racing, he knew that it would not be enough to put the woman in her place. Who was she to question his right to be there?
Who Do You Think You Are
Elephant In The Room
In any event, soldiers and women in the military do not even get free first-class tickets. Why did this woman try to rationalize how he could afford such a thing as an African-American man? Anyway, why was it her business? By this point, people were beginning to gather around bystanders. While the others wanted a piece of the action, some were trying to see what the commotion was about. They would not be disappointed by Emmit. Something just snapped inside him.
Elephant In The Room
In Her Place
Emmit turned back to the entitled woman, and the whole room was clapping at what he said next. It was necessary to take the woman down a peg, and he would be the one to do it. He had to stand up for himself, although Emmit wasn’t confrontational by nature. He shot a remark at the woman, and she looked like his words had struck her in the face. With disbelief, her eyes grew wide as she recoiled.
In Her Place
Calling Her Out
Emmit had told the woman that no, he wasn’t in the military. All he was is an African-American man with money. Except, what got the point home was the fact that his words contained a slur. The crowd cheered and applauded, happy with the retort of Emmit and loving the woman’s reaction. Nevertheless, the story was still not over.
Calling Her Out
Taking A Stand
Emmit took a firm stand right in front of everyone against intolerance. Clearly, the woman deserved it. On Facebook, he even went on to share the story, expecting no one to see it but his friends. Little did he know that it was about to turn the situation upside down. Soon he would have to retract what he said.
Taking A Stand
Going Viral
Emmit’s post had been shared more than 250,000 times within two days. Over 300,000 people shared it at this point. Hundreds of remarks came pouring in, praising Emmit’s response to the rude conduct of the woman. One commenter wrote, “Never judge a book by its cover.” another comment added, “She is so ignorant it makes no sense that people like her still exist. Enjoy yourself, you handled it well.” But soon enough, Emmit would regret it all.
Going Viral
Dismay
The post had already gone viral by the time Emmit got to his destination. He couldn’t believe the number of times it was shared and the number of people who commented on it. So many people have commended his actions from all around the world. Emmit was dismayed, however, instead of being thrilled about the advertising.
Dismay
Wrong Reasons
Emmit thought his post had gone viral for the wrong reasons, later leading him to write, “This racist stuff is definitely an issue, but this is not the solution to that issue.” He had plenty of time during his flight to think about what had happened. He knew that he needed something to do about it.
Wrong Reasons
Regret
“It brings me no joy waking up in paradise,” he wrote. He discovered he was why another person went through “hell” on his 37th birthday, the day he was supposed to celebrate. People were there who claimed that his original post was fake. It was high time that these people were addressed, too.
Regret
The High Road
Instead of discouraging intolerance in the world, all he did was showcase a case of intolerance through his post. He knew that in a situation like this, it was his time to be the bigger person. Emmit wrote, “The story was definitely real, just like this issue is definitely real, but I now know that I myself should have handled it another way, or left it how it was, and not shared it publicly.”
The High Road
Right And Wrong
Emmit wrote on his Instagram account, “When dealing with people, I always try to stay on the side of Right, so to make sure I never do anybody wrong, I try to always put myself in that person’s shoes, and ask how would I feel if that person did this to me. And if I was her this morning I would be a total wreck today, and that doesn’t help this situation, or her… it only makes them more angry, and brings more drama…” He decided to make things right.
Right And Wrong
Public Apology
He wrote in all caps, “SO I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE AGAIN TO THE WOMAN I HAD THIS ENCOUNTER WITH YESTERDAY. NO MATTER HOW WRONG YOUR ACTIONS YOU DON’T DESERVE THIS. I BELIEVE IF YOU CAN’T HELP NOBODY AT THE VERY LEAST YOU SHOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT THEM.” The woman, unfortunately, had not accepted his apology. If Emmit had a chance to do it again that day, he would prefer to be a force for good, even though the woman didn’t really deserve it.
Public Apology
The Unpleasant Surprise
She had flown numerous times, but this was her first time ever being treated like this. She simply wanted to go home and be with her kids. However, she got a really unpleasant surprise. She was ready to finally get home, but she was denied her flight! She was even forcibly removed from the plane… And her clothes were the reason she had to go through all of this.
The Unpleasant Surprise
Taking A Holiday
31-year-old Harriet Osborne had just had a well-deserved vacation in Southern Spain. She was able to get some sun and fresh air and relax with her friends. She took time off from her hectic life so she could get peace of mind.
Taking A Holiday
Break From Reality
Back home in England, she was a makeup artist. She needed a break from juggling work while raising kids. She was in desperate need of cleansing her mind and getting some sun. This was the perfect chance.
Break From Reality
Vacation Attire
Harriet says that back home she never wore clothing that revealed her body, especially when her kids were around. However, she wanted to dress a bit more liberally while on vacation. She was on holiday. She was feeling spontaneous.
Vacation Attire
Letting Loose
She spent her whole vacation feeling free. She walked around the beaches a bikini without worrying about getting judged. She had no idea that she would end up in tears by the end of her trip.
Letting Loose
Homesick
When her stay came to an end, she felt ready to go home after being away for a while. Bringing gifts for loved ones, she was excited to get home the soonest possible time. Any mother would be excited about returning to their kids.
Homesick
A Breather
She had a wonderful time enjoying some freedom somewhere away from home. She spent time under the sun, working on her tan, and took in the lovely sights and beaches. It was indeed the perfect, much-needed getaway.
A Breather
Sea And Sun
Malaga is in Costa del Sol, which translates to ‘coast of the sun.’ Always full of tourists from the U.K., the Southern Spain beach is definitely a tropical paradise. It is easy to see why it got its name.
Sea And Sun
Something Missing
It has been a long time since Harriet last had an absolutely relaxing day with her best of friends at the beach. Still, she felt like something was missing the whole time.
Something Missing
Far From Home
It was the perfect place for a vacation since it is very different from Britain. The seasons are opposite, so she was able to get away from the U.K.’s cold winter and go to the hot sun. Instead of Britain’s grey skies, she could enjoy Spain’s blue. She could lay out on the sand for a long time in Spain.
Far From Home
Their Last Day
She knew the vacation will come to an end and she would have to go back to Britain soon. She packed her bags, feeling excited to reunite with her children once more. However, she thought of fitting in one last shopping spree.
Their Last Day
Pampering Herself
Pampering Herself
Her First Mistake
Passing by El Corte Ingles, she saw a gorgeous top on display. A sheer blouse caught her eye, but she could not believe how much it was. Needless to say, it was absolutely not cheap.
Her First Mistake
Encouragement
She was disappointed, so she decided to drop it, but a friend of hers said she should at least try the top on. She could not resist this! And her friend was insisting too!
Encouragement
No Harm
Her friends reminded her they were on holiday, and she thought that there was nothing wrong if she tried on this blouse. What harm could it do, right? Harriet picked up the blouse and went to the changing room.
No Harm
Match Made In Heaven
When she looked at herself in the mirror while wearing the top, she was shocked. The blouse looked amazing on her. There was no way that she was just going to forget about it, so she decided to get it and charge it to her card. However, she did not have any clue that it would be a source of controversy.
Match Made In Heaven
She Regrets It
With a new top in hand, she tried not to think about the cost of her impulse buy. Harriet and her friends had their final lunch in Spain prior to leaving for the airport. Before she checked out, she surveyed her hotel room for the last time.
She Regrets It
Too Late
That was when she found the bag with her new designer top staring at her on a chair in the corner. A wave of nausea overcame her. There was only one question on her mind – why did she ever buy it?
Too Late
Crossed The Line
Even then, she did not have any clue that she was about to have one of the worst days ever. Little did she know that when she bought the cute top, she actually crossed a line.
Crossed The Line
Impulse Decisions
She would be paying the price for what she had done. Her impulse decision would become the reason why she would not be able to fly that night. It is likely that she will give some more thought to her decisions next time. However, what happened?
Impulse Decisions
A Feminist
She was a feminist who firmly believe that women have their rights to express themselves by choosing whatever clothes to wear. Whatever she chose to wear is not an invitation for catcalls and any other unwanted attention. It’s pretty unfair how men could wear whatever theywant but women can’t. Isn’t it?
A Feminist
Unexpected Reaction
She has never done anything shameful or reckless at a club or a party. Never once did she think something embarrassing would happen to her. All she did was shop with her friends, she never taught she will get a shock of a lifetime…
Unexpected Reaction
Another Impulse
For the record, she did buy the outfit. There’s nothing she could do to reverse her purchase, not that she would want to. She felt spontaneous and carefree at that time when the cashier put the blouse inside a bag. She stared at it and felt a pang of pride at how well it will show off her tan.
Another Impulse
No Judgement Zone
She was on vacation and what happens here stays here, right? She had zero reasons to feel guilty about that purchase, especially when she was in a foreign country and no one knew her except her friends. And her friends would not judge her. This was what she was thinking. However, quite the opposite is what happened.
No Judgement Zone
Ready To Go
She used a tape to make the top stay in the places where it needed to stay. She was determined to enjoy the moment and make the best of it. Then, she proudly went to the airport terminal, on time, and checked in her luggage.
Ready To Go
Last Stop
She even dropped by in a duty-free store to buy gifts for her friends and family. When she finally heard the flight announcement through the blasting speakers, she got up with her luggage. She was not expecting what’s in store for her on the plane…
Last Stop
Where It Started
While going through the airport lounge, she can’t help but suddenly feel sad as she watched the vacationing families with their little kids. She missed her kids so much. On the bright side, she would soon see them again.
Where It Started
Smooth Sailing
A flight attendant checked her passport and documents and wished her a nice flight. She waved her down to the tunnel on the way to her plane. She was walking her way up to the airplane door when something happened that she could have never anticipated.
Smooth Sailing
Denied Entry
There she was. Another flight attendant was standing at the airplane door. She gave the other passengers a warm welcome as she directed them to their seats. However, her smile faded when she saw Harriet. She gasped upon seeing her.
Denied Entry
Ignored It
Harriet felt uncomfortable by this treatment. She did not do anything wrong to offend this woman. Maybe, she thought she was someone else. She tried to ignore the awkwardness and continued to her sear. However, the flight attendant stopped her.
Ignored It
What Was Wrong?
The stewardess went to the group of other flight attendants. They were hushing their voices as they tried to keep the conversation to themselves. What the heck is going on here? Harriet felt her heart pound as she waited for them to finish talking.
What Was Wrong?
The Hesitation
She was approached by the first attendant who stopped her from entering. A million thoughts are rushing in Harriet’s mind as they concluded their little not-so-secret meeting. Harriet could not believe what the fuss was all about.
The Hesitation
Mistaken Identity
Harriet could not comprehend what crime she did. She was sure that woman had mistaken her for someone else. She hesitated for a while as she waited for the stewardess to talk to her. She didn’t think she’d get more nervous, but she did.
Mistaken Identity
Access Denied
“You can’t come inside looking like that – you need to put a top on,” the stewardess said sternly. She even tried to cover her up with her hands but stopped her plan as Harriet puts her hands up, implying she did not want to be touched. Harriet knows the top was revealing but she was sure all the private places were taped for the sake of modesty.
Access Denied
The Issue
The flight attendant then revealed that several passengers complained about how explicit and inappropriate her clothing was. She hasn’t even boarded the plane, so how could the passengers see her? And why was she talking to her rudely?
The Issue