“I’ve been in aviation twenty years. You learn to notice irregularities.”
“What irregularity have you noticed?”
Patricia glanced at Diana.
“You’re defensive.”
“No. I’m asking you to explain what you said.”
Patricia smirked.
“Forget it.”
They entered the aircraft.
“Welcome aboard,” James said.
Patricia barely acknowledged him.
Diana did.
“Good morning.”
James recognized her instantly.
His posture changed by perhaps half an inch.
Diana’s eyes told him not to.
He recovered.
“Welcome aboard.”
Patricia’s boarding pass showed 1B.
Diana’s showed 1A.
Diana had selected the window seat because she wanted to review cabin noise levels near the forward galley during cruise.
Patricia reached row one first.
She placed her handbag in the overhead compartment, then looked down at the two seats.
When Diana stopped beside her, Patricia’s expression changed.
“Where are you sitting?”
“1A.”
Patricia stared.
“No.”
Diana showed the boarding pass.
“1A.”
Patricia pulled her own pass from her pocket.
“Mine is 1B.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not sitting next to you.”
The statement was so sudden that Diana initially wondered whether she had misunderstood.
“Excuse me?”
Patricia’s voice rose.
“There has obviously been a seating mistake.”
“No.”
“You need to go back to the gate.”
“My pass is valid.”
Patricia looked at the people boarding behind them.
Then at Diana’s clothes.
Then at her face.
“I don’t believe you.”
The implication had already been clear.
Now it became explicit.
Patricia positioned herself in front of the window seat.
Diana did not move.
“Ma’am, please step aside.”
“Show me the ticket.”
“I already showed you.”
“Then show it again.”
“No.”
Patricia’s mouth opened slightly.
“You don’t tell me no.”
“I just did.”
Several passengers behind them exchanged looks.
James approached.
“Ladies, can I help?”
Patricia pointed at Diana.
“Yes. She claims she’s in 1A.”
James looked at Diana’s boarding pass.
Then Patricia’s.
“Ms. Washington is 1A. You are 1B.”
Patricia laughed.
“Then your system has been manipulated.”
James blinked.
“Ma’am?”
“I know fraud when I see it.”
Diana watched James struggle not to look at her with recognition.
Patricia noticed.
“You see?”
She pointed.
“Even he knows something is wrong.”
James straightened.
“Nothing is wrong with the boarding pass.”
“You didn’t even scan it.”
“It was scanned at the gate.”
“Scanners make mistakes.”
“They do not assign passengers based on appearance.”
That was the first firm pushback.
Patricia turned toward him.
“I’m sorry?”
James’s face reddened slightly, but he continued.
“You have seat 1B.”
Diana almost smiled.
Patricia did not.