Or as my mother used to say, “We’re off like a herd of dirty turtles.” I don’t know where she got the phrase, but it seemed appropriate when she used it. I felt like I imagine a dirty turtle would feel, anyway; without the herd. Although I’ve been thinking about this adventure for many years, I guess I have to admit I haven’t planned very well. Sometimes “life” gets in the way. And I have found that “even the best laid plans, can go awry.”
Although we left the airport late because the weather was inclement and boarding took so long, we arrived in Addis Ababa just about on time. Not to say that the flight was uneventful, it was extremely full and far too many were under the age of two for me to plan on resting. I was sitting behind a little boy who was full of energy and most of the time was a delight. He could sing his ABC’s in that “elemento-p” sort of way. He liked to say hi between the seats and he could change from a bright smile to a temper tantrum in a nanosecond. He didn’t sleep until the airplane landed on the tarmac in Ethiopia; which was the first leg of my route, and his only flight on what I was told (by his mother) would be a four month visit to see relatives . Consequently, the people around him didn’t get a chance to sleep much either. Unfortunately his mother either from exhaustion or illness passed out with about two hours left in the approximately 12 hour flight. Traveling with a two year old surrounded by strangers is not how to start a visit to your home country, but that was the situation they were in. One minute she was smiling and trying the best she could to keep her little boy from disturbing those around him. An impossible task under the best of circumstances, but when things are not going well and your neighbors are getting cranky it’s got to be stressful. When she passed out, no one knew what happened but those people who just a minute before where showing signs of disappointment and disapproval reacted quickly to try to help the young woman. She was barely breathing and two of her neighbors struggled to find a pulse, and for a second time on the trip a PA announcement came on asking for medical assistance. Fortunately the kind-hearted lady in front of her had been a nurse. She did all the right things. She enlisted a few to carry her quickly to a place where CPR could be administered, but not before an old man who appeared to be Ethiopian Orthodox, walked down the isle to her; took the large Crucifix he was wearing around his neck and moved it about her motionless body (mostly from head to heart) and said a few prayers. It happened so quickly. Thankfully, her little boy was unaware of the gravity of the situation and behaved beautifully, making friends with the people who had struggled to sleep because of him. As the plane prepared for landing, the young lady, with tears in her eyes was able to make her way to her seat. She took a red Bible out of her substantial carry-on luggage, and placed it on her head. The tears really started to flow. Her son finally closed his eyes and went to sleep. A well-dressed, kindly, gentleman (not me) took responsibility for carrying the little boy off the plane; as others gathered all the belongings that needed to make there way into the airport. There were plenty of “Good Samaritans” in attendance.
I hope she continues to get the help she needs.
