Over the years I’ve tried numerous times to put together some kind of daily blog, even before they were called blogs. Back in the original era of Livejournal, just before 9/11 I had one up, and reading now what I felt back then can sure give me a different perspective. However, at the time it just didn’t feel like I had anything to say.
This morning on the other hand, is the start to a time when I very well may wind up with quite a bit to say. In just over four and a half hours, I should be seated on the first leg of a trip from Reno, Nevada to Incheon, South Korea. This is the first time I will ever be traveling beyond the borders of primarily English-speaking countries in North America. My writing this morning isn’t likely to be all that good – I didn’t sleep more than perhaps an hour last night, and my alarm isn’t due to go off for another forty-five minutes. It’s not nerves about the flying, really. It’s nerves about my weight and the flying.
I’m a big guy – have been for a very long time – and for one reason or another, or one excuse or another, I haven’t lost any significant weight in over a decade. The last time I flew anyplace was 2007, and I managed to do alright – but I believe I flew with an extra seat, well before some airlines started making that a requirement for “passengers of size”, also known as fat people. On this trip, I couldn’t afford two seats and it was a real stretch to get one at all, not to mention the fact that the seating has yet to be assigned for most of the flights I’ll be on. The people booking the flight for us waited until almost the last possible minute, an act that cost us several hundred dollars in additional fees on my fare regardless. Another fifteen hundred dollars just for comfort was impossible, both in price and seat availability.
Fortunately, I’m traveling with my partner of seven years – a significantly thinner guy, and if I “encroach” on anyone’s seat it’s expected to be his, which is something we’re both prepared to deal with. But there’s still this nagging concern that I’ll get the same whispered aside that the director Kevin Smith got on a Southwest flight a month or so ago, and that some US Airways, Asiana or Alaska Airlines flight attendant will say that my size is some sort of safety concern and that I need to pay for a third seat or be bumped to another flight. I will be getting the armrests down. I will make certain that a single belt extender does the job.
At least, I sure as hell hope so. Otherwise my anxiety about this trip is going to be replaced by a whole lot of disappointment and anger.