There were 50 seats on the plane. I counted.

The aircraft’s courtesy lights dimly lighted the cabin. Which was good, because no one was really awake. We had all arrived at airport screening at 4:30 am, some earlier, for a 5:30 flight. Finishing up a week of time off, I had enjoyed my vacation, but was ready to get back home.

Flying is truly a gift. In just a little over a century, we’ve gone from two brothers gliding a couple of hundred feet, to being able to wake up in Virginia and go to sleep in Texas.

However, if you’re flying in the dark, it’s impossible to read a book to pass the time. So, when your 90-minute connecting flight to Chicago doesn’t include a movie, you have few other choices than to observe and take stock of your surroundings.

The college guy next to me tried repeatedly to sleep on his food tray. Judging by his appearance, his last visit with slumber had been several hours prior to his last visit to a frat party.

Across the aisle and one row ahead was a man who appeared to be retired. He was older and seemed to be quite relaxed. Behind him and across from me was a man who appeared to wish that he were retired. He was the only person wearing business clothes and he seemed uptight.

He was obviously on his way to a meeting of some sort. He turned on his seat light shortly after takeoff and pulled out several papers. He then took out a cell phone that belonged in the Smithsonian and checked email. He reminded me of me. He liked old technology, but had reluctantly embraced the new just to try and stay up with the rest of the world.

It was when he got up to put his suit jacket in the overhead compartment that I noticed the dog. On the floor, in front of the lady sitting next to the businessman was a dog. On a plane.

I had never seen a dog on a plane before, but then again, I don’t fly a lot. Honestly, I didn’t know a dog could get a plane ticket to ride inside. But there he was, this terrier mix in a zip-up dog carrier. His owner spoke with a beautiful Asian accent. Of all of us, she seemed to be the most awake.

Through a small opening in the top of the carrier, a small nose and mouth would appear and the owner would sneak the dog treats. The dog’s behavior was amazing. He was quiet and respectful of those around him. Unlike the frat guy hanging over his food tray next to me.

The rest of our flight, the well-dressed businessman read and reread his notes. The stewardess brought refreshments, and the dog quietly ate his treats.

The flight touched down 10 minutes early at O’Hare. The captain turned off the seatbelt sign and we got out of our seats and stood in the aisle waiting our turn to walk to the front of the plane. I complimented the dog owner on how good her pet was on the flight. I asked his name.

“Tofu,” she said.

The businessman put on his jacket. The retired guy deplaned, the frat guy woke up, and the dog, for the first time, made a sound. It was a sound of excitement. He knew he was getting off the aircraft.

As the rising sun peeped through the cabin windows, I watched 50 people who randomly had been assembled from all walks of life get off the plane, and on with their day. In only 90 minutes, we had gone from Virginia to Illinois.

With a dog named Tofu.

© 2016 John Moore

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