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A Flight Attendant Fell Into My Arms... Then Asked, "Are You Traveling Alone?" — Transcript

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0:00The airplane dropped so suddenly that my
0:02stomach seemed to stay somewhere above
0:03my head, and the flight attendant
0:05standing beside my row lost her balance
0:07before she could grab a seat. I was
0:09buckled into my aisle seat, which gave
0:11me just enough stability to catch her as
0:13she fell toward me. One moment, she was
0:15reaching for the seat back, and the next
0:17she was practically in my arms, one hand
0:20braced against my shoulder. Another jolt
0:22shook the cabin, and I held her steady
0:24until she could get her feet beneath
0:25her. She thanked me, checked that I was
0:27okay, and quickly made her way to a crew
0:29seat as the captain instructed everyone
0:31to remain seated. Several minutes later,
0:34when the ride had smoothed out, she
0:35returned to check on me. Her eyes
0:37flicked toward the Charleston travel
0:39guide sticking out of my seat pocket.
0:41"Are you traveling alone?" she asked. I
0:44looked up at her, slightly surprised by
0:45the question. "Yeah, just me." Although
0:48I wasn't expecting quite that much
0:50company during the flight. She laughed,
0:52then covered her smile with the
0:53professional composure she'd probably
0:55spent years perfecting. I really am
0:57sorry about that. The turbulence caught
0:59us off guard. I assured her that I was
1:01fine and asked whether she'd hurt
1:02herself. She shook her head, explaining
1:04that she'd managed to catch her balance
1:06before falling completely across the
1:08seats. Her name badge read Dileia, and I
1:10would eventually learn that her full
1:12name was Dileia Sutter. At that moment
1:14though, all I knew was that she had warm
1:16brown eyes, an unexpectedly contagious
1:19smile, and the kind of confidence that
1:21made an embarrassing situation feel
1:22considerably less embarrassing. She
1:24glanced at my travel guide again and
1:26asked whether I was visiting Charleston
1:28for business or pleasure. When I told
1:30her I was taking a vacation, she smiled.
1:32Good. You look like somebody who could
1:34use a few days without turbulence. For
1:36the record, I'm Alden Mercer, 32 years
1:39old and a landscape architect from
1:41Columbus, Ohio. I'd spent the previous
1:43several months finishing a demanding
1:44design project, and when my schedule
1:46finally cleared, I decided to take a few
1:48days off somewhere I'd never properly
1:50explored. Charleston had been on my list
1:52for years, mostly because I liked the
1:55architecture, the waterfront, and the
1:56idea of wandering through a city without
1:58having to accomplish anything. I wasn't
2:01running away from a disastrous
2:02relationship or trying to reinvent my
2:04life. I simply wanted to eat good food,
2:06walk around, take photographs, and
2:08remember what it felt like to have an
2:10afternoon with absolutely no
2:11obligations. Meeting someone wasn't part
2:14of the plan, particularly someone who
2:16had literally fallen into my arms before
2:17we'd exchanged a complete sentence.
2:19Dileia seemed amused when I explained my
2:21relaxed itinerary, especially when I
2:24admitted that I'd already written down
2:25more places than I could possibly visit.
2:28She pointed out that making an ambitious
2:30sightseeing list wasn't exactly the same
2:32as traveling without a schedule, and I
2:34had to concede that she had a point. Our
2:36conversation couldn't last long because
2:38Dileia still had a cabin full of
2:40passengers to look after. She asked once
2:42more whether I needed anything, and when
2:44I said no, she gave me another smile
2:46before continuing down the aisle. I
2:48watched her go for a second, then looked
2:50back at the magazine I'd been pretending
2:52to read before the turbulence. The
2:54strange part wasn't that I found her
2:55attractive, although that was becoming
2:58fairly obvious. It was how quickly she'd
3:00made me comfortable after an incident
3:02that could easily have remained awkward.
3:04She hadn't tried to turn the accident
3:06into some elaborate joke, and she
3:08certainly hadn't encouraged me to make
3:09anything of it. She'd simply checked
3:11that I was okay, asked a few questions,
3:13and managed to make me laugh. I also
3:16knew perfectly well that flight
3:17attendants were paid to be friendly and
3:19attentive, so I wasn't about to convince
3:21myself that a pleasant conversation
3:22meant something more. Still, when she
3:25passed my row again and our eyes met for
3:27a moment, I found myself smiling before
3:29I could help it. The remainder of the
3:31flight was considerably smoother, and I
3:33eventually returned to looking through
3:34my Charleston notes. About 40 minutes
3:37before landing, Dileia came through the
3:39cabin offering water. And when she
3:41reached my row, she glanced at the
3:43little map I'd unfolded on my tray
3:44table. "Planning your entire vacation
3:47before we land," she asked. I told her I
3:49was trying to narrow the list down
3:50before it became an actual full-time
3:52occupation. She leaned slightly closer
3:54to look at the map and mentioned that
3:56some of the quieter streets near the
3:58historic district were worth exploring,
4:00especially later in the afternoon when
4:02the larger tour groups had moved on. I
4:04asked whether she knew Charleston well,
4:06and she explained that she'd stopped
4:08there several times while working, but
4:10hadn't explored nearly as much as she'd
4:12like. I said that seemed unfair,
4:14considering she probably visited more
4:16cities in a month than I managed in a
4:18year. Dileia laughed and told me that
4:20visiting an airport and sleeping in a
4:22hotel didn't automatically qualify as
4:23sightseeing. Then she moved along to the
4:26next row, leaving me with an
4:27unexpectedly interesting picture of what
4:29her job was actually like. I thought
4:31about that conversation as the captain
4:33announced our descent. I'd always
4:35imagined that traveling constantly would
4:37be exciting, but Dileia had made it
4:39sound like something more complicated
4:41with fascinating destinations mixed into
4:43an ordinary working life. I wondered
4:45what she did when she actually had time
4:47to herself, what kind of places she
4:49liked exploring, and whether she was as
4:51funny outside the cabin as she'd been
4:53while talking to me. Those were probably
4:55strange questions to be asking about
4:57someone I'd known for less than 2 hours,
4:59but I couldn't deny that I was curious.
5:02When the plane touched down, several
5:03passengers applauded, apparently
5:05relieved that the unexpected turbulence
5:07hadn't caused more trouble. I smiled to
5:09myself, gathered my things, and checked
5:11that my phone had reconnected to the
5:13network. The vacation I'd been looking
5:15forward to was finally beginning, and I
5:17was already thinking about lunch, the
5:19hotel, and where I might spend my first
5:21afternoon. I was also thinking about a
5:23flight attendant with an easy smile and
5:25a question that had somehow stayed in my
5:27mind longer than it should have. Once we
5:29reached the gate, I waited for the
5:31passengers ahead of me to collect their
5:33bags before standing and pulling my
5:35carry-on from the overhead bin. Dileia
5:37was near the front of the cabin with
5:38another crew member, thanking passengers
5:41as they left. When my turn came, she
5:43recognized me immediately and smiled.
5:45Enjoy Charleston, Alden. I was surprised
5:48she'd remembered my name from our
5:49earlier conversation, and I told her I
5:51intended to, assuming the city stayed
5:53more stable than the airplane. She
5:55laughed and assured me that the ground
5:57was usually more cooperative. I thanked
5:59her for the recommendations, then
6:01stepped into the jet bridge without
6:02trying to extend the conversation while
6:04other passengers waited behind me. By
6:07the time I reached the terminal, I was
6:09already telling myself that the whole
6:10encounter was simply a memorable
6:12beginning to my vacation. Dileia had a
6:14job to finish. I had a city to explore
6:16and we had no particular reason to cross
6:18paths again. I headed toward baggage
6:20claim, smiling at the absurdity of how
6:22we'd met and wondered briefly whether
6:24I'd ever see her outside that navy blue
6:26uniform. I had no plans to go looking
6:28for her, but I couldn't quite shake the
6:30feeling that our conversation had ended
6:32before either of us had run out of
6:34things to say. By the time I reached
6:36baggage claim, I was still thinking
6:37about Dileia and the strange way our
6:40conversation had started. My suitcase
6:42appeared after a reasonable wait, and I
6:44checked the time before heading toward
6:45the transportation area. It was a little
6:48after 2:00 in the afternoon, which meant
6:50I still had some time before my hotel
6:52room would be ready. I'd originally
6:53planned to take a cab straight into
6:55Charleston, but there wasn't much point
6:57in arriving early just to sit in another
6:59lobby. Instead, I found a coffee shop
7:01near the airport's main exit, ordered an
7:04iced coffee, and settled at a small
7:06table beside the window. I pulled out my
7:08phone and looked through the places I'd
7:10saved for the trip, trying to decide
7:12whether I wanted to spend my first
7:14afternoon walking through the historic
7:15district or exploring the waterfront.
7:17Both sounded appealing, although I was
7:19beginning to suspect I'd enjoy the city
7:21more if I stopped treating every
7:23interesting building like something I
7:25needed to photograph. I was looking at a
7:27restaurant recommendation when a
7:29familiar voice interrupted me. Please
7:31tell me you're not planning another
7:32emergency landing. I looked up and there
7:35was Dileia smiling at me from the other
7:37side of the table. For a second, I was
7:39genuinely surprised to see her. She was
7:41still wearing her navy blue uniform,
7:43although she'd removed her name badge
7:45and carried a small black bag over one
7:47shoulder. Without the constant activity
7:49of the cabin around her, she seemed a
7:51little more relaxed, and the smile she
7:53gave me was less formal than the one
7:55she'd worn while thanking passengers at
7:57the aircraft door. I laughed and told
7:59her I was trying to avoid excitement for
8:01the remainder of my vacation. That's
8:03probably wise, she said. You've already
8:05had enough adventure for one afternoon.
8:07She glanced at the empty chair across
8:09from me, then asked whether I mind it if
8:11she sat down for a minute. I told her
8:13I'd be happy to have the company, and
8:15she set her bag beside the chair before
8:17heading to the counter to order coffee.
8:19I watched her exchange a few words with
8:21the barista, wondering whether this was
8:23simply another friendly encounter or
8:25something she had actually chosen. When
8:27she returned, she sat across from me,
8:29placed her cup on the table, and smiled.
8:31Okay, I think we deserve a proper
8:33introduction after what happened up
8:34there. I offered my hand across the
8:36table. Alden Mercer, professional
8:38emergency flight attendant catcher.
8:40Dileia shook it, laughing as she
8:42introduced herself properly. Dileia
8:44Sutter, usually much better at staying
8:46on my feet. I told her I was willing to
8:48overlook one minor performance issue,
8:50and she gave me an amused look before
8:51taking a sip of coffee. She explained
8:53that she'd finished her post-flight
8:55responsibilities and was heading to the
8:57hotel where the airline had arranged for
8:59her crew to stay overnight. Her next
9:01flight wasn't until the following day,
9:03which gave her enough time to get some
9:05rest and enjoy a little of Charleston if
9:07she felt like it. I admitted I'd assumed
9:10flight attendants were immediately sent
9:12back into the air after landing, and she
9:14explained that their schedules varied
9:16considerably. Sometimes she barely had
9:18time to think about the city outside her
9:20hotel window, while other times she had
9:22a long enough break to explore. This
9:24happened to be one of the more pleasant
9:26arrangements. When I asked whether she
9:28was planning anything interesting that
9:30evening, she smiled and said she hadn't
9:32decided yet. Then she turned the
9:34question around and asked what my first
9:36afternoon in Charleston was supposed to
9:38look like. I showed her the list on my
9:40phone, which was apparently a mistake
9:42because she immediately started
9:43laughing. She leaned forward to inspect
9:46it, then asked whether I had scheduled
9:48bathroom breaks between the historic
9:49houses and waterfront stops. I defended
9:52myself by explaining that I liked
9:54knowing what was available, even if I
9:56didn't intend to visit everything.
9:57Dileia nodded with exaggerated
9:59seriousness and said that sounded
10:00exactly like something a man with 12
10:02saved locations before lunch would say.
10:05I laughed and put my phone down,
10:07deciding that defending my vacation
10:08planning against someone who visited
10:10different cities for a living was
10:11probably pointless. She asked what I did
10:14when I wasn't organizing recreational
10:16expeditions, and I told her about my
10:18work as a landscape architect in
10:20Columbus. Dileia seemed genuinely
10:22interested, especially when I explained
10:24that much of my job involved making
10:26outdoor spaces both functional and
10:28enjoyable for the people who use them.
10:30She asked whether I spent my vacations
10:31criticizing public parks, and I admitted
10:34that I occasionally noticed things I
10:36probably shouldn't. She said that made
10:38sense considering she'd caught herself
10:40checking whether people had fastened
10:42their seat belts while riding in friends
10:43cars. I liked how naturally the
10:46conversation moved between teasing and
10:48actual curiosity. Neither of us seemed
10:50particularly concerned about impressing
10:52the other, which somehow made me more
10:54interested in learning what she was
10:55like. As we talked, I learned that Dia
10:58lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, and
11:00had been working as a flight attendant
11:02for several years. She liked the
11:04independence of the job and the variety
11:06of people she encountered, although she
11:08admitted that constantly changing
11:10schedules could make ordinary plans
11:11unnecessarily complicated. She told me
11:14about a recent layover when she'd been
11:15determined to explore a new city, only
11:17to fall asleep in her hotel room before
11:19she'd even decided where to eat. I
11:22laughed because it sounded familiar in a
11:24different way. After a particularly
11:25demanding week at work, I'd sometimes
11:27spend Saturday morning planning
11:29something interesting and then discover
11:31that sitting on my couch with a sandwich
11:33was all the entertainment I actually
11:34needed. Dileia smiled at that and said
11:37she appreciated a man who could admit he
11:39wasn't endlessly adventurous. I told her
11:41I'd never claimed to be exciting, only
11:43occasionally useful during turbulence.
11:45She looked down at her coffee for a
11:47moment, then back at me with an
11:48expression that was unexpectedly warm.
11:51"You were pretty useful," she said. "I
11:53could have hit that armrest hard." I
11:55told her I was glad she hadn't, and for
11:57once, neither of us immediately turned
11:58the moment into another joke. What
12:00surprised me most was how different it
12:02felt talking to Dileia when she wasn't
12:04working. On the airplane, she'd been
12:06attentive and professional, and I'd been
12:08careful not to interpret that as
12:10anything personal. Here, she had no
12:12obligation to check on me, bring me
12:13water, or ask how my vacation was going.
12:16She'd seen me sitting alone, decided to
12:18say hello, and then chosen to stay long
12:20enough for her coffee to start getting
12:21cold. I found myself noticing the way
12:24her expressions changed when she wasn't
12:26trying to maintain the same pleasant
12:27composure for everyone around her. She
12:29was quick to laugh, but she also
12:31listened closely and occasionally paused
12:33before answering a question as though
12:35she preferred saying something genuine
12:37over finding the quickest response. At
12:40one point, her phone lit up with a
12:41notification about transportation to her
12:43hotel, and she glanced at it before
12:46explaining that the cruise shuttle would
12:47be leaving shortly. I told her I didn't
12:49want to make her late. Dia smiled and
12:52said she had enough time to finish her
12:53coffee, then asked whether I always
12:55worried this much about other people's
12:57schedules. I told her only when they'd
12:59already experienced one transportation
13:01related incident in my presence. She
13:03laughed and I realized I was going to
13:05miss having her across the table when
13:07she left. Eventually, Dileia picked up
13:09her phone again and checked the time.
13:11She finished her coffee, but instead of
13:13getting up immediately, she looked at me
13:15with a slightly thoughtful expression.
13:17So, Alden, are you really planning to
13:19explore Charleston by yourself the
13:21entire time? I told her that had been
13:23the original idea, although my plans
13:25were becoming increasingly flexible. She
13:27smiled at that, then explained that
13:29she'd have a few free hours that evening
13:31after getting some rest at the hotel. If
13:33I wasn't already committed to one of my
13:3512 sightseeing destinations, she thought
13:37it might be fun to meet somewhere
13:39downtown. I looked at her for a second,
13:41making sure I'd understood correctly.
13:44"Are you asking me out?" I asked,
13:45smiling. Dileia tilted her head and
13:48considered the question. "I suppose I
13:49am, unless you'd rather spend the
13:51evening discussing architectural
13:52landscaping with a historical monument."
13:54I laughed and told her I definitely
13:56preferred her company. She smiled,
13:58looking pleased with the answer, and we
14:01spent the next couple of minutes
14:02choosing a place near the historic
14:04district where we could meet without
14:05either of us having to go out of our
14:07way. We settled on 6:30, giving her
14:09plenty of time to rest and me enough
14:11time to check into my hotel. Dileia took
14:14out her phone and suggested exchanging
14:15numbers in case either of us needed to
14:17adjust the plan. I gave her mine and a
14:20moment later, my phone buzzed with a
14:21message from an unfamiliar number. It
14:23simply said, "Try not to catch anyone
14:25else before dinner." I laughed and saved
14:27her contact while she watched with
14:29obvious amusement. When she finally
14:31stood, I got up, too, and she held out
14:33her hand with an exaggeratedly
14:34professional expression. "It was a
14:36pleasure meeting you properly, Mr.
14:38Mercer." I shook it and told her I was
14:40delighted we'd managed a conversation
14:42without requiring assistance from the
14:44captain. Her smile widened, and she
14:46slipped her bag over her shoulder before
14:48heading toward the transportation area.
14:50I watched her walk away for a moment,
14:52then sat down and looked at the message
14:54she'd sent. I hadn't expected to see her
14:56again after leaving the airplane, and I
14:58certainly hadn't expected her to invite
14:59me to spend the evening with her. Yet
15:01somehow, less than an hour after
15:03landing, I had a date with a woman I'd
15:05met because an airplane had dropped
15:07unexpectedly. I finished my coffee,
15:09collected my suitcase, and headed
15:11outside to find a cab. Charleston was
15:13waiting for me, and I still intended to
15:15enjoy every part of the vacation I'd
15:16planned. But for the first time since
15:18booking the trip, there was something on
15:20my schedule that I was looking forward
15:22to considerably more than sightseeing.
15:24By the time I checked into my hotel in
15:26Charleston, I had reread Dileia's
15:28message twice, which was probably more
15:30attention than a seven-word joke
15:32deserved. I wasn't nervous exactly, but
15:34I was unusually interested in how the
15:36evening might turn out. I'd come to
15:38Charleston with plans to wander around,
15:40eat good food, and enjoy a few days
15:42without answering work emails. Now, I
15:44had a date with a flight attendant who'd
15:46fallen into my arms somewhere above the
15:48Carolinas. And I still wasn't entirely
15:50sure how that had happened. I unpacked,
15:52changed into a clean shirt, and spent
15:54part of the afternoon exploring the
15:56streets around my hotel. Charleston was
15:58beautiful in a way photographs didn't
15:59quite capture with old brick buildings,
16:02narrow sidewalks, and shaded courtyards
16:04tucked between houses. I took a few
16:06pictures, stopped for a late lunch, and
16:08deliberately left several places on my
16:09list unexplored. Around 6:00, Dileia
16:12texted to confirm she was on her way to
16:14our meeting spot near the historic
16:15district. I told her I'd be there, then
16:17caught myself smiling at my phone before
16:19putting it away. I arrived a few minutes
16:21early and waited outside a small cafe on
16:23a quiet corner. At 6:30, I spotted
16:26Dileia walking toward me from the other
16:28side of the street. And for a moment, I
16:29almost didn't recognize her. She traded
16:31her airline uniform for dark jeans, a
16:34fitted cream colored top, and a light
16:36jacket. With her brown hair falling
16:38loosely around her shoulders instead of
16:39being pulled back neatly for work, she
16:42looked relaxed, confident, and
16:44considerably more approachable than
16:46someone who'd spent the afternoon
16:47responsible for an entire cabin of
16:49passengers. When she noticed me looking,
16:51her smile widened. "What? You didn't
16:54think I owned regular clothes?" I
16:56laughed and told her I'd been wondering
16:57whether she was required to wear the
16:58uniform everywhere. She shook her head
17:00as she reached me, then gave me a quick
17:02hug that felt surprisingly natural. I
17:05stepped back and told her she looked
17:06beautiful, which brought a warmer
17:08expression to her face. "Thank you,
17:10Alden," she said. "You clean up pretty
17:12well yourself." She glanced toward the
17:14street behind me and asked whether I'd
17:16already planned our entire evening down
17:18to the minute. I assured her I'd
17:20resisted the temptation, although I
17:22couldn't promise I hadn't looked at a
17:23map. We started walking without a
17:25particular destination, following the
17:27quieter streets away from the busiest
17:29tourist areas. Die admitted that she'd
17:31been through Charleston several times,
17:33but had rarely explored much beyond a
17:35few restaurants near her crew hotel.
17:37Most of her layovers involved getting
17:39something to eat, calling family, and
17:41trying to sleep enough to feel human the
17:43next morning. I told her that sounded
17:45like a poor arrangement for someone
17:47whose job involved visiting interesting
17:49places. She agreed, although she
17:51reminded me that being paid to travel
17:52wasn't quite the same as being on
17:54vacation. We passed a row of colorful
17:56historic houses, and I stopped briefly
17:58to admire the brick work and the little
18:00gardens tucked behind iron fences.
18:03Dileia watched me for a moment before
18:04asking whether I was evaluating the
18:06landscaping. I admitted that I couldn't
18:08entirely switch off that part of my
18:10brain, but I promised not to issue
18:12professional assessments during our
18:13date. She seemed especially entertained
18:15by that last word. "So, this is a date?"
18:18she asked, looking sideways at me. I
18:20smiled and told her I'd certainly been
18:22hoping it was. She considered that for a
18:24moment, then slipped her hands into her
18:25jacket pockets and said, "Good." So was
18:28I. That settled one question I'd been
18:30carrying around since the airport, and I
18:31found myself relaxing even more as we
18:33continued walking. Dileia was easy
18:35company, partly because she didn't seem
18:38interested in pretending we had
18:39everything in common. When I mentioned
18:41that I enjoyed traveling without a
18:43strict schedule, she pointed out that
18:45I'd arrived at our meeting place early
18:47and had probably checked the restaurant
18:49options three times. I told her there
18:51was a difference between being prepared
18:53and being controlled by an itinerary,
18:55although I had to admit that distinction
18:57was getting harder to defend. She
19:00confessed that she was almost the
19:01opposite when she traveled for herself.
19:03She usually started with one thing she
19:05wanted to do, then made the rest up as
19:07she went. Sometimes with excellent
19:08results and sometimes with terrible
19:10restaurant choices. I liked how readily
19:13she admitted the second part. We
19:15wandered down a side street I'd noticed
19:16earlier where a small courtyard opened
19:18behind a row of shops and Dileia stopped
19:21to photograph an old fountain surrounded
19:23by plants. She showed me the picture
19:25then asked whether I'd have arranged the
19:27plants differently. I told her the
19:29fountain looked better because she'd
19:30noticed it instead of walking past,
19:32which earned me a surprisingly pleased
19:34smile. By the time we decided to eat,
19:36we'd been walking for nearly an hour and
19:38had somehow managed to discuss
19:40everything from terrible vacation
19:42souvenirs to the strangest things we'd
19:44seen at airports. Dileia knew a small
19:46restaurant a few blocks away that she'd
19:48visited on an earlier layover, and she
19:50suggested we try it rather than
19:52searching for something more impressive.
19:54I agreed immediately, especially when
19:55she described the food. The restaurant
19:58had warm lighting, exposed brick walls,
20:00and a handful of tables close enough
20:02together that we occasionally caught
20:03pieces of other people's conversations.
20:06We ordered dinner and settled into the
20:07kind of easy conversation that made me
20:09forget to check the time. Dileia told me
20:12about growing up in North Carolina, how
20:14she'd become interested in working for
20:16an airline, and what she liked most
20:18about the job. She loved meeting people
20:20and occasionally getting to experience
20:22somewhere new, but she was less
20:24enthusiastic about early departures, and
20:26the way her schedule made spontaneous
20:28plans with friends surprisingly
20:30difficult. I understood more than I
20:32expected since my own work sometimes
20:34made it hard to predict when I'd
20:35actually be finished for the day. When
20:37Dileia asked about my job, I explained
20:39that I worked on landscape designs for
20:41public spaces, residential projects, and
20:43the occasional commercial property. She
20:46seemed interested in the creative side,
20:48particularly when I described helping
20:49turn an unattractive empty lot into a
20:51small neighborhood park. I told her I
20:54liked seeing people use a space I'd
20:55helped design, especially when they
20:57found ways to enjoy it that nobody had
20:59considered on paper. Dileia smiled and
21:01said she'd never really thought about
21:03how much planning went into places most
21:05people walked through without noticing.
21:07Then she admitted that after years of
21:09working on airplanes, she sometimes
21:11caught herself looking at exit signs in
21:13restaurants and mentally checking
21:14whether everyone could reach the doors.
21:16I laughed and told her I'd noticed her
21:18glance toward the entrance when we first
21:20sat down. She looked genuinely
21:22surprised, then shook her head with a
21:24laugh. Okay, that's embarrassing. I
21:27assured her it wasn't, and for a moment,
21:29she studied me with an expression that
21:30made me wonder what she was thinking.
21:32Then she asked whether I always paid
21:34that much attention to people. I told
21:36her only when they were interesting, and
21:38she smiled before looking down at her
21:40glass. Dinner stretched longer than
21:42either of us had planned, mostly because
21:44we kept finding new things to talk
21:46about. Dileia told me she loved live
21:48music, hated packing for personal trips,
21:50despite being exceptionally good at
21:52packing for work, and had a habit of
21:54buying books in airport shops that she
21:56never finished. I admitted that I
21:58sometimes spent more time researching
21:59places to visit than actually visiting
22:01them, which she considered further
22:03evidence that I needed supervision on
22:05vacation. She also had a surprisingly
22:08competitive streak. When I mentioned
22:09that I'd once won a small photography
22:11contest at a local event, she
22:13immediately wanted to see the picture
22:15and informed me that she could probably
22:16do better. I showed it to her anyway,
22:19and she studied it with an exaggeratedly
22:21critical expression before admitting she
22:22liked it. The teasing was fun, but what
22:25held my attention was how naturally she
22:27moved between joking and being genuinely
22:29curious. She asked questions, listened
22:31to the answers, and didn't seem to mind
22:33when I disagreed with her. I liked her
22:36confidence, particularly because it
22:37didn't require her to win every
22:39conversation. When the server brought
22:41our check, Dileia reached for her
22:42wallet, and we agreed to split dinner
22:44after a brief argument that ended with
22:46her pointing out she'd invited me to
22:48spend the evening together. I told her
22:50I'd remember that when I planned the
22:52next one. She looked up, smiling.
22:54Already thinking about another date, I
22:56shrugged and said I liked planning ahead
22:58when something was worth it. Outside,
23:00Charleston had settled into a pleasant
23:02evening with lights glowing in
23:04restaurant windows and people strolling
23:06along the sidewalks. Dileia suggested we
23:08walk toward the waterfront before
23:10heading back, and I was happy to agree.
23:13We moved through a busier section of the
23:14historic district where a group of
23:16tourists had stopped in the middle of
23:17the sidewalk to take pictures. Dileia
23:20stepped around them, then reached back
23:22and caught my hand to guide me through
23:23the crowd. I followed her, and once we
23:26reached the quieter pavement on the
23:27other side, neither of us let go. Her
23:30fingers shifted comfortably between
23:31mine, and she glanced over with a small
23:33smile that made it clear she knew
23:35exactly what she was doing. I gave her
23:37hand a gentle squeeze, and she moved a
23:39little closer as we walked. There was
23:41something simple and unexpectedly
23:43exciting about it. We'd spent hours
23:45talking, laughing, and discovering how
23:47much we enjoyed each other's company,
23:49but this was the first moment when the
23:50attraction between us felt entirely
23:52unmistakable. We didn't stop to discuss
23:54it, and I was glad. Dileia was looking
23:57out toward the water, her shoulder
23:59occasionally brushing mine, and I was
24:01perfectly content to keep walking beside
24:02her. When we reached the waterfront, the
24:05breeze coming off the harbor was cooler
24:06than it had been in the narrow streets.
24:09Dileia stopped near the railing and we
24:11stood together watching the lights
24:12reflect across the water. She leaned
24:15lightly against my arm while telling me
24:16about a trip she'd taken with friends
24:18the previous summer, then laughed when I
24:20admitted that my own vacations usually
24:22involved far fewer people and
24:24considerably more walking. I asked
24:26whether she ever wished her schedule
24:28allowed her to stay in places like
24:29Charleston longer. She nodded and said
24:32sometimes, especially on evenings when
24:33she finally had time to enjoy a city
24:36instead of just passing through it. Then
24:38she looked at me and smiled. I'm really
24:40glad I came out tonight. I told her I
24:42was too, and I meant it more than I'd
24:44expected when the evening began. After a
24:46comfortable pause, she mentioned that
24:48she had to report for her next flight
24:49the following morning, which meant she
24:51couldn't stay out particularly late. I
24:53nodded, suddenly aware that the evening
24:55had a deadline neither of us could
24:57change. I wasn't disappointed with how
24:59things had gone. If anything, I'd
25:01enjoyed myself enough that I didn't want
25:03the experience to end as just another
25:04vacation memory. Dileia was still
25:07holding my hand, and when she turned
25:08toward me again, I found myself
25:10wondering whether she was thinking about
25:12the same thing. I knew she would be
25:14leaving Charleston tomorrow, but
25:16standing beside her that evening, I was
25:18already hoping we'd find a reason to see
25:20each other again. Delia's mention of her
25:22morning flight didn't make either of us
25:24move away from the waterfront railing.
25:26Her hand remained in mine while a
25:28sightseeing boat crossed the harbor, its
25:30lights reflecting across the dark water.
25:32I knew she had an early start and I had
25:34no intention of making her regret
25:36spending the evening with me, but
25:38neither of us seemed particularly eager
25:40to head back. She turned toward me and
25:42asked whether I was disappointed that my
25:44carefully researched Charleston vacation
25:46had already gone so far off schedule. I
25:48told her I'd survived worse changes of
25:50plans, although this was probably the
25:52first time one had involved catching a
25:54flight attendant in midair. She laughed
25:56and shook her head. You're going to keep
25:58bringing that up, aren't you? I admitted
26:00it was a difficult introduction to
26:02forget, especially considering how much
26:04more interesting the evening had become
26:06afterward. Dileia gave my hand a gentle
26:08squeeze and said she was beginning to
26:10think the unexpected turbulence had
26:12worked out rather well for both of us. I
26:14looked at her, smiling, and realized I
26:17agreed with that more than I could
26:18comfortably explain in one sentence. We
26:20started walking again, following the
26:22waterfront toward a quieter stretch
26:24where the crowds had thinned. Dileia
26:26told me that she usually spent her
26:27layovers catching up on sleep, answering
26:30messages, or finding somewhere close to
26:32the hotel for dinner. She liked her job,
26:34but constantly arriving in new places
26:36didn't always mean getting to experience
26:38them. Sometimes she could spend an
26:40entire day in a city and remember little
26:42beyond the airport, a hotel room, and
26:44whatever she'd ordered for dinner. I
26:46told her that sounded like an excellent
26:48argument for taking more walks with
26:50strangers who happened to be carrying
26:52excessively detailed travel guides. She
26:54laughed and pointed out that she'd
26:56already established I was no longer a
26:57stranger. That was true, although I was
27:00still surprised by how comfortable we'd
27:01become in such a short time. We knew
27:04relatively little about each other's
27:05everyday lives, but the things I'd
27:07learned felt specific enough to matter.
27:10I knew she could make me laugh without
27:11trying particularly hard, that she was
27:13confident without being overbearing, and
27:16that she had a way of making an ordinary
27:17conversation feel like something worth
27:19remembering. I also knew I wanted
27:22another chance to learn about her when
27:23neither of us had a flight or vacation
27:25schedule hanging over our heads. A
27:28little farther along, we stopped near a
27:29low stone wall overlooking the water.
27:31Dileia leaned against it, turning toward
27:33me while I stood beside her. She asked
27:35whether I'd ever dated someone whose
27:37work involved traveling as much as hers
27:39did. I told her I hadn't, although I
27:41wasn't sure that qualified as a problem
27:43when we'd only been on one date. She
27:45smiled at my answer and admitted that
27:47she'd been wondering whether the
27:49distance between Columbus and Charlotte
27:50would make another meeting seem
27:52unrealistic.
27:53I understood the question. My own
27:55schedule could be demanding, and hers
27:57clearly required more flexibility than a
27:59typical office job, but neither of us
28:01had suggested abandoning our lives to
28:03make an interesting evening last
28:05forever. I told her I liked her company
28:07enough to want another date, and I was
28:09perfectly capable of driving or booking
28:11a flight if we found a weekend that
28:12worked. Dileia looked pleased, although
28:14she didn't immediately answer. Instead,
28:17she glanced toward the harbor and
28:19laughed quietly at herself before
28:20admitting she'd spent part of dinner,
28:22wondering whether I was simply enjoying
28:24the excitement of meeting someone while
28:26traveling. I told her Charleston was
28:28beautiful, but the city hadn't been
28:30responsible for most of the fun I'd had
28:32that evening. She looked back at me with
28:34a smile that made it difficult to think
28:36about much else. For a moment, we stayed
28:38close without saying anything. Dileia's
28:40hand was still in mine, and when she
28:42shifted toward me, the distance between
28:44us became small enough that I could see
28:46the faint freckles across her nose. I'd
28:49noticed she was beautiful the moment
28:50she'd fallen toward my seat. But
28:52standing there with her felt entirely
28:54different. There was no accident, no
28:56professional obligation, and no reason
28:58for either of us to be that close,
29:00unless we wanted to be. I brushed my
29:02thumb lightly across her fingers, and
29:03she stepped nearer until her free hand
29:05rested against my chest. I looked at her
29:08mouth before meeting her eyes again, and
29:10she smiled as though she'd caught me,
29:11considering something fairly obvious.
29:14Alden, you can kiss me if you want to. I
29:16laughed softly, touched her waist, and
29:18leaned in. She met me halfway, and the
29:20first kiss was warm and unhurried, with
29:22her fingers curling lightly against my
29:24shirt. When we parted, she stayed close
29:26enough that I could feel her smile
29:27before I saw it. I kissed her again a
29:30little more confidently this time, and
29:31she slipped her arm around my shoulder.
29:34Whatever uncertainty I'd carried about
29:35whether the attraction was mutual seemed
29:37considerably less important after that.
29:40Eventually, we drew a part and started
29:42walking toward the streets that led back
29:43to her hotel. Dileia was still smiling,
29:46although she made an exaggerated show of
29:48checking that both her feet were
29:49securely on the ground. I told her I
29:52appreciated the precaution, and she
29:54replied that she'd already made enough
29:55memorable entrances around me for one
29:57day. We laughed, then walked for a while
30:00with our hands together and the
30:01comfortable awareness that something
30:03between us had changed. I wasn't
30:05thinking about suddenly declaring myself
30:07in love or planning where we'd spend
30:09Christmas. I simply wanted to see her
30:11again, and I was willing to do something
30:13about it. When we reached a quieter
30:15intersection, I asked whether she knew
30:17what her schedule looked like over the
30:18next couple of weeks. Dileia explained
30:21that she was expecting two consecutive
30:23days off later in the month. although
30:25the roster hadn't been finalized. She'd
30:27been considering spending them at home
30:28in Charlotte, but she hadn't committed
30:30to anything yet. Then she looked at me
30:33and suggested that if the dates worked
30:34out, she could come to Columbus instead.
30:37I liked that she was offering to make
30:38the trip herself, and I told her I'd be
30:41very happy to show her around. She
30:43warned me that I'd be expected to
30:44demonstrate the same excellent
30:46sightseeing skills I'd shown in
30:48Charleston, which seemed like a
30:49challenge I was willing to accept. By
30:51the time we reached the block near her
30:53crew hotel, it was getting late enough
30:55that I knew we should say good night.
30:57Dileia had to report for duty in the
30:59morning. And as much as I like the idea
31:01of continuing our evening, I like the
31:03fact that she took her responsibility
31:05seriously. We stopped beneath the light
31:07outside a small restaurant that had
31:09already closed and she turned to face
31:10me. Her hand settled against my arm as
31:13she thanked me for a wonderful evening.
31:15I told her I'd enjoyed it more than I'd
31:17expected and that I wanted her to get
31:19some sleep rather than blame me for
31:20being exhausted on her next flight. She
31:23laughed and assured me she was perfectly
31:24capable of managing her bedtime, but she
31:26appreciated the concern. Then she
31:28stepped closer, put her hands lightly
31:30against my shoulders, and kissed me
31:32again. I held her at the waist, enjoying
31:35the simple fact that neither of us
31:36seemed interested in pretending this had
31:38been a casual dinner between two people
31:40who happened to meet at an airport. When
31:42we separated, Dileia said she'd check
31:44her schedule as soon as the dates were
31:46confirmed and let me know when she could
31:48visit. I told her I would keep that
31:50weekend flexible. She smiled, kissed my
31:52cheek, and started toward the hotel
31:54entrance, turning once to wave before
31:56disappearing inside. I walked back
31:58through Charleston, feeling considerably
32:00happier than I had any reasonable right
32:02to be after knowing someone for less
32:04than a day. The streets were quieter now
32:06and I took my time enjoying the cooler
32:08air and the chance to think about the
32:10evening without rushing anywhere. At my
32:12hotel, I found a message from Dileia
32:14saying she'd made it upstairs and was
32:16getting ready for bed. I replied that I
32:18was back safely, too, then added that I
32:20hoped her next flight involved fewer
32:22unexpected encounters with seated
32:24passengers. She answered with a laughing
32:26emoji and told me she was planning to
32:28remain upright for the entire journey. I
32:30put my phone down, changed clothes, and
32:32sat by the window for a few minutes
32:34before going to bed. Tomorrow, she'd be
32:36flying somewhere else while I continued
32:38exploring Charleston. And eventually,
32:40I'd returned to Columbus in the routines
32:41I'd left behind. We hadn't promised
32:43anything grand, but we'd shared a
32:45memorable evening, kissed because we
32:47wanted to, and made the beginnings of a
32:49plan to see each other again. That was
32:51enough for the moment. Still, as I set
32:53my alarm and turned out the light, I
32:55couldn't help wondering what it would
32:56feel like to see Dileia in my own city
32:58without an airplane, a layover, or a
33:01beautiful vacation destination helping
33:02bring us together. We'd both said we
33:05wanted another date. Now, we had the
33:07chance to find out whether we meant it.
33:08The next morning, I woke up to a message
33:10from Dileia saying she'd made it to the
33:12airport and was getting ready for her
33:14flight. I wished her a smooth trip, then
33:16added that I hoped she'd managed to stay
33:18on her feet during the walk through the
33:20terminal. She replied that she'd
33:22successfully navigated several moving
33:24walkways without falling into anyone's
33:26arms, which I considered an encouraging
33:28development. I smiled at my phone before
33:31getting dressed and heading downstairs
33:32for breakfast. Charleston looked just as
33:35beautiful as it had the previous
33:36afternoon, and I still had several days
33:38of vacation left to enjoy. I spent the
33:41morning wandering through the historic
33:42district, taking photographs of old
33:45buildings, and stopping whenever
33:46something caught my attention. At one
33:48point, I passed a little bookstore
33:50tucked between two restaurants and
33:52thought Dileia would probably enjoy it,
33:54especially considering her habit of
33:55buying books she never finished. I went
33:57inside, browsed for a while, and bought
34:00a paperback for myself. Later that
34:02afternoon, after she'd finished her
34:04flight and had some time to relax,
34:06Dileia sent me a message asking whether
34:08I'd managed to explore Charleston
34:09without getting distracted by every
34:11interesting sidewalk. I told her I'd
34:13made reasonable progress, but had
34:15already found several places worth
34:16revisiting. She wanted pictures, so I
34:19sent her a few. What I liked was that we
34:21weren't trying to recreate the previous
34:23evening through our phones. We were
34:24simply finding small ways to remain part
34:26of each other's days. The rest of my
34:28vacation passed pleasantly, and I made
34:30an effort to enjoy it rather than spend
34:32every hour wondering what might happen
34:34with Dileia. I visited the waterfront
34:36again, tried a restaurant someone at my
34:38hotel recommended, and spent one
34:40afternoon exploring a garden that I'd
34:42been particularly interested in seeing.
34:44Dileia and I exchanged messages when we
34:46had time, sometimes about our days and
34:48sometimes about absolutely ridiculous
34:50things. She sent me a picture of a
34:52sandwich she'd bought during a layover
34:54and declared it the most disappointing
34:56meal she'd eaten in months. I replied
34:58with a photograph of a spectacularly
35:00crooked park bench and asked whether she
35:02thought it qualified as modern art. She
35:04informed me that the bench was probably
35:06more comfortable than an airplane jump
35:08seat, which I had no intention of
35:10testing. By the time I returned to
35:12Columbus, we'd also talked on the phone
35:13twice. Those conversations were
35:15different from our evening in
35:17Charleston, but in a good way. I learned
35:19that she liked quiet mornings when she
35:21wasn't flying, had a younger brother who
35:23routinely borrowed things without
35:25returning them, and sometimes spent her
35:27days off doing nothing more exciting
35:29than laundry and grocery shopping. She
35:31learned that I wasn't nearly as
35:33organized at home as my travel notes
35:35suggested, and that I could spend 20
35:37minutes explaining why a tree had been
35:38planted in the wrong place. When she
35:41laughed at that, I found myself wishing
35:43she were sitting across from me instead
35:45of several hundred miles away. The
35:47following Monday, I returned to work,
35:48and the familiar routine made the
35:50connection between us feel a little more
35:52real. I wasn't on vacation anymore, and
35:54Dileia wasn't the charming woman I'd met
35:56during an unusually memorable flight.
35:59She was someone I enjoyed hearing from
36:00after work, someone whose opinions I was
36:03beginning to understand, and someone I
36:05wanted to see again without needing
36:06Charleston as an excuse. On Wednesday
36:08evening, we were talking on the phone
36:10when she mentioned that her schedule for
36:12the following week had finally been
36:14confirmed. She had two consecutive days
36:16off, just as she'd hoped, and she'd
36:18checked the flights from Charlotte to
36:20Columbus. I asked whether she still
36:22wanted to come, and she laughed. Alden,
36:25I've already spent 10 minutes comparing
36:26arrival times. I think that answers your
36:29question. I told her I'd pick her up
36:31whenever she arrived, although I
36:32suggested choosing a flight that didn't
36:34require either of us to get out of bed
36:36before sunrise. She agreed and booked
36:38her trip for Saturday afternoon,
36:40returning Monday morning. We decided
36:42she'd stay at my apartment where I had a
36:44separate guest room, and I promised to
36:45make sure she had a comfortable place to
36:47sleep. Dileia thanked me, then warned me
36:50that if I produced a laminated visitor
36:52schedule, she was going straight back to
36:54the airport. I told her I'd restrict
36:55myself to a moderately detailed welcome
36:57package. She laughed and before we hung
37:00up, she said she was really looking
37:01forward to seeing me. I told her I was
37:03too. And the simple fact that we now had
37:05an actual date on the calendar made the
37:07coming weekend feel especially
37:09promising. Saturday afternoon, I arrived
37:11at John Glenn Columbus International
37:13Airport about 15 minutes before Dileia's
37:16flight was scheduled to land. I checked
37:18the arrival information twice, which was
37:20apparently a habit I couldn't abandon,
37:22even when I wasn't the one traveling. I
37:24waited near the baggage claim area,
37:26watching passengers come through the
37:27doors with suitcases and backpacks. Then
37:30I saw her. Dileia was wearing jeans, a
37:32burgundy sweater, and white sneakers
37:34with a small overnight bag over her
37:36shoulder. She spotted me almost
37:38immediately, and the smile that crossed
37:40her face was worth every minute I'd
37:42spent looking forward to this. She
37:43walked straight toward me, dropped her
37:45bag beside her feet, and wrapped her
37:47arms around my neck. I held her close,
37:49and when she leaned back, she kissed me
37:51without the slightest hesitation. "Hi,"
37:53she said, smiling. I laughed and told
37:55her that was considerably better than
37:57our first meeting. She looked down at
37:59her feet and assured me she'd managed
38:01the entire flight without falling into
38:03anyone's lap. I picked up her bag, took
38:05her hand, and we headed toward the
38:07parking garage together. I'd made dinner
38:09reservations at a small restaurant I
38:11liked near German village, but we had
38:13time to wander before eating. Dileia
38:15wanted to see somewhere I actually spent
38:17time rather than a list of attractions
38:19selected for visitors. So, I took her
38:21through a few familiar streets and into
38:22a bookstore I'd visited for years. She
38:25teased me when the owner recognized me,
38:27then spent nearly 20 minutes examining
38:29the shelves before buying a novel she'd
38:31apparently been meaning to read.
38:32Watching her explore a place that had
38:34always been part of my ordinary life was
38:36unexpectedly enjoyable. Later, we walked
38:39along the Seoto Riverfront where she
38:41asked about the parks and buildings we
38:43passed. I told her a little about the
38:45landscape design, but she was more
38:47interested in hearing which places I
38:48liked and why. When I admitted that I
38:51sometimes came down to the river after
38:52particularly difficult work days, she
38:55slipped her hand into mine and said she
38:56could understand the appeal. There was
38:58no spectacular vacation scenery to
39:00impress her, just my city on an ordinary
39:03Saturday. She seemed perfectly happy to
39:05be there. During dinner, Dileia asked
39:07whether I'd ever spent much time in
39:08Charlotte. I told her I'd pass through a
39:10couple of times, but never properly
39:12explored it. She smiled and suggested
39:14that perhaps she should return the favor
39:16and show me around on one of my free
39:18weekends. I liked the suggestion, and we
39:20started discussing possibilities without
39:22pretending that two people with
39:24different schedules could make plans
39:25effortlessly. Her roster sometimes
39:28changed, and I occasionally had projects
39:30requiring weekend attention, but neither
39:33of those things seemed like a reason to
39:34give up before trying. I told her I'd be
39:37happy to come to Charlotte the following
39:39month if we found dates that worked. She
39:41agreed and said she'd check her schedule
39:43when it became available. What mattered
39:45to me was how naturally we approached
39:47the conversation. Neither of us was
39:49demanding a promise about the distant
39:50future, and neither was pretending our
39:52interest would somehow survive without
39:54effort. We were making room for another
39:56visit because we genuinely wanted one.
39:59When we reached my apartment later that
40:01evening, Dileia stepped inside and
40:03looked around with a curiosity I'd come
40:04to recognize. She noticed the books on
40:06my shelves, the photographs I'd taken on
40:09earlier trips, and a small plant beside
40:11the window that I admitted had been
40:13struggling for several months. She gave
40:15me a doubtful look when I explained that
40:17I designed landscapes professionally,
40:19but occasionally forgot to water my own
40:21plants. After I showed her the guest
40:23room and left her space to settle in,
40:25she joined me in the kitchen while I
40:26made coffee. She leaned against the
40:28counter and watched me for a moment
40:30before smiling. You know, when I asked
40:32if you were traveling alone, I wasn't
40:34expecting any of this. I handed her a
40:36mug and told her I'd been expecting a
40:38quiet vacation and maybe a few decent
40:40photographs. Dileia set her coffee down,
40:42stepped closer, and slipped her arms
40:44around my shoulders. "I think we both
40:46got something better," she said. I put
40:48my hands at her waist and kissed her,
40:50and she stayed close when we pulled
40:51apart. A few minutes later, we carried
40:54our coffee into the living room and
40:55settled together on the couch, talking
40:57about what we might do on Sunday. She
40:59was in my city because she'd chosen to
41:01be, and I was looking forward to showing
41:03her more of it. When I first boarded
41:05that plane, I really was traveling
41:07alone, and I was perfectly happy with
41:09that plan. Meeting Dileia hadn't changed
41:11everything about my life overnight, but
41:13it had given me someone I genuinely
41:15wanted to share more of it with. The
41:17turbulence brought us together for a few
41:18seconds. Everything that followed
41:21happened because we kept choosing each
41:22other. If you met someone special during
41:24a trip, would you take a chance on a
41:26relationship even if you lived in
41:28different cities? Let me know in the
41:30comments. And if you enjoyed Alden and
41:32Dileia's story, give this video a like
41:34and subscribe for more romance stories.

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