Navigating airports during popular vacation times, such as this 4th of July weekend, always brings a smile to my face. Elderly couples, co-eds, and unaccompanied minors are in the majority now, not stuffy businesspeople. It's fun to watch those who have never traveled, or those who have traveled little, doing an awkward security dance -- always stripping off more than necessary, boarding out of turn, and squinting at their boarding stub as they look for their seat number. The planes are always crammed full (or oversold) too. Holidays make for an entertaining trip.

I'm seated in first class, seat 2D, on my way to Seattle this morning. The elderly couple in front of me, clearly occasional flyers, got an operational upgrade. When they boarded, they were actually surprised to find 1C and 1D inscribed on their boarding passes. "Are you sure this is the right seat, Gene?" the woman questioned, bringing the boarding stub up under her nose. Without waiting for an answer from her husband, she prodded the flight attendant across the aisle, "Are these OUR seats?" He smiled, but not in a condescending way, and glanced at their stubs, "Oh, yes, that's right."

The couple sat down, uncertain, but clearly tickled. Gene glanced over his shoulder every once in a while -- still not believing this was true, waiting for a gate agent or a flight attendant to shoo them away to the bowels of coach. No one ever came.

Once Gene felt he was safe, he began to play. Like a 10-year-old opening a Lego box, Gene rustled through the storage pocket -- maybe looking for a first class treat. He pulled out his tray table and stowed it. Reclined his seat as far back as it would go (into my lap) and let it whiz back up. He examined the radio controls and the telephone in the armrest and fiddled with his wife's headrest. Satisfied for while, he squished back into the seat with a confident wiggle. After a few moments of delusioned comfort, he looked around again... just in case... and turned to chat with his wife for a few seconds. Then, as if sudden boredom had set in, he leaned forward and began playing with the chair again.

I love it.

People are still streaming down the aisle: kids, grandmas, fathers and babies. All off to a warming place with family and friends to enjoy. As I take my last sip of La Croix with lime, the lady standing above me, with her suitcase sitting halfway in the bin asks no on in particular, "Is it wheels in first or the other way around??" Maybe I'm the peculiar one today.