At JFK, I saw a woman loudly FaceTiming without headphones while her little dog pooped in the middle of the terminal. When a man politely pointed it out, she glared and snapped, โSome people are so damn rude,โ and walked off, leaving the mess behind. It was the third time sheโd done it since check-in.
She was rude to TSA, barked at a barista, and let her dog bark at everyone. Staff had spoken to her, but she brushed them off like she owned the place.
When I reached my gate โ the flight to Rome โ there she was again.
Everyone at the gate looked exhausted. Not from the travel โ from her.
After hours of her yelling into FaceTime, blasting music without headphones, and letting her dog bark at every stroller, elderly person, or rolling suitcase, the entire terminal was fed up. You could feel the collective eye-twitch every time she opened her mouth.
So when people saw her sit at the gate, they either moved seats or silently prayed she wasnโt on their row. Some even whispered, โSheโs really going to be on this flight?โ and looked around in panic.
Everyone avoided her. Except me.
I sat right next to her with a calm smile on my face. I already knew what I was going to do.
Iโm not confrontational by nature. Iโm the type to say โsorryโ when someone bumps intoย me. But this ladyโwho I later found out was namedย Darcyโwas making everyoneโs day worse. Not just with the noise and the mess, but with the entitled way she treated every person like they were beneath her. Iโd seen enough.
So I said, real politely, โHeaded to Rome too?โ
She nodded without looking up from her phone. โYeah. For business.โ
Her dog barked at a baby two seats over. She didnโt flinch.
โOh, cool,โ I said. โIโm flying for work too. Actually, Iโm a behaviorist. Mostly with dogs, but sometimes people.โ
She paused. โWhatโs a behaviorist?โ
โWell,โ I said with a smile, โI observe actions, patterns, and triggers. Then I help correct behavior. Itโs amazing how often dogs and people share the sameโฆ responses.โ
That got her attention. She looked at me sideways, frowning.
โYou saying I act like a dog?โ
I laughed. โNot at all. But your dogย isย a reflection of you. Itโs wild how dogs mirror our moods. Anxious owner? Anxious dog. Aggressive energy? Reactive pup.โ
She shifted in her seat.
I wasnโt being smugโI was beingย strategic.
Then, still looking at her screen, she said, โWell, heโs a rescue. Heโs sensitive.โ
โSo are most rescues,โ I nodded. โBut you know what helps? Consistency. Clear boundaries. A calm environment.โ
Her brows furrowed. I could feel the wheels turning. That was step oneโdisarm with curiosity, not judgment.
I pulled out a small dog treat from my bagโalways have one on handโand gently offered it to the dog, who took it eagerly.
โWhatโs his name?โ
โPablo.โ
โHi, Pablo,โ I said warmly. โYouโre a good boy, huh?โ
He wagged his tail for the first time all day.
She blinked. โHeโs not usually like this.โ
โOh, I believe it,โ I said. โDogs pick up on how weโre doing. And todayโs beenโฆ a stressful one, yeah?โ
She scoffed. โMore like annoying. Everyoneโs acting like Iโm the problem.โ
I nodded slowly, not agreeingโbut giving her space.
โPeople can be really reactive,โ I said. โEspecially in crowded places. But you know what usually helps? Leading with softness. Just like with dogs. Loud commands? Tension rises. But steady, respectful energy? Everything calms down.โ
She looked at me for a long second. โYouโre weird.โ
I grinned. โYup. And Pablo seems to like it.โ
We boarded not long after. The flight attendant walked over and asked her politely to secure her dog in the carrier until takeoff.
Normally, I bet she wouldโve snapped. But this time? She sighed, thenย actually complied. Just zipped Pablo in, no drama. The flight attendant gave me a look like,ย what just happened?
I shrugged.
Darcy sat next to me the whole flight. For the first hour, she scrolled her phone in silence. No FaceTime. No blasting music. Then, mid-flight, she turned to me and said something I didnโt expect.
โYou knowโฆ my ex used to say I bulldozed people. I told him I just donโt have time for sensitivity.โ
I stayed quiet.
She continued, โBut maybe he wasnโt totally wrong.โ
She told me a little about herself. PR exec. High-pressure job. Hadnโt taken a vacation in five years. Pablo was a last-minute adoption after a breakup.
โMaybe Iโm just tired,โ she muttered. โAnd angry. All the time.โ
I looked at her and said gently, โYouโre allowed to feel tired. But if you make everyone else pay for itโฆ youโre not really resting. Youโre just spreading the weight.โ
That landed.
She didnโt say much after that. But when we landed, she held the door open for the elderly couple behind us. She smiled at the flight attendant. She even picked up Pabloโs carrierย without complaint.
Three days later, I was sipping espresso in Trastevere when I saw a familiar barky little dog strutting down the street.
It was Pablo.
Darcy followed behind, calmer, walking slower, holding her phoneย in her bag. She saw me and actually waved.
No dramatic FaceTime. No yelling. Just a peaceful stroll.
Sometimes people lash out because theyโve never been taught another way. Doesnโt make it rightโbut it makes it human.
And every now and then, instead of avoiding the loudest person in the roomโฆ sit next to them. You might just surprise themโand yourself.
โค๏ธ If this made you smile, like and share it. You never know who might need a gentle nudge toward kindness today.
