I remember one flight from LHR to JFK on BA where I had the pleasure of sitting next to a (apparently successful) real estate agent (not the pearls and twin set type, but rather the big hair, botox, and leopard print skirt version). BA has ying/yang seats in business class, so we were facing each other, which must have been a red rag to a talking bull. She starts conversation as soon as the first glass of champagne comes around.

Agent: "So what do you do?"
Me: "I've got some meetings in NY for the next few days," hopefully sounding vague and not really giving much to go on.

Agent: "But it's Friday, so what are you doing for the weekend?"
Me: "Visiting friends on Long Island"

Agent: "Where on Long Island? I sell real estate, and I've done a lot of homes there. Do you know [insert name of some B-list actor I've never heard of]? I got his last place. Sold his first one too."
Me: "No, sorry, don't know him. I'm in East Hampton for the weekend with friends [big mistake on my part.]"

Agent: "Owmigaaawd, I just sold three places there. I can get you a fabulous place I've just listed, whatdidyousayyoudoforaliving, doyoumakealotofmoneydoingit?" Blah blah blah
Me: [oh dear Jesus]

Meanwhile, a delay of thirty minutes is announced while we wait for some connecting family from Delhi or something. The senior cabin crew member looks at me as she brings around another round of champagne and conveys a "I really do feel for you" while the Joan Rivers lookalike goes on and on about her job, all the crappy houses she has sold in the Hamptons, how many parties she's been invited to, how much her clients love her, the gifts she has been given, blah blah blah.

Eventually the CSD comes around and says to me "Excuse me Mr LE, I think there has been a small mistake on our part with your boarding pass. We need to reaccommodate a family on the lower deck (this was on a 747 UD). Would you like to come with us please?"

This made no sense to me, but I suspected she was trying to help me out of what was proving to be a poor start to a tortuous flight. I grabbed my bag and followed her down the stairs. At the bottom she gives me a new BP for 2K in First and says "I'm sorry, we didn't want to subject anyone to that."

A great flight after that.