so, I was chilling in my favorite exit aisle seat on the 777 this morning, waiting for the other half of the plane to finish boarding.

a flight attendant was just standing in front me. She asked me if I would be willing to swap seats because a couple wanted to sit together. I politely declined and told her I picked that seat months ago. I'm very tall, so other seats wouldn't be as comfortable. She didn't seem amused. Then she asked me if I paid for that seat because exit seats are Economy Plus seats. I told her that I was Permiere Gold and E+ was free Gold members.

She left for a few minutes... then she came back and aske me again... I was standing at this time, putting my carry-on away... when I took my light jackt off, she saw the quarter-size bruise on my arm, near my hand. (for non-US folks, the U.S. quarter coin is about 1-inch or 2.5 cm in diameter). I got it when my arm scraped against the back of an office chair while I was adjusting it. It cause no pain at all. In fact, the morning of the flight, I just worked out in the hotel gym and lifted weights... also did my usual 30 push-ups.

Anyway, the FA said, is that an injury? I told her the cause of the bruise. She thought for a few seconds and then ordered me to another seat. Unfortunately, this being a 100% full flight, I ended up in the middle seat in the center row in E-. I tried to show her that the bruise was just a bruise to the skin and had no affect on my ability to lift things or help in an emergency. I picked up my carry-on bag and lifted it several times with just one hand... even lifted it over my hand. She was having none of that. She said a bruise was a bruise and the "official United policy forbids anyone with a bruise from sitting in an emergency row.."

Where in United's official policy does it say that? I was too tired to keep arguing with her and just gave up. It was very uncomfortable for the next several hours.

After the meal, I was standing around waiting for the lav to open up. I was standing by the seat that I was kicked out from. I watched another FA having a chat with the woman who occupied my original seat. It was clear that she was a non-rev going on vacation. The woman's husband or boyfriend was in the seat next to her.

How many people think that the FA used some BS excuse to kick me out of my seat just so that her friend and boyfriend/husband who were non-rev employees can sit together?

When I was telling this to my co-worker who picked me up after the flight, she just said "why the heck did you take your jacket of in the first place?" She has a very good point.. next time I have a bruise, I'll just wear long sleeves or a jacket.


***

added Monday:

This is what the bruise looks like on my arm.(it's where the sleeve ends if I'm wearing a short sleeve shirt)

During a regular check-up today, I showed it to my PCP doctor and she said "what are you, 10 years old? that's nothing!"



(in case anyone wonders about the 1972 quarter... I've had it since 1975 and I keep it because it's my "lucky" coin. that quarter was in my pocket the night that I lost my virginity to K.M. in 1975, behind the gym at our high school )