Years ago, when Business Express flew the RJ-100 from JFK to CLE, I was crammed in shortly before Thanksgiving.

A woman who looked like a nun sat down next to me. She wasn't wearing a habit, but she had a prominent cross around her neck. "I've just come from Rome," she said. I cringed.

Turns out that she was amazing. She was a die-hard liberal, a former teacher, and a fascinating person. That flight passed by so quickly.

I also remember sitting next to a well-known hair designer, Angus Mitchell, on a flight from HNL to LAX. The flight attendants recognized him immediately, but I did not. We ended up talking the whole time about his work, background, etc. He was an interesting and personable guy.

But my all-time favorite goes to a Delta flight attendant on a trip from Atlanta to Buenos Aires. She took a seat next to me as we approached EZE, so that she could look out the window at the Rio de la Plata. She was ex-Pan Am and hadn't been to Argentina since Pan Am. We were both so happy to be back in Argentina and it was a beautiful morning.