I think I could do with a little air ... °1

Your day got worse the moment Stepek turned to you and said,"I have a bad feeling about this flight."

"What the hell are you talking about?" you askhim. "We are about to take off! Could you not have mentioned this beforenow?"

"I'd rather not worry you."

"Worry me? So why wait until we are sitting on therunway you bastard. We can't even attempt to get off now; they'll arrest us withinseconds and then they'll slide probes inside us." You squirm on your seat asvivid images of intrusive security measures flood your mind. " JesusStepek, I can't believe you are hitting me with this bullshit."

"Calm yourself, I am not predicting death. Give me somecredit. I've been watching out of the window, and, maybe I am mistaken ofcourse but there seems to be an extraordinary amount of luggage being putonboard." He turns back and stares hard into your eyes. "Do youremember the last time that happened?"

It doesn't take you long to realise what he is talkingabout; you have only ever been in an aeroplane with Stepek once before. Thatwas the time when ...

... you grab his arm in panic. His eyes widen and he beginsto nod steadily.

"They took the booze trolley off!" you yell athim.

As Stepek turns back to the window, you undo your seatbeltand practically climb over the top of him in an attempt to see what is going onbeneath the plane. The two of you have your faces squashed together, two setsof eyes bulging at the scene taking place on the tarmac below. A discussion istaking place next to a monstrous pile of bags and cases.  Your breath begins to steam the glass.  A decision appears to have been reached. Thedrinks trolleys are wheeled off.

"Hey! Hey!" you shout in unison, banging yourfists against the tiny window. A commotion is brewing behind you, but it barelyregisters. Stepek is pummelling one hand against the glass while the otherpoints at the trolley. He is trying to give instructions to the men below, the phrases,"fucking booze trolley," and "back on the fucking plane," burstingfrom him with such volume that within seconds the flight staff are there, atthe end of your row, ordering you to shut him up. You punch him in the kidneys.

"Tell them to put the drinks trolley back on theplane," he shouts at them. "My friend and I bought tickets for thisflight under the assumption that we could get drunk on it. Clearly that is notthe case." You can see that they are becoming concerned that the rest ofthe passengers will get wind of this. The last time it happened they waiteduntil the plane was in the air before announcing that it would be "wateronly" for the duration of the flight.

to be continued ...