Making You Vouch For Humanity

(I am flying over to the UK to see my boyfriend. My first flight from St.Louis to D.C is delayed and I can’t get any flights to London that night, so the ladies at the counter tell me I have to stay at a hotel that the airline provides. I am getting really scared and freaked out as I have anxiety and am only 17.)

Me: *visibly shaking and terrified* “O- okay, th- thank you.”

Lady: “Oh, honey, how old are you?”

Me: “17, and this is my first time traveling without my mom.”

Lady: “Oh, no, I’m sorry. Our policy states that you have to be 18 to use our vouchers for the hotel; we can’t let you go, but don’t worry we’ll figure something out.”

(She then calls her manager and a few other ladies over to ask them what to do. While they are talking I start freaking out more. Meanwhile, the nice older lady that I was sitting next to on the flight comes up to me.)

Older Lady: “Oh, you can’t get a flight either? They gave me the voucher so I’m going to head over to the hotel right now. Would you like to walk with me?”

Me: “I can’t have the voucher since I’m under 18 and without a guardian or parent… So I think I’m going to sleep here tonight.”

Old Lady: “Well, it isn’t very safe for you to be out here alone at night! How about I be your guardian for the night; you can stay in a room with me.”

Me: “Oh, really? Thank you! That would help so much!”

Old Lady: *she goes up to the desk to the lady I talked to before* “Excuse me, ma’am, would it be all right if for the night I was her guardian? You see, I just don’t want her sleeping in the airport alone.”

Lady: “We could try that; I’ll ask my managers.”

(She goes and talks to the other ladies and they invite me into their office to get things settled. I tell them that I and the old lady sat next to each other for the whole flight and talked quite a bit. They say it will be fine if I call my mom to get permission. I do and everything gets settled. The old lady and I take the shuttle to the hotel, and she buys me a really nice dinner!)

Me: “Thank you so, so, so much! I am so grateful!”

Old Lady: “Well, I have two daughters, one of who travels a lot because her husband lives in the UK. In fact, that’s who I’m going to go visit. I would just hope if she’s in the same situation as you, someone would’ve helped her.”

(I tried to find her a few months later, but I couldn’t seem to find her anywhere online. To the lady I sat next to on the flight, if you’re reading this, thank you for everything.)