Scene: Logan International Airport –Boston Mass.

5:15 A.M Announcement: "This flight is oversold we are offering anyone interested in giving up their seat on the 6 A.M flight to Kansas City a $300 voucher and a confirmed seat on the 2 P.M. flight through Newark".

Seasoned traveler that I am I know this drill... I take a quick glance at my boarding pass and breathe a sigh of relief... yes I do have an assigned seat for the flight... whew.

I look around the packed seating area surrounding the gate... no takers and no one seems the slightest bit concerned... except for the baby wailing by the bathroom it is quiet and I assume everyone else around me is still operating in that sleep deprived haze that goes along with a wakeup call at 3 A.M. for a 6 A.M. flight.

5:35 A.M Announcement: "This flight is oversold we are offering anyone interested in giving up their seat on the 6 A.M flight to Kansas City a $350 voucher and a confirmed seat on the 2 P.M. flight through Newark".

Again I look around... no takers and no one seems the slightest bit concerned. And the baby is STILL wailing.

5:45 A.M: While standing in line to board the plane a big bellied bear of a man bullies his way up to the counter and interrupts the gate agent taking the tickets and bellows, I mean BELLOWS out:

"Miss! Miss! I DO NOT HAVE A SEAT ASSIGNMENT ON MY TICKET... it says here 'SEE GATE AGENT.' Does that mean I DO NOT HAVE A SEAT ON THIS FLIGHT?".

Gate Agent response: "Sir could you please wait right over there and I promise that I will be with you in a moment".

Next in line, I hand the gate agent my ticket and give her a sympathetic nod and smile. I quickly make my way to the boarding bridge thinking that once I am on that plane and in my seat I am home free.

And to be brutally honest I am secretly hoping that the big bellied burly brusque Bear of a Bostonian behind me will NOT get a seat on my flight because frankly I would like to get some sleep and he left an impression as the kind of guy I DID NOT want to be near anytime or anywhere much less on a three hour flight at 6 A.M when all I was looking for was some ZZZZZZ's.

5:48 A.M: I turn down the aisle past the first class elite as they give me that knowing "You are not worthy" smile and I glance at my seat location 7A by the window when I notice Wailing Baby (a lap child) is in aisle seat 8B and the deer in the headlights look on window seat 8A's face.

5:50 A.M. Announcement: "This flight is oversold we are offering anyone interested in giving up their seat on the 6 A.M. flight to Kansas City a $400 voucher and a confirmed seat on the 2 P.M. flight through Newark".

5:50 and 1/2 second later A.M.: 8A stands up and raises his hand... "I'll do it!!! I WILL DO IT." he yells. "Where do I sign up?"!

5:51 A.M.: 8A whizzes past Wailing Baby rushing to the airplane door and my mind begins to process what I think is about to happen. "Please No" I silently pray as the baby continues to wail.

5:54 A.M.: My worst nightmare... the big bellied Bear of a bully brushes his way past the flight attendant & the first class elite and heads towards what I assume to be the ONLY open seat on the plane... 8A. Wailing Baby’s mama stands up to let Grizzly Adams in and I watch his face when he realizes he is about to be trapped next to wailing Baby and Mama and that's when I see the transformation... right before my eyes... Grizzly Adams MELTS... his scowl softens and the Burly Bear turned into a Teddy Bear.

5:55 A.M.: Bear settles in to his seat and I can barely hear his voice as says sweetly to wailing baby "there there little one nothing to cry about it's all going to be okay" and believe it or not Wailing Baby stopped wailing! I can't see the faces of Bear, Baby or Baby’s mama and I can't make out exactly what Mama says but I can hear Bear's soft voice respond with... "Nice to meet you both I am so happy to be here seated next to you. I almost didn't get on this flight and I was worried... you see I am going to Kansas City to meet my first grand baby and I can't wait, I hope he is as cute as you are".

6:00 A.M.: The plane is quiet and peaceful, I can't tell for sure but I think Wailing Baby is asleep and Bear is talking softly to Mama about their long journey from India and how tired she and Baby must be. The Flight Attendant announces "Welcome aboard everybody we are about to take off... please make sure your tray tables are in the upright position, your seatbelts are fastened and oh yes... enjoy the ride"!

Thanks to Bear... I did just that!

Today's Food for Thought & Inspiration:

You just Can't Judge a Book (or a Bear) by its Cover!