On a late-night flight, I found myself next to a passenger who made the trip unbearable. He mocked my fear of turbulence, laughed when I asked for a blanket, and even cracked jokes loud enough for other passengers to hear. Embarrassed and exhausted, I silently vowed never to see him again.
But fate had other plans. The next morning, I went to visit my mom, as I usually do on weekends. When she opened the door, I froze. Sitting comfortably in her kitchen, sipping coffee in her robe, was the very same man from the plane.
“Meet Greg,” my mom said cheerfully. “We’ve been seeing each other for a while. I was hoping you’d get along.”
Shock and disbelief left me speechless. The obnoxious stranger who ridiculed me in front of dozens of people was now part of my mother’s life. Over time, though, I realized his arrogance on the flight had been nervousness. Around my mom, he was gentle, kind, and surprisingly supportive. Slowly, my resentment gave way to understanding. Life has a strange way of introducing people—sometimes in the most uncomfortable ways.
