Airport Mix-up

Mistakes

I have a nasty habit of embarrassing myself regularly, but I have never been so humiliated as on this occassion...

Airport Mix-up

I was on vacation in Hawaii with my younger brother (both of us in our early twenties) and it was time to begin the long journey home on the red-eye flight. He has had a habit of purposely annoying me (in true pesty brother fashion) for our entire lives. His favorite trick is to walk with me, then cut in front of me and slow down, forcing me to slow down and step on his heels, which drives me insane. He'd done this several times already on the trip.

We had a layover in a large airport and only had fifteen minutes to make it to the next gate to catch another flight. We'd been up for almost twenty hours and were carrying our two weeks worth of luggage in through the crowded airport and I was extremely grumpy. I was walking along, my carry-on in one hand, my heavy purse in the other, and dragging my suitcase behind me. My brother cut in front of me and slowed down. I sighed and
said "You'd better knock it off or you'll be sorry!" No reaction. He was really asking for it. I said "I mean it! I'm not in the mood!" Still no reaction. I don't generally make a habit of random beatings, but this meant war. I hefted my heavy purse and whacked him between the shoulder blades with it as I bellowed "What the hell is wrong with you?!? Speed up, for
Christ's sake!" At this point, my "brother" turned around (who wouldn't?) and I was horrified to discover that it wasn't my brother at all, but a man who looked similar from behind. The reason he was walking so slowly? He had a club foot.

If you think you've ever embarassed yourself, try explaining to a
handicapped stranger why you've just not only beaten him with your purse, but cursed at him. My brother was behind me the whole time and after he made sure the man was okay, could barely contain himself.

I haven't heard the end of it yet.