Nicole turned toward the neighboring passengers, her voice dripping with fake, professional concern. “As the lead flight attendant, I need to ensure the absolute safety of everyone on board. That means I need someone completely reliable in this exit row. Based on our earlier interactions, I obviously cannot afford an altercation or a communication breakdown in the event of an emergency.”
She phrased it so structurally, mimicking strict protocol so perfectly, that a couple of passengers a few rows back actually nodded in agreement, completely buying her act. Sam felt himself grow visibly upset, the sheer injustice of it making his blood boil.
“I’m unreliable? All I’ve done so far is board this flight, sit in my assigned seat, and repeatedly deal with you being passive-aggressive because I didn’t want to put my laptop pouch in the damn overhead cabin! And now you’re calling me unreliable in front of the entire aircraft after all of that? This is unbelievable!”