In the Category Titled "Always Be Prepared"

After a quick three-day trip to San Antonio, Texas I was flying home to Chicago on a crowded Southwest Airlines flight. Having gotten the dreaded middle seat, Iwas relieved that there was an adorable little boy sitting on his father's lap in the seat next to me. I figured it would make the time go faster if I could spend it entertaining a cute little one-year old.

It took me about five minutes to figure out that the father spoke very little English and his son was barely speaking any language at all -- except, of course, the universal language of crying when something was bothering him. Most of the time it was easy to figure out what he wanted: the sun was in his eyes, he was bored, he was thirsty. There was really a very limited repertoire.

The father seemed like a very nice man. But it was obvious that he didn't speak the language of childhood either. He didn't shield his son's eyes, bring a toy for hims to play with or ask the flight attendant for juice. I was pleased to help with those small challenges. The father seemed relieved; the child appeared content.

But it was a shortlived contentment. I admit that I was a little surprised to see the father pour the entire large can of apple juice into his son's bottle and dismayed to see the child gulp it down in two minutes flat. When he started crying for more, the father poured his coke into the baby's bottle and he gulped that down too. Right on schedule, the baby spit up on all three of us. We spent the rest of the flight trying to clean ourselves up.

Fortunately I was headed straight home from the airport. But I can think of many occasions when it might have been otherwise, when I might have been going directly from the airport to a business meeting, wearing business attire - not blue jeans.

I hope you will learn from my experience. Always have a business suit with you (in case your luggage gets lost). But don't wear your only business suit on the plane - carry on an extra suit with you or change into your business suit when you deplane. Then sit back and enjoy the ride.