Everyone understands how traveling can sometimes be somewhat intense. It’s a total ordeal that takes a lot of time and effort, from booking the flights to packing up and getting ready. When someone goes on vacation and treats themselves, however, it becomes an exciting adventure. It can be all new and exciting, getting somewhere nice to relax and discover a new place. Emmit was looking forward to that. He didn’t know he was going to have a hard time getting to his destination.
The Words Were Out
Emmit had no clue that someone would spoil it all for him while he was eager to travel. The words escaped his lips before he was able to catch himself. For a while now, the woman had been harassing him, and he had had enough. She was hit like a ton of bricks by the words he said, making her recoil, looking scandalized. But how dare she act like this? He only said what everybody thought. All the people around them slowly began to clap. How could this situation have escalated so quickly?
The Words Were Out
The Airport
If you’ve ever been to an airport and flew at least once in your life, you must understand how stressful the whole experience can be. No wonder people become easily frustrated with delayed flights, long lines, and lost luggage. Emmit, however, wanted nothing to get him down that day. He saved for this trip for months already and even decided to splurge himself on a first-class ticket as a birthday present. His day was about to be ruined by an entitled woman.
The Airport
Vacation
Emmit went to the Dominican Republic. Over the past few weeks, he worked extra hard to make sure his workload was cleared up. The day before his birthday, he even planned to fly out to have enough time to celebrate and relax when he got there. He planned and prepared for just about any scenario. The only thing he didn’t plan for was the nastiness he was about to encounter.
Vacation
Hard Work
While Emmit was waiting in line, he hummed and tapped his feet. Life was great. He made something of himself and was now reaping the rewards of his hard work. Working as a music executive meant working in the studio for long hours, but it all seemed to be worth it right now. With some much-needed R&R, he couldn’t wait to kick back and relax. He had no idea that someone was about to try to take everything away from him.
Hard Work
A Voice Behind
He looked calmly at the line, almost too much to bear in anticipation of boarding. However, as he felt someone trying to push through, he heard a loud voice behind him. “Excuse me… Excuse me…” the voice said. He turned around, not realizing that he was about to get into the confrontation of his life to find out what this woman wanted.
A Voice Behind
Condescending Gaze
The woman blatantly gave Emmit a once-over, slowly and purposely looking up and down at him, taking everything in. He clearly wasn’t meant to be there in the same line as her, in her own mind. She pointed at her chin, pointing to the sign that the line was reserved for the first class’s flyers. When she spat out the confusing words, her mouth was practically a sneer. Emmit was truly astounded.
Condescending Gaze
Losing Patience
“I believe you may be in the wrong place,” the woman said. However, before Emmit could correct her and say he was flying first-class, she told him to get out of the line. She tried getting in front of him by rudely yelling, “Let us through.” Emmit tried to remain calm and to diffuse the situation. Something was wrong with this woman.
Losing Patience
Staying Calm
Emmit, feeling puzzled, looked at this woman. He calmly explained that in this line, he was meant to be. She insisted, however, saying, “I believe you may be in the wrong place; you need to let us through. This line is for priority booking.” She had in her voice a condescending tone that she didn’t even try to hide. Emmit tried reasoning with her. “Priority meaning first-class, correct?” Still, the woman refused to let this go. Emmit would understand soon enough what she was really implying.
Staying Calm
Keeping The Peace
“Yes,” the woman snapped, “Now excuse me. They will call y’all after we board.” This was when it really got Emmit confused. Why was this woman so sure he was waiting in the wrong line? Why did she single him out? He began to get annoyed. He pulled his ticket out of his wallet and showed it to the woman to prove it was where he was supposed to be. While he owed her no explanation of any kind, he thought it would put an end to the argument. But he was mistaken.
Keeping The Peace
Making A Scene
The woman looked downright scandalized. She frowned and told her friends something loudly, making sure that Emmit could also hear her. “He must be military or something,” she moaned, passive-aggressively. “But we paid for our seats, so he still should have to wait.” Emmit couldn’t believe what she said. He didn’t want to make a scene at the airport, though. He was trying to think of excuses for her actions. Apparently, she assumed that he could not afford a first-class ticket. Was she really implying what she thought she was?
Making A Scene
Implications
Emmit had a hunch of what it was all about and what the woman was trying to say. But because of his skin color, he didn’t want to believe she judged him. How could someone in this day and age think he’s a second-class citizen? He couldn’t believe it. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t make any precipitous assumptions or conclusions. He started second-guessing himself. Maybe that woman didn’t mean it that way. But the more he thought, the more he became incredulous.
Implications
Rude
He gently explained that he had been waiting in line first of all, and he would not move. Just like everyone else, she would have to wait. Maybe she was simply under the stress of flying? Looking at the rude woman’s clothing, she didn’t look like she was particularly well-dressed either. He didn’t want to come to that conclusion, but he couldn’t avoid it. This is what got the whole room to clap for him after his response.
Rude
Who Do You Think You Are?
In fact, it was because of his huge stature that he even booked a first-class ticket in the first place. Emmit turned back to the woman and said, “Nope, too big to be in anybody’s military.” The seat would have given him space to travel comfortably. Before the retort left his mouth, with his thoughts racing, he knew that it would not be enough to put the woman in her place. Who was she to question his right to be there?
Who Do You Think You Are
Elephant In The Room
In any case, military servicemen and women do not get first-class tickets free of charge. Why did this woman try to rationalize how he could afford such a thing as an African-American man? Anyway, why was it her business? By this point, people were beginning to gather around bystanders. While the others wanted a piece of the action, some were trying to see what the commotion was about. They would not be disappointed by Emmit. Something just snapped inside him.
Elephant In The Room
In Her Place
Emmit turned back to the entitled woman, and the whole room was clapping at what he said next. It was necessary to take the woman down a notch, and he would be the one to do it. He had to stand up for himself, even though Emmit wasn’t confrontational by nature. He shot a remark at the woman, and she looked like his words had struck her in the face. With disbelief, her eyes grew wide as she recoiled.
In Her Place
Calling Her Out
Emmit told the woman no; he wasn’t in the military. An African-American man with money was what he was. The words he had chosen contained only a slur that would drive the point home. The crowd cheered and applauded, pleased with Emmit’s response of Emmit, and loved the woman’s reaction. But the story wasn’t over yet.
Calling Her Out
Taking A Stand
Emmit took a firm stand right in front of everyone against intolerance. Clearly, the woman deserved it. He even went on to share the story on Facebook, expecting no one to see it but his friends. Little did he know that it was about to turn the situation upside down. Soon he would have to retract what he said.
Taking A Stand
Going Viral
The post of Emmit had been shared more than 250,000 times within two days. Over 300,000 people shared it at this point. Hundreds of remarks came pouring in, praising Emmit’s response to the rude conduct of the woman. One commenter wrote, “Never judge a book by its cover.” “She is so ignorant it makes no sense that people like her still exist. Enjoy yourself; you handled it well.” But soon enough, Emmit would regret it all.
Going Viral
Dismay
The post had already gone viral when Emmit got to his destination. He couldn’t believe the number of times it was shared and the number of people who commented on it. So many people have commended his actions from all around the world. However, instead of being thrilled about the publicity, Emmit was dismayed.
Dismay
Wrong Reasons
He thought his post was viral for the wrong reasons. He later wrote, “This racist stuff is definitely an issue, but this is not the solution to that issue.” He had plenty of time to think about what happened while on his flight. He knew he had to do something about it.
Wrong Reasons
Regret
He wrote, “It brings me no joy waking up in paradise.” He discovered he was why another person went through “hell” on his 37th birthday, the day he was supposed to celebrate. People were there who claimed that his original post was fake. It was high time that these people were addressed, too.
Regret
The High Road
“The story was definitely real, just like this issue is definitely real, but I now know that I myself should have handled it another way, or left it how it was, and not shared it publicly.” Instead of discouraging intolerance in the world, it was highlighted by everything his post did. It was time in this situation to be the bigger person.
The High Road
Right And Wrong
Emmit wrote on his Instagram account, “When dealing with people, I always try to stay on the side of Right, so to make sure I never do anybody wrong, I always try to put myself in that person’s shoes, and ask how would I feel if that person did this to me,” continuing, “And if I were her this morning I would be a total wreck today, and that doesn’t help this situation, or her… it only makes them angrier, and brings more drama…” He decided to make things right.
Right And Wrong
Public Apology
He wrote in all caps, “SO I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE AGAIN TO THE WOMAN I HAD THIS ENCOUNTER WITH YESTERDAY. NO MATTER HOW WRONG YOUR ACTIONS YOU DON’T DESERVE THIS,” continuing, “I BELIEVE IF YOU CAN’T HELP NOBODY AT THE VERY LEAST YOU SHOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT THEM.” The woman, unfortunately, had not accepted his apology. If Emmit had a chance to do it again that day, though, he would choose to be a force for good, even if the woman didn’t really deserve it.
Public Apology