The woman beside me said she was allergic and told me not to eat mine. I politely explained I needed something in my stomach to take my medication, but offered to move to the back to eat. When I returned to my seat, she didn’t say a word just sat quietly, staring straight ahead. Ten minutes later, I froze as I saw her press the call button and tell the attendant, her voice shaking, “I think he’s trying to hurt me.”
The flight attendant turned to me, confusion in her eyes. My heart pounded as I tried to explain the situation. Thankfully, another passenger spoke up, having overheard our earlier conversation. The attendant listened carefully and then asked the woman if she had her epinephrine injector ready, just in case. That’s when the truth came out. The woman broke down, confessing that her fear wasn’t really about the nuts she had severe anxiety about flying.
The mention of her allergy had been a way to regain a sense of control. She apologized through tears, admitting she hadn’t meant to accuse me of anything, but panic had gotten the better of her. To ease the tension, the flight attendant offered to move us both to separate rows. As I settled into my new seat, I thought about how quickly fear can spiral when we don’t understand someone else’s struggles.
When the plane landed, the woman caught my eye from across the aisle and mouthed, “I’m sorry.”
I smiled back and nodded, silently forgiving her. It was a reminder that sometimes, the turbulence we feel inside is far stronger than anything happening outside.