Sprite

During a return flight to New York, I sat beside man who was unable to walk or talk.

He was in the middle seat. His wife was beside him.

There was an awkward moment when I attempted to reach my window seat but the man could not stand up.

I sensed passangers in the aisle getting impatient.

“I can lift him,” the woman suggested.  

The man was twice her size.

An inflight issue was now our problem.

"How about I step over him?" I offered.

She agreed.

Once settled, we briefly chatted about the weather but otherwise kept to ourselves. 

 I was curious: Had the man she called Tom had a stroke? A car accident? Was it a neurological condition?

During the two hour flight, the woman lovingly handed Tom meat and cheese sandwiches and gave him sips

of Sprite from a disposable airline cup.

Her emtional generosity reminded of the saying, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."