As a frequent business traveler, I thought I’d seen it all – until one flight where a simple protein bar turned into a full-blown confrontation. There I was, settling into my aisle seat on a Chicago to Portland flight when I felt that all-too-familiar tremor in my hands. My blood sugar was dropping, and with Type 1 diabetes, that’s not something I can ignore.
I reached for my emergency snack when the woman next to me snapped, “Could you not eat that? My son can’t handle people eating near him.” I blinked in disbelief as she gestured to her preteen, completely engrossed in his iPad game. When I explained my medical condition, she doubled down: “It’s just a short flight. You can wait.”
What happened next shocked the entire cabin. After being denied food by these entitled parents (who somehow thought they could dictate what happened in our entire row), I made sure everyone heard about my medical needs. The flight attendant immediately brought me food, while nearby passengers glared at the unreasonable couple. The kicker? Their “sensitive” child had been munching Skittles the whole time without issue.
