my new friend

I boarded the bus that would take us to our plan which was situated in an apron position. On a side note, I still haven’t figured out why some people call it an apron position while others call it an outside park position, all I know is both involve riding on a bus. It seems Frankfurt airport has more of these apron positions than they have planes at gates as I’m constantly getting on busses and driving around that airport. However, this time was different. The bus seats were full so I stood by the door as we waited to take on the remaining passengers in standing room only. A guy approached the bus carrying two bags of Duty Free shopping, I giggled inside as he appeared to be Indian or some other Eastern origin and this was the typical look of a Duty Free shopper. As he approached, I noticed that he had a lot of hair and something about it looked off. I chalked it up to cultural differences until he plopped his bags down right in front of me. While staring at the back of his head (he was about my height) I noticed a bit of a reddish tint to part of his hair and right around the part where the red tint gave way to black was a sublet bald spot…this man was wearing a wig!!! From the front he must have thought it covered his balding nicely but from the back it was clearly off color and off its mark. Oh no, now he’s turning around and it takes all I have not to giggle as he is staring straight at me. In my suppression of giggles, I let out a smile and he continued to stare. I was in no mood to make friends with wig man so I tried to look around and avoid further eye contact. Perfect, situation avoided, I exited the bus and boarded the plane. Strapped into my seat, 20F, I took out my book and began to read. It seemed the whole bus load had been seated and we were just waiting for the second bus, I didn’t anticipate the flight being full since I got a window seat when I checked in about 45 minutes out with the cut off looming. Suddenly I see wig man again and he’s putting something into the overhead compartment just one row in front of mine because he’s sitting in 20D. Since we’ve previously made eye contact and I’m reading my book, I don’t feel obliged to acknowledge him at all. He feels differently. Due to the fact that I’m reading an English book in a German airport on a German Airlines he asks if I am American. I confirm without looking up from my book in order to dissuade conversation…then I feel rude. In retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t engage in conversation because he continued to talk to me after I gave him the cold shoulder. He went and got two pillows and offered me one and then he found some “Bounty to Go” (this must have been brought on my one of the American students on the flight) and asked if it was mine. Then he asked me to close the window – nothing about these offers/requests required conversation and I was glad but apparently I had failed at making myself unapproachable. Luckily for me we were staying at different hotels and I parted ways with wig man for the last time as we exited the plane – hopefully.