This coat and this whistle used to terrify me.

In the month of January, I went to our airport (OIA is very distinct from IOA yet odly familiar, no? Wouldn’t it be ridic(ulous) if the Hulk and Dr. Seuss arrived in Terminal A?) five times – plenty of picking-up, dropping-off, embraces, smiles, and greetings were involved.
Another typical airport emotion of mine? Intimidation.

Let me explain:
Have you ever been to the terminal to pick up your arriving loved one and while patiently waiting for them in your car, maybe humming some tunes or daydreaming about your reunion, you were rudely whistled at by an airport employee?
Not a gentle wave, not a simple eye-contact and head nod, but rather an abrupt high-pitched screech accompanied by an abrupt hand gesture or perhaps a yell?
If you ever picked up someone at OIA (official airport code: MCO) post 9-11, after they got rid off the option to wait in your car at the terminal, chances are this unsettling incident has happened to you.
The threat of towing you unattended car doesn’t scream kindness either.

From my past experiences with airports, I have built a healthy fear of these whistle blowers.
I usually get ska-daddleing before they can bring that noise-maker to their mouth.

But a new friend changed my perception of these brightly-clad  terminal monitors.

I was picking my up my pops from the Continental terminal in mid-January.
He had given me a call telling me he landed and would be there soon.
Equipped with this information, I pulled to the side and began to wait.
In less than a minute a man in an “Aiport Ops” jacket approaches my car.
I brace myself, my muscles begin to tense, anticipating the impending screech of that whistle.
I looked like those people who are waiting for the balloon to pop: face clenched, eyes squinted, and slowly sneaking a peek.
Instead, the airport employee slowly comes up and with a kind acknowledging head nod and asks me to roll down my window.
I do so.
He politely smiles, and, to my surprise begins to gently greet me: “Hi, how’s it going? Are you picking someone up?”
I relay my recently gained information from my Dad.
“Oh, I see. Well it takes an average of about 15-20 minutes for someone to come from the gate, get their bags and come out here for pick-up. Do you mind circling around one more time and then come back and wait for a couple of minutes?”
Taken back by my unmet expectation I simply say, “Uh, yes, sure.”

Kind Chatter

As I exit the terminal, I shake my head in shock from what just happened.
Was I actually spoken to at the terminal not blown at?
Was I actually making my circle around because I was kindly requested to not demanded?
Was I actually treated as a rational individual and not whistled at as cattle?
He was polite and he wasn’t trying to hit on me.
How refreshing!

Finishing my circle, I came back around to the Continental section.
As the employee makes his rounds, he passes our car and this time I motion for his attention.
He comes by and asks again how it’s going and whether I found my Dad yet.
Before I answer his question, I express my delight, “Thanks for being kind. It’s nice to have someone politely state a request rather than yelling me to move.”
“Yeah,” he says and with a chuckle continues, “I know some of my co-workers can be mean sometimes.”
“You know, you got me to do the same action as they do with the whistle,” I share, “except you did it with a smile.”
He thoughtfully replies, “You’re a person – I don’t need to shout or blow this whistle at you.”

I begin to look at him as more than an “Airport Ops” employee.
He’s a person too.
I soon discover that his name is Melvin.
Melvin, as I begin to notice, treats all drivers in the terminal just as kindly.
I don’t think I ever heard him use his whistle.
It simply appears to be his hand accessory.

This post goes out to Mel and to the other hard-working individuals who make the choice to approach their job with positivity.
Because, really, being a jerk is not only unnecessary but it’s also so outttaa styllleeeee.

Courtesy revived

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