Listen, I'm not a frequent flier, but I do travel several times a year. And there a something that I just don't understand. 

American flight 358, rows 20 or 21, Continental flight 410, rows 14 or 15, Delta 1400, rows 24 or 25. These are all examples of the emergency rows. I guess some people consider this the poor man's first class seat. Remember when you used to get on the plane and pass the First Class section, and you wonder what it is like to sit there? Now, you walk past the emergency row and wonder what it's like to sit there, because now you have to pay extra for it. I know what you're thinking. What don't we pay for when flying? I heard today the airlines are now going to charge to print your ticket at the airport! Common, you've to be @#%&*!# kidding me.

Back to the emergency row. Last Thursday, I was on a flight from LGA to ORD. I was sitting in row 22, just behind the leg room row. I will not say what gender was sitting there, because I do not want to offend anyone, and besides I don't even know if that is important anyway. But these two _______ were sitting there without a care in the world. The flight attendant passed the rows and asked everyone "if they are ok, being in that row". What happened to "are you capable of opening the exit door in case of an emergency. You have at least 100 people counting on your ability to get that damn door open so we can get the freak off this plane?" Silly me, you purchased the right to sit there, who am I to question my safety.

I guess you might be wondering what the hell, what are the chances of surviving a crash anyway? Let me say this: what if that did happen and the pilot did a great job of saving us all, and then some leg room paying putz couldn't get the door open? 

I used to sit in the emrgency row when it was free. This may sound stupid, but I always felt a sense of reponsibility being in that seat. I didn't think it was  my given right. My son Daniel and I were on a Embraer ERJ-145 plane. You know, the one that if you are over six feet tall you're hitting your head if you don't duck walking through the cabin. We were flying from Raleigh to Newark. The plane was delayed because of high winds. They were not kidding. We sat in the emergency row and were asked all the proper questions before take-off. Well, I'm going to say this: every one on that little jet was scared. When we approached the airport to land, we were all over the place. I may be exaggerating, but we were swaying side to side. I made sure I put my coat and hat on, strapped myself in good and tight, prayed a little, and made sure I read those instructions on that emergency door. If  we didn't make it down safely, I wanted to make sure my son, me and everyone else had every possible chance to survive.

I am happy to report we were safe, but it did make me appreciate the importance of the emergency row seat. Sometimes when I am on a plane and I see a flight crew person who must be traveling to get to a differant location sitting in the emergency row, my first thought usually is, "yeah, look at this, they take care of their own." But in reality, I feel safer now seeing an experienced person manning the all-important emergency door!.