Airport Vending Machine

Something divine happened to me today. I was way too early for my flight to New York and was at my gate in Madrid before the sun and the rest of Spain woke up. Not a single store or restaurant was open in the airport, so the only option was a vending machine. As I stood there, staring through the glass, not knowing how much time had passed as I pondered every option, I finally got my drink, as an older man comes beside me and asks for my help. He told me he believes my generation is better at these things, and wanted my assistance in working the machine.

Naturally, we get to talking and eventually he gets to the question, "Where are you headed?"

In that moment, I decide to be open and I reply, "Sadly, I am going home to attend my grandfather's funeral". The man, looking about my grandfather's age, stops in his tracks to tell me how sorry he is for my loss and how proud my PopPop would be of me.

Kindly, he asks what my grandfather was like, and of course I go on and on about the extraordinary man that he was.. how kind he was, how brave, and most importantly, how he was the hardest worker of anyone I've ever met, and worked in the airline industry for years which I have always admired.

At this, the man took sudden interest, and asked if I'd be so kind to tell him which airline. When I muttered the words, Pan Am, he had this glazed look in his eye and a smirk spread across his entire face. The man pauses for a moment, and through a smile, he exclaims, "Who was your grandfather?"

To this I proudly reply, "His name was Bill Waltrip". He stutters just a step, puts his hand over his mouth and replies, "I knew Bill... I was the first Black pilot at Pan Am during the time your grandfather was the man in charge. I only met him in passing a few times, but he was a wonderful man to work for... I've worked for many airlines since then and if I could do it all over again, I would always choose Pan Am... I think your grandfather would say the same".

The man then introduced himself, and we stopped for a moment in silence at the beauty, complexity and rarity of it all.

//

I found an article about him later, and in it, he reflects on his relationship with his grandfather. A man who always believed in him and told him to chase his dreams. His grandfather was the reason he became a pilot in the first place and went on to meet and work for PopPop.

I don't believe in coincidences. I don't believe moments like this just happen to us.

The man left me by saying, with a twinkle and a tear in his eye, "I know your Pops is looking down at you right now and that he is proud you're his granddaughter.. he is proud you are here".

//

I truly believe PopPop spoke to me through this perfect stranger. And like the old man said, I think if Pops were to look at his life and do it all over, he'd choose it again. And now he is living through me and my family. And speaking to us through random strangers at airport vending machines. And in every sunset, and in every plane in the sky. And I promise, from this day forward, to keep listening. Forevermore.