The Thin Edge

My plane landed yesterday afternoon at Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, after the rare and wonderful experience of flying First Class (aka BusinessElite in Delta Airline parlance) from London, courtesy of generous friends in Fayetteville, Georgia, who gave me one of their "buddy passes." I normally dread these transatlantic flights—too many people packed too tightly together for too many hours—but I could really get used to the first-class luxuries that I enjoyed yesterday in the 767-300ER wide-body aircraft. I savored every moment like Jethro Bodine on the Beverly Hillbillies, probably amusing my thirty-five cabin mates who long ago lost their initial sense of wonder.

Here's a brief list for the uninitiated hayseed:

• Fully reclining, power-adjustable, ergonomic seats. These are a thing of wonder! There were more buttons to push than my rich uncle's Cadillac DTS. I actually slept for nearly four hours of a nine-hour flight, which almost qualifies as a miracle given the arthritis in my knees. A thick, warm blanket and a real pillow provided an extra bit of comfort, although I did miss my featherbed.
• Personalized dining experience. A four-course meal served with linen napkins and stainless eating utensils. You actually get to choose from a menu of three main courses or the celebrity chef entree (my choice): pan-seared sole with grapes and capers, served with cauliflower puree and sautéed spinach. It was lush! Did I mention the warm chocolate-chip cookies served with coffee anytime you felt like pushing a button?
• Unlimited beverages anytime during the flight. We were offered champagne and juices before the plane left its gate in London. Every time I would finish my Evian, another chilled bottle was quickly put in its place. I heard passengers ordering mixed drinks that I had never heard of (typical Southern Baptist roots, I know) and I tried a glass of white wine with my filet of sole, although I didn't really care for it. Some guy named Jack Daniels was either in the cabin or maybe he was the chef—I'm not really sure—because I overheard his name quite frequently being used by passengers and flight attendants. Evidently Jack is originally from Tennessee and he has his own website, so he must be famous!
• In-seat entertainment system. Personal television monitor with on-demand movies and games, controlled by each passenger. Delta provides noise-canceling headphones so you can actually hear the dialog over the strain of jet turbines. This amenity didn't tempt me at all, since I brough my own entertainment: a copy of Velvet Elvis, a 30GB iPod loaded with music and podcasts, an aging Mac PowerBook G4, Sennheiser active noise canceling headphones and my new iPhone.
• Power source for my electronic gadgets. No kidding, there was an American-style power plug built into my seat. I didn't need one of those silly (and expensive) airline adapters to charge my laptop. I should have brought my blender for making smoothies!

Well, it's been sixteen months since my last visit to the states. It was great to see two of my sisters and my dad last night. One of my sisters got married (for the first time) last January. She had a wonderful Southern-style meal prepared: fresh turnip greens, cornbread, butter beans, and a spiral-sliced ham. Even Jethro would have been proud to share the table with us last night! Mmmmm!