Some people get nervous about flying, but most people (especially people who travel frequently, like flight attendants) don’t think anything unusual is going to happen on a plane. A lot of us are probably guilty of dozing off during the emergency demonstrations, in fact. But Raquel Vingard experienced something no flight attendant ever wants to experience. In the story below, we’ll discuss how one crumpled note turned her view of flying on its head forever.
Meet Raquel Vingard
Travel was always something Raquel lived for. She’d imagine, when she was younger, of going to all these various places around the world, and she was all about the adventure. The biggest cities like Paris and New York were always places she wanted to go.
Her mother suggested she find a job that incorporated travel after she graduated high school. Raquel decided she wanted to become a flight attendant without hesitation because then she would be able to see the world and help others, which was another big one of her passions.
Upon completing her training, Vingard started up her new job right away. Everything about what she did she loved, and she was sure she had made the right decision. For a few years, it all worked. Things would change, though, when she got to her 500th career flight.
Nervous
When she woke up on the morning of her next flight, she felt more nervous than usual. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but something felt different. Even though she sometimes still got a bit nervous before every flight, she couldn’t help but notice the uncomfortable knot in her stomach.
Regardless, she dressed in the morning and prepared for the long day ahead. She also wanted to make the best impression on her crew and the passengers, so she did her best to put her uncomfortable energy behind her. Raquel was incredibly passionate about hospitality, which is why her career choice fitted her so well.
She chalked her nervousness up to the fact that this was to be her 500th flight. She couldn’t believe just how quickly time had gone. Raquel fondly remembered her first career flight and how nervous she had been. It honestly seemed like just the other day.
Her Fellow Crew Members
As Raquel arrived at the airport, she was excited to see her fellow crew members standing at the boarding gate. She had flown with a few of them many times before and knew just how good they were at their jobs.
Seeing them instantly made her feel a bit more relaxed. She greeted them and was congratulated by everyone for the major career milestone that she was about to reach. It was nice to know that she had the perfect team of crew members on her side.
As they boarded the plane and put their luggage away, Raquel finally started to feel more like herself. She reminded herself that this was going to be an easy flight: just over 4 hours from Sacramento to Detroit. She had flown this route plenty of times before. In fact, she had once worked a 16-hour flight, meaning that this one should be a piece of cake.
Greetings
As the boarding process began, Raquel stood at the door alongside Phil, her fellow steward. She did her best to hide her nerves behind a smile, greeting the passengers, helping them find their seats, and safely storing their luggage.
There was always so much to do before takeoff – Raquel actually found it the most stressful part of the job. She was so busy while the plane began to fill up that she almost forgot about the unsettling feeling in her stomach. However, it was still there, nagging away at the back of her mind.
Like always, Raquel made an effort to keep an eye out for any passengers who needed an extra bit of attention during the flight. Unfortunately, there seemed to be quite a few on this particular flight. Maybe it wouldn’t be as easy as she had hoped.
Interesting Characters
For starters, there was a young couple holding a small child who looked incredibly nervous about the flight ahead of them. These parties were always the most troublesome – though Raquel didn’t mind helping out in any way possible. There was also a man wearing all-black, including a baseball cap and sunglasses, who refused to even look at the flight attendants as he boarded.
On top of this, Raquel noticed a grumpy old man who was mumbling complaints to himself before he even made it to his seat. Lastly, there was the nervous woman, who looked like she needed the most attention of them all.
The lady kept looking around as though she was expecting something bad to happen. In fact, it seemed as though she thought that she was being followed. Raquel did this inspection on every flight, but this would be the most important inspection of her career.
Prior to Takeoff
As the plane remained on the tarmac, the flight attendants went about their jobs, tidying up the overhead bins, checking in with each passenger, and ensuring that all of the safety rules were being adhered to.
Then, the pilot’s voice filled the air to inform everyone what the journey would look like. Unfortunately, it was rather windy outside, which meant that they would be experiencing some turbulence.
Raquel then stood up to follow through with her safety demonstration. Like most people, she really didn’t like turbulence, but little did she know that turbulence would be the last of her worries on this particular flight.
Safety Precautions
A few minutes later, the plane began moving for takeoff. When it reached cruising altitude, the flight attendants took it as their cue to do another safety check. Phil was responsible for first class while Raquel walked down the economy aisle.
She ensured everybody’s seatbelts were still fastened in preparation for the turbulence ahead. While she performed her regular duties, she couldn’t help but think of how grateful she was that nothing bad had ever happened on one of her flights.
She had flown on 499 flights before this one, which was a pretty good record. However, she couldn’t have known that this would be the flight to break her impressive streak.
Turbulence
As soon as she completed her inspection, the plane began to shake with turbulence. The seatbelt sign would normally switch off once the plane reached cruising altitude, but this time it remained on.
Raquel could tell that a few passengers were growing nervous. She did her best to help them remain calm until the wind died down slightly. She slowly made her way back to her own seat, ensuring, once again, that everybody had their seatbelts fastened.
Before she could sit down, however, she noticed something peculiar. Like she always did, she made sure to check on the passengers that she thought would need some extra attention. While the old man and young family seemed perfectly fine, the young woman looked even more nervous than before.
A Nervous Woman
Before, the woman had seemed slightly uncomfortable, almost as though she was being watched. Now, however, the lady was sticking her head out of the aisle, looking more frantic than ever.
Raquel could see that something was seriously bothering the woman. She made her way to her seat and quietly asked if everything was okay. The woman froze before assuring Raquel that she was fine.
Raquel helped her recline her seat in an attempt to get her to relax. She informed her that she would return with the drink cart in a few minutes. The woman nodded, but Raquel could tell that something was still upsetting her.
Some Comfort
Raquel had two passions in life — travel and caring for others. For this reason, becoming a flight attendant was the obvious career choice. She could fly to unique destinations around the globe while catering to passengers.
She hated to see any of her passengers in distress, so she was going to do anything that she could to calm this young woman down. However, there was no way for her to know that these nerves could not be easily calmed.
Raquel hoped that providing the lady with a cup of hot coffee or tea would do the trick. It must have been the turbulence that was bothering her. Right? She must just be a nervous flier.
Drinks
Raquel and Phil started at the back of the plane. Each had their own drink cart and began slowly working their way towards the front. The pair stopped at each row, filling mugs and glasses with various sodas and coffee.
Most flight attendants hated working the drink carts, but Raquel actually didn’t mind it so much. It provided an opportunity to get to know the passengers a bit better. More so, she was able to provide words of comfort to those that she could see were a bit nervous.
As she made her way down the aisle, Raquel kept a close eye on each of the passengers. When she finally reached row 10, the nervous woman’s row, Raquel made sure to offer her a warm smile.
Coffee
Raquel again greeted the woman before asking if she could get anything from the drinks cart. Raquel made sure that her voice remained confident and calm despite the turbulence that shook the plane.
The woman’s hands gripped the armrests, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. She asked for a cup of coffee, and Raquel chatted politely as she poured the hot drink, doing her best to keep her mind off the turbulence.
The lady refused any milk or sugar at first. However, when Raquel went to move to the next row, the woman suddenly exclaimed that she had forgotten something. Raquel could sense the panic in her voice.
Happy to Help
Raquel looked at her expectantly, waiting to hear what it was that she had forgotten. The lady bit her lip, contemplating whether or not she should go through with what she had to say. She took a deep breath.
“Actually, I changed my mind,” she admitted before asking, “Could I please have some milk for my coffee?” Raquel nodded and poured a small cup of milk for the woman. While passing it to her, the lady quickly forced a small, crumpled piece of paper into her hand.
Raquel could tell that the passenger was nervous to hand her this note. However, she was insistent that she take it, looking at her with wide, frantic eyes. Raquel had no idea what she was in for.
Something Was Wrong
Raquel had never been in this position before. Most of her flight had gone off without a hitch, bar a few nervous or impatient passengers. However, as soon as Raquel laid eyes on this woman, she could tell that something was wrong.
More so, she hadn’t quite been able to shake that uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. It was almost as though her body had known something that she didn’t, preparing her for the flight ahead.
Now, as Raquel stood with this letter in her hand, the panicked woman staring at her expectantly, she wasn’t quite sure what to do next.
A Crumpled Note
Raquel couldn’t tell if she was more concerned or curious by the note. Obviously, she hated to see her passenger in distress. More so, the lady was so young that she felt responsible to help her in any way possible.
She opened the note cautiously. Her eyes immediately widened in shock, as she had not expected the contents of the letter. It read, “Help me. He’s not who he seems. 18D.” Raquel looked at the woman, who held eye contact but did not say anything else.
Raquel took a few moments to compose herself and consider what to do next. Her training had not prepared her for a situation like this. This woman was clearly in distress, and it was up to Raquel to help her.
Phil
Raquel had completely forgotten that Phil was standing nearby. He had watched the entire exchange with an expression of concern on his face. Once Raquel realized that he had also seen the note, she suddenly felt relieved.
Phil and Raquel made eye contact, silent conversion passing between the two. Without any hesitation, Raquel slipped the note into her pocket, nodded at the woman, and continued to pass through the aisles with the drink cart.
She did her best to remain as calm as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was make the other passengers nervous. She still had no idea what she was dealing with, but she would get to the bottom of this.
Remaining Calm
Phil and Raquel continued pouring drinks for the remaining passengers in an attempt to not cause any suspicion. Once they reached the front of the plane, they switched directions, returning down the aisles to collect any trash.
However, as they reached the back of the plane, Raquel grew anxious. She made sure to look at every passenger’s face, looking for any signs of distress or concern. Everything seemed to be in order.
Her heart began to beat faster and faster as she approached row 18. What would the man look like? Would he appear as threatening as he sounds? She was surprised to see seat 18D completely empty. Where had he gone?
