A Weight Problem

Very occasionally it happens – when all the baggage has been safely stowed and the passengers, their eyes already on the sky, are sitting braced for the revving up – that a plane is pronounced overweight.

- Elspeth Davie

Everyone is startled to hear a volunteer being asked to leave. It happened like this, coming like a bolt from the blue, late one autumn afternoon. A suave voice came over the intercom asking for such a person, promising that his fare would be cut by half if he would come on by the next plane.

In the minute following this request there was no movement to be seen along the lines of seats. Not a head turned. Hands which had been fixing seatbelts or fiddling with the overhead knobs were stilled, but there was no volunteer. The request was repeated more firmly, though still politely, still promising rewards. And now at last there came a movement from the rear. All heads swivelled round as a small, middle-aged man of slight proportions made his way slowly up the long aisle towards the front of the plane.