BBC Travel had an incredible story a few days ago. The Man Who Could Stop Planes tells what happens when a young woman traveling in Africa comes up against travel hell at an airport — and is rescued by the uncommon decency of a man who chose to use his authority to aid her.
I stared out of an airport window in misery. Dusk was approaching. Rain exploded on the ground. Hunched, glistening figures lurched through the downpour as if under attack. The thought of being caught in this city alone, with no money to afford a decent hotel, struck me with paralyzing dread.
When I turned back to the room, there was a young man lingering beside me. I stared at him stonily, in no mood for small talk.
“Hello,” he said cheerfully. “Can I help you? You look in need of some assistance.”
I judged him to be in his mid-20s, possibly 10 years my junior. He was short, slight and brown skinned, with a South African accent. He was dressed in jeans and a beer emblem T-shirt, with a well-used backpack slung over one shoulder – the global uniform of the travelling student.
“I doubt you can help,” I replied dismissively. “I was supposed to be in Nairobi tonight. I had to be in Nairobi tonight. However, my plane is about to leave without me.”
“Oh, dear,” he said, and his eyes showed genuine sympathy for my situation. “Right, well then, let’s see if there’s anything we can do about that. Come with me.” He moved off briskly, but I remained where I was, confused, embarrassed and reluctant to lose my place in line. He stopped and gestured for me to follow. This time I did, although hesitantly. He cut to the head of the queue, approached an official and spoke to her in Afrikaans. She regarded me coldly but said nothing as I walked past without showing any documentation.
What follows is a tale of how a person caught up in the ordeal that international travel can be is rescued by a man with extraordinary skills and critical authority — because he saw something, and he did something.
If you have a low opinion of the human race, if you detest government functionaries, if you have ever gotten caught in the gears of “the system”, you need to read the rest of this story. It is always a good thing to be reminded that one person can make a difference — when there is still room for human decency.