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The tearful secret of Themar
A grandmother's tale, untold until now, opens a path of understanding and forgiveness.
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My Jewish roots in Germany
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This world-wanderer masterfully tracks the intricacies of the dance of East and West.
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[09/15/99]

Vagabonding
Shopping for futures
Our wandering correspondent toys with fate in South Korea,
By Rolf Potts
[09/14/99]

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Ensconced in a row by themselves, they thrashed together unrelentingly, oblivious to the sidelong glances of my colleagues, who kept cruising the aisle to get a closer look. The cabin was dark save for a few passenger reading lamps that back-lit the performance like tiny, misguided spotlights. With so few passengers, most people were stretched across several seats and sleeping soundly, unaware of the escalating passion that seemed destined to redefine the concept of a "satisfying" flight.

In a daunting display of dexterity, the woman suddenly threw one leg across her boyfriend's lap, straddling him with such enthusiasm that her skirt canopied like a quick-open parachute. As the couple continued, they made a mystifying attempt at camouflage by draping a blanket over their heads. The blanket could not, however, disguise the woman's sudden, mischievous movements -- she began a slow grind in her boyfriend's crotch, accelerated to an equestrian gallop and in less than two minutes was jouncing up and down at warp speed.

Peering at the action from behind the aft bulkhead, just a few feet away, I could hear muffled moaning and the barely audible thwack-thwack-thwack of colliding flesh. When our female flyer arrived at her final destination, she let loose a shriek that echoed through the cabin. She then collapsed into her boyfriend's arms just as startled passengers sprang upright in their seats.

Welcome to the Mile-High Club.

Throughout 14 years as a commercial airline flight attendant, I've witnessed numerous inductions into this infamous society of airplane passengers who engage in fellatio, cunnilingus and various other forms of sexual communion at high altitude. Though in-flight copulation is often thwarted by storm-trooper flight attendants who threaten to summon security upon arrival, most of my colleagues are like me -- they tolerate and even chuckle at passenger audacity. Just as long as it doesn't get too out of hand.

Next page | Lavatory liaisons and other in-flight sexploits