I shook the hand of John Wayne

If you travel enough, you'll see things that you never want to forget. I'm based in Houston, TX with my airline so I commute in and out of Birmingham about once a week. Most of the time, I wear my uniform since I'll be flying later on that day.

One evening last year, I was commuting home from Houston and was walking to the gate to get my jumpseat form. As I approached the gate agent, an elderly woman standing nearby took me aside and asked, "Are you our pilot?" Since I was only riding home, I responded to her, "No ma'am, I'm not the pilot for this flight," hoping that she would leave me alone. However, she persisted with her question, "But you are a pilot, though, right?" I responded affirmatively since I was in uniform. Apparently, this woman had something to say to me! She then took my hand in hers and began shaking it. This wasn't the brief, cordial handshake that two people exchange upon greeting one another. This was what I might classify as the "extended handshake." She stared at me for a few moments and continued shaking and finally began to speak. -Knowing that it would be rude to withdraw my hand, especially from someone who is a customer of our airline and older than me, I endured the shake, hoping it would wouldn't be much longer before she was done. I was wrong.

"I want to tell you something, young man. This hand right here is the hand that shook the hand of John Wayne when he was filming Sands of Iwo Jima in 1949. This is also the hand that shook the paw of Lassie in 1954!" Feigning interest, I commented, "That's wonderful, what an opportunity you had!" She finished her story with: "I shake the hand of every pilot who flies me and I haven't washed my hand since!" At this she finally withdrew her hand and her "shake & story " was over. While I would normally laugh about her hygienic negligence, I remember feeling and seeing a wart on the palm of her hand.

Is there a lesson I have learned from this? Possibly: Sometimes the act of being good-natured must be followed with a thorough scrubbing of the hands. Remember that next time you shake my hand, you are shaking the hand that shook the hand of John Wayne. - and Lassie.