So most of the time I don't do things that weigh heavily on my conscience. I just don't put myself in situations that require it. But here lately, I can't get something that happened about a month ago off my mind.
I worked a flight into JFK airport from Raleigh, NC. There were a TON of kids on the flight....so many in fact my captain asked me if I had fun babysitting. Included on the flight was an asian family of 2 adults and 5 children. I noticed them during the flight, but most of them were sleeping so I didn't pay much attention. We arrived at JFK around 9:15 (already delayed 2 hours) and got everybody off the plane. I did forget one tiny detail, everyone on the flight was connecting to international flights. That's what happens at JFK, its one of those airports that operates at all hours of the day and night because there are so many international flights leaving at night and so many red eyes and international that arrive super early in the morning. This particular family was trying to make a 10pm flight to Hong Kong.
Everyone deplaned and I soon followed, so tired and ready to go back to Kew Gardens and get some much needed rest and relaxation. I saw the family in the terminal and asked them if they needed help finding their way around (mistake #1) and in their broken English and my hand directions, I led them quickly towards the exit. They were headed to Terminal 5, which required they take the Airtrain. The Airtrain at JFK wasn't close (Airtrain is the train between the 8 terminals at JFK) and it was a good 15 minute walk from where we were in the terminal. They walked with me and to my dismay the Airtrain had quit operating that evening around 9:30. I'm not as familiar with JFK as I am LGA so I asked the Airtrain personnel how we were suppose to get to different terminals, as I had to reach terminal 5 where the city buses connect.
The employee told me that we were to go back downstairs and outside and that there would be an alternate shuttle connecting the terminals. Downstairs outside is a parking garage, so I told the family to stay put and I would go upstairs and ask again. The employee had disappeared (of course) so I had to ask one of the guys cleaning up the parking garage and he directed me in the right direction.
We approached the front of the terminal and I again told the family to wait there and I would go inside and ask. At this point, I felt like I was mother goose with all my little ducklings following behind, chirping in my ears. The woman inside told me to take the shuttle bus marked "All Terminals". So, that's just what we did. It pulled up, we hopped on (with 50 other people) and off we went (mistake #2). Then I realized, we were not going to the other terminals. We were going to the rental car facility and the Airtrain station at Lefferts Blvd. Station. The exact opposite of where they needed to go. At this point, we were pushing 9:45pm. The asian family had made their way to the back of the bus and I stayed right by the door as to remain inconspicuous. I felt like I was on a wild goose chase. The moment I realized we were going the wrong way I was mortified with embarrassment and hoping the asian family didn't notice anything was wrong. I didn't care where I was, I knew at the next stop I had to get off the bus. I had to get where they couldn't see me.
I hopped off quickly at the next stop and ran away into the darkness. They saw me get off and motioned "do we need to get off too?" I said no, and kept on running. I turned back and they were making everyone get off the bus. They began to follow me but I just couldn't bring myself to tell them I had led them in the wrong direction (mistake #3). I was heartbroken. I eventually lost them but couldn't sleep that night wondering if they had made their connection and were flying over the ocean on their way to Hong Kong. I surely hoped so.
My mom always tells me I have a gentle heart, and I hate having my feelings hurt, or someone being mad at me. And it's true. This story is a prime example. It was my fault they probably weren't on their way home, and I knew it. I helped them as much as I could, or just as much as I guess they could have figured out on their own....but I still think about them often. Strangers...people I don't know... but every now and then, they cross my mind.
I guess it's just part of the job.
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