Common Allergies and Symptoms - My Airline Experience

"But, more than 50 million people in America suffer from common allergies and symptoms," I explained. It did no good, I was not going to get on the flight and all I could think of was, "Why didn't I wear a long sleeved shirt?" Let me take you back in time and explain how I was forced off the plane on the way to my dream vacation!

I should name this story, The Silly Adventures of Me and My Fork. My husband and I recently watched a movie from our youth. In this movie, the main character suffers from allergies and symptoms associated with eating sesame seeds. The actor, in order to prove the food he is eating is laced with the seeds that could cost him his life, scrapes his skin with a fork and rubs the food into the skin. There is no reaction, he is safe, end of story. Unless, of course, you have had a few too many drinks and you think trying this same tactic will be fun.

I am allergic to peanuts. The allergy is not as dangerous as the kiss of death reaction some people have, but I can still feel short of breath if I accidentally consume the nuts. After watching this movie, I decided to see if the forking tactic could actually work on real people. I took a fork, scraped my skin and rubbed the area with a peanut. The result was the effect many common allergies and symptoms have on the body, a rash. I had proven the test effective and I went to bed happy with my ingenuity.

The following morning, my husband and I were set to leave for a Jamaican getaway. As we approached the ticketing counter to board the plane, I was asked about the scrapes and rash on my skin. I explained the above mentioned story and not one person believed me. I was told I could not fly to Jamaica until my "unexplained rash" was gone. I pleaded with the flight attendant and resulting to yelling, "But, more than 50 million people in American suffer from allergies!" No luck on the boarding pass.

In a crazed stupor, I rushed off to the nearest restaurant and asked for a spoon of peanut butter. No one seemed to have this ever so common food. I instantly remembered that my husband was allergic to latex and I was sure I could find a latex glove. I saw a bathroom attendant and asked him for a glove. I got the attention of the flight attendant and proceeded to rub the glove on my husband's arm. A rash nearly instantly started to appear on his skin and I was sure she would understand and let us board the plane.

With a grin on her face, the flight attendant said, "Oh, I am allergic to latex too and skin lotions with fragrance. Isn't it interesting how common allergies and symptoms can link strangers together? But, now that both of you have active rashes, neither of you will be boarding the plane today." The end!