Making a Connection on a Direct Flight

[Richard]

By JOHN EDWARD; as told to JOAN RAYMOND
Published: November 10, 2008
MY life is about making connections.

John Edward is the host of “John Edward Cross Country” on WE, a cable network.

Q & A

Q. How often do you fly?

A. About six times a month, domestic and international.

Q. What’s your favorite airport?

A. Dallas-Fort Worth. They make it easy for a traveler, and there are a lot of shops. I hate O’Hare. It’s a zoo.

Q. Of all the places you’ve been, what’s the best?

A. There really is no best place for me. I try to find an interesting restaurant or hotel or something, every place I go.

Q. Do you have any airport routines?

A. I like to eat. A lot. And I’m not picky. When I’m at Heathrow, the first thing I do is hit T.G.I. Friday’s. At Los Angeles airport, Burger King. And when I’m at LaGuardia, I go to Brooklyn National Deli. I grew up working in a deli, and I can still make the best egg sandwich on the planet.
It can be amusing when people recognize me in the airport. There have been a number of times when someone on a cellphone glances at me, and then a split-second later I hear, “Oh my God, there’s the guy who talks to dead people.”

I just shrug. But I really am the guy who talks to dead people.

However, if you see me getting coffee at the airport and you come up and ask how your dead grandma is doing, I won’t be able to tell you. It really doesn’t work like that. Even if you offer to buy me a double espresso.

But sometimes connections do happen when you least expect it.

I was headed to Miami. And when I boarded the plane, I immediately noticed one particular flight attendant. The minute I saw her I wanted to give her a hug. I didn’t.

I am not the kind of guy who gives strangers hugs for no reason. You can get arrested for that. But I thought my reaction was very unusual.

Apparently, so did the attendant. She was looking at me as if she recognized me. I thought that maybe she knew me from TV.

I went to my seat, and I didn’t think anything more it. But after we took off, she approached me and asked me whether I knew her family.

I asked her some questions, like where they were from. But nothing clicked. I didn’t know them.

During the flight she came up to me several other times, asking me whether I was absolutely sure I didn’t know her family. I kept saying that I did not.

Finally, she approached me again and said that she thought I was connected to her father in some way.

I wanted to put her at ease, so I told her I was that guy from TV and maybe she knew me from the show. She said she never heard of me or of my TV show “Cross Country.”

At this point, my seatmate, who was listening to our various conversations, was absolutely dumbfounded that this attendant was still insisting that I knew her family.

A few minutes later, another flight attendant approached me.

She was quite upset. She said that she didn’t know who I was or what I do, but her colleague was quite emotional. And this attendant was sure I had something to do with it.

Now, I thought the best thing I could do was get up out of my seat and go talk to the attendant who insisted that her family knew me.

We sat in the galley area, and I told her how I wanted to give her a hug when I got on the plane, even though I didn’t know her. And then something amazing happened. I started talking to her about her dead father. I knew his name and the names of other people in her family who were with him on the other side. I told her about all the feelings he had for her and for his family. But most of all I told her he was O.K., and he wanted her to be well, too.

I went to give her a hug. And then I placed two fingers on her shoulder. It was a gesture that was completely foreign for me.

And when I placed my fingers on her shoulder, the attendant broke into tears.

But they were tears of joy. She told me her dad used to do the same thing.

I may not be able to tell you when a flight is going to be canceled or delayed. And I certainly can’t help you with stock tips. Or the blackjack table in Vegas.

But sometimes, what I can do brings some closure to people who need it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/business/11flier.html?_r=1&oref=slogin