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“Seriously girl, it’s no big deal. Everyone has emergencies.”
I nodded.
“Yeah, I’m so sorry I haven’t had time to come down to Manhattan,” I said apologetically. “But work has just spiraled out of control and ….”
Karen cut me off.
“This is about work?” she said disbelievingly. “Joanie, it’s Tuesday night! You’re worrying about work? I mean, I get it. Everyone in this city slaves away, but still,” she said, shaking her head while clucking like a hen. “It can’t be that bad. Remember, you can always find a new job.”
And I let out another choked laugh then.
“I could, but what if I told you that my job is borderline illegal? That I’m not sure how they get away with it?”
Karen’s eyes grew wide then, her lashes like big, gummy spiders.
“Get away with what? Oh my god, are you dealing pot? E? K? It’s not that big of deal,” she said solemnly, eyes serious. “Lots of kids here do it.”
What? No! Why would she think I was a budding drug dealer? Maybe the kids at Hudson were selling narcotics, but I’d never consider doing anything like that.
“No Kar,” I said, biting my lip. Somehow, I knew it was okay to tell the truth, even if reality was scandalous. We’ve been through a lot together, even as young girls. Her parents had divorced in seventh grade, and I’d stood by her side. My great-aunt Millie passed away, and Karen had let me cry on her shoulder, even doing my homework when I too much a mess.
So I tried again.
“Kar,” I said slowly. “I work for a private airline. One where there are only male passengers.”
She shot me a long look.
“Really?” she asked, brows scrunched. “What kind of gig is that?”
“I signed up a career fair believe it or not,” was my admission. “Elite Air seemed like any other job, except better. I’d only have to fly short legs between cities in the U.S., so it was a dream come true what with the generous salary and benefits.”
Karen looked puzzled still.
“Okay, but still. Why are there only male passengers?”
Here, I took a deep breath.
“It turns out that there are six guys who founded the company. They’re CEOs who travel a lot, so they figured using their own private jet would be more relaxing. So there are only six male passengers.”
Karen’s face relaxed then.
“Oh okay, that makes a lot more sense. I thought you were going to launch into this whole gender discrimination thing. But no, if it’s the six guys who own the company, then that makes sense.”
I nodded hesitantly.
“But there’s more Kar. I’m more than a flight attendant.”
Her nose wrinkled.
“Totally get it,” she said, waving a hand in the air. “The way corporate America is these days is completely shameless. They expect their workers to be everything and anything, from janitor to handyman to secretary, you name it. Of course you’re not just the stewardess,” she said sympathetically. “Are you the cleaning staff and the chef too? You have a ton of “extra” responsibilities that they play off as “part of the job,” right?”
I nodded again slowly.
“Yes, to an extent,” were my hesitant words. “I do have a ton of extra responsibilities, but it’s not cleaning or cooking.”
Karen scrunched her nose.
“Then what could it be? Do they expect you to fly the plane as well? That’s bullshit Joanie, you have to call them out on that.”
