This Sort of Thing Shouldn't Be Happening

A British law professor? Well, we can't think too highly of that lot then, can we? Age 31? Well, perhaps that in and of itself is exculpatory. A heavy sleeper? Too readily reliant on the sympathetic appeal of others to get him to where he intends to arrive? Lets hear that again? A British law professor? Well, no bloody wonder they're all so screwed up there! Mystery solved.

But he's furious, and won't accept Air Canada's apology and explanation and offer of a bonus to smooth over his hurt feelings. After all, he was wearing a bright red jacket and sitting right up against the window. How could anyone have ignored his illustrious presence?

Perhaps he wasn't snoring sufficiently assertively so that the very busy flight attendant, attending to wheel-chair-bound passengers overlooked his flight plight.

During the flight he meant to stay awake, having imbibed a Coca-Cola to that effect, but succumbed to the infantile feeling of safety being aboard "and there was no further destinations and it was all good"; he fell to sleep.

"We live, as we dream - alone." Joseph Conrad said that, and he knew of what he spoke.

One must, perforce, take responsibility for oneself. When embarking upon a trip one must know where one is directed toward, take note and notice upon arrival and disembark. It is as simple as that.

However, British law professor, Kris Lines is furious that on arrival at Vancouver International Airport from Calgary - migawd, what a looong flight - he was not awakened from his sound sleep. "It's absolute craziness. The last thing I remember was taking off from Calgary."

All well and good, he was soothed into slumber by the overwhelming peace and comfort of it all. Like a spoiled child, you know? But no one, no one had the kind-hearted decency to wake him up and it was only when he was in a hangar where the plane was designated for deposit that a mechanic woke him.

There are the legitimate points that he makes: "If I'd been a vulnerable passenger, a young girl or elderly it could have been a lot worse. The other implication is that if I was a terrorist, then I've got an hour and a half after the plane's landed, all by myself in a secure area on a plane", to consider.

Mind, any terrorist addled enough not to have caused mayhem while aloft, and left to his own devices, on his own, in an hangar would be one plot-confused dolt. Somewhat akin to a sleep-confused dolt.