1 Mom 2 Cups

When I first saw this story I was automatically skeptical. There have been so many reports and video of folks getting into fights on planes with staff, each other, scorpions, and dying rabbits. Just too much. But this story confirmed my skepticism after I watched an interview about a Missouri mother of two named Nicole Harper with an overactive bladder. 

She says that while she was on a plane that she had to use the restroom but the staff would not let her. “I get out of my seat to go to the bathroom, the flight attendant gets on the intercom and says I need to return to my seat. They very rudely said that I was not allowed to get out of my seat and at that point I said 'well I'm either going to need to go to the bathroom or you're going to have to give me a cup to pee in or something'.” Ask and you shall receive! I read that in the bible once. Spartacus 3:16 I believe. Don't quote me on that though. I haven't been to church since Obama's first term.

Harper says that they handed her two cups and it was show time. She says that while seated she pissed into the two cups. I shit you not. This is a thing an adult did. “It's so degrading because there are passengers, strangers, that I have to basically do this in front of.” Ya gross! She says afterward she was taken to the planes bathroom and empty the pee cups and then hold the pee cups until she got off the plane. She also says that they treated her like a criminal. I wouldn't have treated her like a criminal if I were on the plane with her so much as treated her like a grown up that peed into cups on a plane.

United, the plane company, says that they were entering their final descent and told everyone to stay seated. Harper says that is not what happened and it was half an hour into the flight. United issued a statement saying “Customer safety is always our first priority. Initial reports from the Mesa Airlines flight attendants indicate that Ms. Harper attempted to visit the lavatory on final descent and was instructed to remain seated with the seat belt fastened per FAA regulations. The situation as described by Ms. Harper and our employees is upsetting for all involved. We have reached out to Ms. Harper and our flying partner Mesa Airlines to better understand what occurred.” They also said that if she peed into a cup that she did it on her own. Or as Black folk say “That's on you.”

Harper is an emergency room nurse and said “I completely understand having a bad day on the job and having to deal with undesirable bodily fluids. What I don't understand is ZERO customer service, if I treated a patient this poorly I would surely have consequences.” What I don't understand is not just getting up and saying that you are heading to the bathroom. They don't need to know that you have to pee or have an overactive bladder. Hell, you can have a skittish sphincter and a trepidatious taint. They don't need to know anything except that you are getting up and leaving the bathroom a little lighter than when you entered. The only way you could keep me seated would have been to tie me down or knock me out...in which case I would pee anyway. So jokes on you!