Can I See Your ID?

In 2008, D and I were living in Provo going to BYU.

In May, we flew from SLC to Sacramento to visit D's grandpa who had lung cancer.

We booked the flight only days before we flew out, so our flight times were bizarre.

On the way home (from Sac to SLC), we had a layover in Las Vegas before our red-eye flight into SLC.  We were exhausted and sat in the airport desperate for some rest.  (For those of you who have flown in or out of the Las Vegas airport, you know this is impossible.  There are slot machines and flashing lights everywhere in that airport!)  D was unshaven, I wasn't wearing any make-up, we were both hot messes.  

It was time to board our flight and we went up to the gate agent and handed her our boarding passes.  She looked at me and looked at my ticket.

"I'm sorry, you can't sit in the emergency exit row."

I'm sorry, what?  I can't sit in the emergency exit row?  Is there some new TSA rule about height requirements or something?

"You have to be at least 15 to sit in the emergency exit row."

I was 22.

I told the gate agent that I was 22, flying home with my husband, and capable of sitting in the emergency exit row (and had been for the last 7 years, no less).

She didn't believe me (which means she thought D was a total creeper).

I handed her my ID, too tired to fight.  Meanwhile, the line behind us was getting longer and the people more impatient.

Finally, the gate agent let me go, allowing me to sit in the emergency exit row.

But only after giving me the stink eye and saying, "Enjoy your flight, ma'am."