Crooked Back

• Last week I was sitting adjacent to an elderly Japanese woman.
  
• We did not share a word nor exchange a glance throughout the 3 odd hour flight from Osaka.
• When we landed, I noticed she was struggling to get her bag down from the overhead compartment.
  
• I would guess she was in her '80s but she could have been a super centenarian.
• She had on a thatched hat wrapped with an animal print ribbon.
• She was well dressed and had on heavy make-up.
  
• Her sunglasses were dark and must have been more expensive than my itouch.
• She looked frail and her back was extremely contorted.
  
• I wondered how tall she was before the hunching of her back (kyphosis).
  
• I gently tapped her shoulder to get her attention.
• I offered to carry her bag and hand cart.
• She quickly responded in Japanese followed by hand signals since I was clearly oblivious to what she had to say to me.
• In a nut shell, she told me she could handle it, I guess.
  
• What's the point? I had great admiration for this super centenarian because she displayed dignity most of us can learn from.
• As we approached the aircraft's exit, she hopped onto a wheelchair and was carted off!