How High Are We?

On a return flight to the Northwest yesterday we flew at about 39,000 feet cruising level over four borderlines dividing five states. Not an unusual event for travelers these days. In fact, most national flights will cross many more state borderlines and states.

A few people craned their necks to look out of the window, most didn't bother. On this particular plane with three seats on either side of the aisle, only a third of the passengers actually had window seats anyway, maybe another third could get a partial view from their cramped middle seat.

There were fires in the West, and down below, when the clouds didn't obstruct the view, the young girl in the window seat in front of us asked her father what the long lines of black and gray were. "Probably just clouds, honey," he said, barely looking up from his computer screen.

"Hmmm," she said, and the doubt in her voice was audible.

She continued to look out the window but she didn't ask any more questions.