clappy mcclapperson

there's a new clapping epidemic - well not new like hot fresh off the press kind of new, but new like within the last handful of years. you know the annoying people - and this does mean you too if you do this - that begin to clap after seeing a major motion picture at the movie theatres, well those very same people are flying on a regular basis - and in MY planes. what i'm trying to say is, after the last couple years of flying from seattle to orange county and back time and time again, and fitting a couple extra trips in like kentucky, florida and cancun, EVERY TIME the pilot sticks a semi-acceptable landing EVERYONE starts up with a round of applause. IT'S OBNOXIOUS. then the pilot gets on the P.A. and goes elvis on us and says something like "thank you, thank you very much" - i can only imagine that he bows to a fake audience beyond the front view of the cockpit. so this question goes out to you clapping crazies: WHAT'S NEXT, HUH? do you have to be with a group, or can you be alone? when coming to a complete stop after riding a rollercoaster, students when getting dismissed from class, the audeince when the pastor says "let's pray", the losing athletes when the referree blows the final whistle, the rider when the taxi driver drops you off at your destination, the customer when the delivery guy finds your house or apartment, the party when the waiter brings you your food, the reader when you finish a brilliant written novel???????