As Karen stepped forward to present her documents, the atmosphere around the counter remained tense. The ticketing agent, still visibly uncomfortable with the earlier exchange, politely took her documents and began processing her ticket. Her colleagues glanced over, having overheard the incident, whispering among themselves about the uncomfortable scene that had just unfolded.
Meanwhile, Michael walked away from the counter, his mind replaying Karen’s words. Despite years of experience in the business world, where he’d faced and overcome many challenges, such overt prejudice still stung. He headed towards the NorthStar Airlines executive lounge, a private space often reserved for VIP passengers and airline executives, with a sense of hope that the rest of the day would proceed more smoothly.
