Anyone who’s travelled on a plane knows people who take off their shoes are the worst. While many travellers would feel too embarrassed to say something, this 4-year old proved he’s the exception when a woman got a bit too comfortable near him.
While on a flight with his family travelling from Orlando to Houston, Rodney Small couldn’t help but say something when he noticed a fellow passenger dared to put her bare feet on the back of his seat. In a video that has since gone viral on social media, the kiddo had a few sassy words for the passenger. “Some stinky feet behind me. It's a lady!"” the little boy said with a smile. "Why do you have your feet behind me?" Rodney asked. The video, which was captured in May, has since been viewed more than 133,000 times (and counting).
Since the video blew up, Rodney’s father, Darryl, has opened up to ABC 6 to provide more details of the hilarious moments. "We weren't offended or anything, it was just his reaction," the father said of his son’s sassy comments. He added that his son is known for saying what's on his mind, which is why his dad was so quick to capture the moment. "Knowing his spontaneous attitude, there's no telling what we're going to get from him so for me, like Snapchat and everything, I always have the camera rolling.” Rodney added, "I turned around so her feet could get off my seat.” His father explained the woman was quick to apologize when she realized what the 4-year old had said.
Rodney and Darryl’s story is a good reminder for airplane passengers to be courteous of those around them. It’s important to think of the others around you since you’ll be sharing a cramped space for at least a couple of hours (or maybe more!). Don’t take up all the room in the overhead compartment or hog the armrest space. Similarly, recline your seat slowly and not with full force, so you can make sure those seated behind you don’t get hit by the back of the chair. It’s also best to keep your voice volume to a minimum and to make sure fellow passengers can’t hear the music blasting from your headphones. And of course, the major lesson of this story is to always keep your shoes on. Even if it’s more comfortable to go barefoot, other passengers won’t be the same way. Make sure you wear comfy shoes on the plane that you won’t want to take off mid-flight.
Luckily, the silly incident didn’t have much bearing on the rest of their trip, Darryl explained. The father and son duo continued on to Disney World to enjoy a fun getaway in the sun. Darryl often uploads funny videos of his spunky little boy, so follow him on Instagram if you can’t get enough of Rodney’s sassiness and charm.