It started innocently enough. On my way to NY for Cat Con (also known as the international Cat Writers Association annual meeting), I settled myself into my window seat for the short flight from Greensboro to Atlanta. A sweet grandmotherly type toddled up the aisle, clutching her boarding pass and glancing frequently at the aisle numbers as if afraid she’d lost count.

I was happy when she stopped at the aisle seat next to me. Waiting to find out who’ve I’ve been assigned as a seat buddy is always a nerve-wracking event.