Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be

Another trying episode re-enacted with that fine Old English folk song
"Oh dear, what can the matter be - three old ladies locked in the lavatory".

Actually in this case it was one poor lady of sizeable proportions who was both locked in and stuck to the seat.

We were on the descent and I was checking passengers' seat belts when I noticed that one passenger was missing. There weren't many places a missing passenger could be and finally, by a process of elimination I reached the rear lavatory only to find it locked, while through the door came a tremendous banging and shouting. We spent at least five minutes in a fruitless shouting match at each other, I screaming for her to open up and she yelling back at me, before I discovered that she spoke no English. I got the emergency key and opened up.

What a sorry sight, with arms waving, a look of terror on her face, she was obviously in a great state of agitation. I tried to explain to her that she must get up from the 'throne' and return to her seat as we would shortly be landing. But with continued hysterical gesticulations she sat her ground. Eventually the penny dropped and it dawned on me that she was incapable of getting up.

I got the engineer to come and see what he could do, and the pair of us pulled and tugged but to no avail. There she would have to stay until we landed. The engineer explained in a far too technical way for me to understand that it was something to do with a valve and pressurization. But once on the ground all would be well.

Unfortunately being able to converse with her, there was little comfort I could offer in this most unfortunate plight.
However, I am glad to say, once on the ground she was soon free.
Poor old lady - what a catastrophe but at least she wasn't there from Monday to Saturday.