At times in life - all we are left with are memories. Fulton, Mo, my grandparents had a big ole house I so fondly remember as a child. The front yard, at least from the eye's of a child was HUGE. It did have a sidewalk that ran the course of 'the fifty yardline' but somehow we survived.
They downsized years later, tiny yard but HUGE family memories. Driving back to this yummy mid-Missouri town today, one finds, big house torn down, downsized house also and Casey's is in her place.
Memories.
Soon, as easy as ABC (terminals} the new airport will open, like, tomorrow. I liked the easy come easy go of our airport, but, can't stand in the way of progress, for all you get is standinginthewayofprogress and Wordle says that ain't a word.
If you are stilll awake, be prepared to be bored with airport memories.
I ain't accomplished at nuttin', but, among my 'accomplishments'.. 4 years with United Airlines ("Vic, we're abandoning this mini-hub idea, you can go to NY or Chicago, part-time."); Eastern Airlines, 7+ years (Chapter 11 which rhymes with (and led to) 7 to which Robert Preston might say "Ya got trouble, right here in river city".
Then, Braniff, "Believe it", 'you really didn't did you?', yes, in sales, lasted 3 years. Oh, then, ex and I had a mom and pop air cargo delivery company. I think maybe I was dropped on my head at birth.
So, I at least accomplished love for the airport. Victor, we're bored, get to the mems. OK:
Ultra high maintenance all wood floors but so damn cool when once or twice a year Bambi would get to the automated double glass doors, see her reflection, run in and CLIP-CLOP-CLIP-CLOP chaos would begin.
I wasn't involved in this one, but wish I woulda been. Buddies found out the phone number where the cabbies took breaks, had coffee. They, my buddies, would put a bag of trash, nothing but trash and put it on the floor behind the bag claim, next to the window. They would then go to the pay phone, within eyesight of the cabbie stand... call... and in a loud whisper, they'd tell the poor guy that answered the phone "Hey... we got your money, sorry it took us so long..it's on the floor behind the bag claim, next to the window... please make sure you get ALL of it to Tony, thanks." Confused, somewhat scared cabbie, but thinking maybe he'd won the lottery... would look left, then right, then back left...slowly walk, then run and get the trash bag and unload it, Dorito bags, barf bags, Pepsi cups, paper towels, used Kleenexes, toiletries (eww) frantically looking for the stash... as soon as the bellies of my buddies stopped hurting from laughing so much they made their way back downstairs to meet their next flight.
Skip this paragraph if you don't want your 'I love Lucy' image damaged. Ms. Ball and her agent approached my podium. It was back in the days you could still smoke on planes, so I had to ask "Would you like smoking or nonsmoking ma'am?" She looked me, turned her head, looked at her agent..."she'd like non-smoking", a few more question, each the same, she'd turn to her agent, she would not speak to me. I was kinda bummed.
Dom DeLuise, on the other hand. Working the ramp one day, a buddy and I ventured up the jetway to the passenger waiting area. Mr. Dom was walking to the jetway, looked at us, both drenched in sweat, smiled, asked "You guys load the planes?" Yessir. He then motioned like he was holding two bowling balls by his knees and added "I bet they must hang down to here."
New hire. Cargo area getting full, minutes before departue time. Frantic lead to new hire, "We're gonna run out of room. Take the tug to Delta, see if we can borrow their bin-stretcher, and, HURRY." Off he races, gets to Delta, "Sorry, we loaned it to Continental," off to Continental, "No, United borrowed it yesterday." The joke was on he. Buddies, of course, hee-hawing when he finally made it back.
Suitcases commonly broke open. Wiseacres would grab a bra, seek out what looked like a sale's rep bag, open it and insert the bra. "Honey, honest, I have no idea!" Uh huh, sure.
Suspicious bag? They had another name for it but it escapes me. At least once or twice a year you'd meet a flight, start unload it and you'd hear a bag vibrating, buzzing. You were pretty certain what it was but you could take no chances. So, up you went to the jetway, before allowing anyone to deplane the flight attendant would get the name off the tag, announce "Trudy Smith can you come to the front of the plane please?" There, infronta God, the Captain, flight crew, security and ramp rats, Trudy was forced to open the suspicious bag, find and turn off her vibrator, then all was good.
New hire, me. Written, you miss one day the first 90 days, gone. My lead drove up hurriedly, "Vic, come with me." Where we going Roy? "You're going home, your wife's water broke." Thankfully, mngmnt of course OK'ed.
One more and I'll get out of your hair. Braniff, I was in Cargo Sales. Per my boss, "organize a golf tournament for our customers, make it nice, get passes(free flight vouchers) for a dozen or so customers." Did. It was going well until hole #7. What happened? You hit one in the woods? Worse. Boss paged me, pre cell days. "Vic, we're going belly up, they're sending all the planes to Orlando." S*IT, now what?
Word got around the golf course fast. My customers liked me, had nothing to do with me, I gave them cheap rates! Anyways, we finished the tourney,, they proceeded to bring ME an endless supply of beer as they realized I was losing my job. I handed out 12 worthless (keepsakes?) flight vouchers and a good time was had by all. Thankfully, Braniff did come back for a very short time and they all got to go somewhere.
Literally thousands like me will carry fond, fond memories of this airport. We can't be standinginthewayofprogress.
I would like to add... if you ever are to fly and something goes awry, it likely ain't due to the employee across from you. Minimally, that employee worked boo koo years of nights to have the day shift and some sense of normalcy with his, her family. Odds too that this employee got furloughed, or force transferred to Albany, or Fargo, Boise, Louisville (new home, new city, new schools for the kids.) Only the lucky ones make it back to their hometown to retire.Also, very good odds that person has worked for one or more other airlines that went kapooey.
It gets in your blood. And like love for airline work, so comes the joy of the building where you work.
Grandma's, Municipal Stadium, soon Kauffman, and now KCI.
Memories, good ones. BRB, going to grab a pizza at Casey's, Fulton, MO.
Love, Victurd
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