Our Father's Generation

by F. M. Worden

  Allie grabbed me by the arm and said, “Come on, Tom, my cars outside.” She led me outside to a 1934 Ford Roadster; it was yellow with black fenders, what a beauty. She slipped into the driver’s seat. I ran around, opened the door and climbed in beside her. Off we went in a cloud of dust. How could I be so lucky to meet this beautiful girl? And a pilot, too!

  With the top down, the wind made her hair swirl around her face, reminding me of pictures of the females I had seen in history books of the Roman Empire. Her looks were outstanding. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, she is one beautiful woman.

  In about a mile, we turned into a diner’s parking lot. The diner was an old train car. Inside, everyone gave Allie a big hello. She must have known all the people who were eating there. She had all the men’s attention in that diner, I’ll tell ya. She told me that she, her daddy and all his work men ate here all the time.

  We sat at a two-place table by the front window. Facing this beauty, I was captured completely. I hung on her every word. She had the sexiest voice I had ever heard. I was gone, I had fall-n in love with this girl. In high school, I never had time for girls and really didn’t care for them at all. Most were a pain, if you get my drift.

  A shapely young blonde came to take our order. This girl had a big friendly smile and I could see she had an interest in me. How could I be so lucky? I could see Allie didn’t take kindly of this blonde’s attention. Allie told her to take our order, “Quit make-n eyes at my boyfriend.” That made my day. The little gal took our orders and took off in a huff, I watched her go and I was smiling at her as she went. She stopped and smiled back at me and I gave her a wave.

  Allie made a noise, cleared her throat and said, “I’m still here.”

  “Yes, you are,” I said.

  She put out both her hands to me across the table and I put mine in hers. She pulled me to her a little and said, “Tom, I hope you and I become an item around here.” Wow! She liked me. She told me as soon as she became a pilot the boys quit asking for dates. “I intimidate them doing something that they don’t.”

  I told her I could see how that could be. “All boys like to be manly, if you know what I mean?”

  She nodded her head yes. I pulled her as close as I could and proceeded to kiss her lightly on her red lips. Boy-O-boy, she kissed back and we got a big hand from the people in the diner.

  I got a big juicy hamburger to eat and a Nehi orange soda to drink. She had some kind of seafood. When we left, I didn’t see the little blonde girl again.

  In the car, she asked if I would like to go see a movie. I, of course, said, “Yes.” I wanted to prolong my time with her as long as possible. We went to a movie house and saw the Marx Brothers in {A Day at the Races.} At least I think I saw the movie. We sat in the last row and I want-a tell ya I couldn’t take my eyes off her. How many times I kissed and hugged her I couldn’t tell ya, but it was very much, she was very receptive to my advances.

  She drove me back to the airport and showed me where the cot was in the office. Then she left. I want-a tell ya, I didn’t get much sleep that night; Allie was on my mind all night. I finally fell asleep around four a.m.

  At 6 a.m., she shook me awake, sat on the edge of the cot and said, “Tom, will you marry me?”

  Holy Cow! I blurted out, “I sure will.”

  About that time, her daddy came in and she told him she wanted to marry me. He didn’t take that very well. He told both of us, “NO!” Then he said, “If you two are still in a marrying mood a year from now, you got my blessing.” That seemed fair to me.

  As I flew back home that day, I vowed to never say a word about Allie to anyone at home. I was the guy who never dated girls; I was truly in love with Allie. Frank and Al would make all kinds of fun about me being in love.

  I considered myself the luckiest guy in the world. I could fly and I had just met my dream girl.

  Chapter 2

  My Girl Allie

  At home the very next week, I had a charter to El Paso, Texas for a businessman and his companion, a lady friend. They stayed overnight and I flew them back home. There was a lot going on in the back seat, I couldn’t see but I heard a lot of laughing and strange noises. The guy tipped me well and told me to keep mum, if ya know what I mean.

  The next weeks really dragged while I was waiting for my return trip to San Diego. The day finely came. I had purchased a new flying outfit, boots, pant boots, the spitting image of a pilot of the times. I was a happy young guy singing to myself all the way to San Diego, I sang ever love song I could remember.

  At San Diego, I circled the airport several times, just to let Allie know I was arriving. I set the bird down as gently as a mother caressing her baby.

  Before I could taxi to a tie down spot, Allie was running along beside my ship, waving with both hands. She was in my arms before the prop stopped spinning. We sat in the plane talking, hugging and kissing for most of an hour that day. I got to tell ya, I felt I was the luckiest guy in the whole world to have this beauty in love with me.

  After greeting all the people at the airport, Jack wasn’t there; Allie and I went to get a bite to eat at the Diner, the little blond gal took our order. She said, “I think Allie is in love with you, she talks about ya all the time.”

  “I hope so.” That made me happy.

  The little gal said, “If you have any doubts, look me up.” She gave me a big smile and walked away.

  Allie didn’t take kindly to the girl’s advances. “She’s got some nerve trying to steal my boyfriend. Right here in front of me.”

  I said, “Haw, she’s just teasing and making conversation.”

  Allie was mad. “She better watch out and so should you.”

  I laughed and told her. “No one can ever take your place.”

  She put out both her hands to me, I gave her mine. She pulled me over the top of the table to give me a big wonderful wet kiss on my lips.

  That evening we took in a movie show at the Bee-U Theater. The movie was King Kong. Allie acted scared and held onto me all thru the show, I knew she was kidding. A gal who can fly like she can is not going to let a silly movie freak her out.

  Later in the car she told me she wanted to hold on to me as she said she was in love. She said she wanted to make sure I was for real.

  Back at the airport office Smiling Jack was there. We talked late into the night. Jack told about barnstorming around the country and how he had worked for Hollywood pictures. One of his best friends, Ormer Locklear, had been killed doing a stunt for a picture. He talked about Ormer and what the man had done for thrills in his barnstorming days. Jack said that Ormer was the first to walk on the wings; he transferred from plane to plane, hung off the wings and landing gear without a parachute. Jack told us there will never be another like him. I could see Jack admired the man and missed him. Jack seemed sad to talk about Ormer. Jack said barnstorming still was a good way to make money. People like to be thrilled.

  He said, “Taking passengers up is a good money maker.” He was looking forward to the next summer to get going on a tour.

  I slept in the office that night and dreamed of Allie and barnstorming. I was awake on and off all night, I was wondering if I could do the things with an airplane Jack had talked about.

  At sunup Allie was setting on the cot when I woke up. I got a great good morning kiss. We had breakfast at the diner and a long talk about our future together. She had it all planned out. “We’ll buy a big airplane and charter together and make lots of money. This depression will soon be over and everyone will want to fly, it’ll be great to fly with you.”

  I told her she is my whole future, flying or not. “I love you and I want to be with you all the time.” How great it was that she wanted me.

  This wonderful time had to come to an end and it did, too soon to suit me. Allie had left in her car to run an errand for Jack.

  The doctor and his family showed up around nine a.m. We were loaded and ready to taxi to the runway when Allie showed up. S
he came running over and banged on my side window. I opened the window and stuck my head out, she gave me a goodbye kiss on the lips and yelled, “Phone me when you get home, I have to know you’re safe.” I waved and shook my head yes.

  I taxied to the runway and gunned the Stinson into the air, she lifted off like a bird on the wing. We headed east toward home.

  The doctor sat beside me and asked about Allie. The engine makes a lot of noise so we had to talk pretty loud, I know his wife heard our conversation. I told him I was going to marry the girl, but I didn’t want people at home to know just yet. He said he would keep my secret. He told me my girl was a beauty. Of course, I agreed.

  When we landed at home, Uncle Bob was there and told me he had charters lined up as far as the eye could see. My Uncle was one good hustler, no wonder he was a rich man.

  All that winter I stayed in the air most of the time, I must have gone to or crossed over thirty states.

  On one trip, I flew a party of hunters to Colorado for big game, another party to Texas to hunt birds. All the men were nice to me except two state reps. I flew them to the state capital. We hit some rough wind and got bounced a bit. The two men said I was a bad pilot and would not recommend me to anyone. What can you expect of a couple democrats?

  In December I flew two well-dressed men to Chicago. We arrived just as a big snow storm hit, I want-a tell ya, I was lucky to find the O’Hare airport. Somehow I had a guiding angel that day, the whole country was socked in and I got a break in the clouds just in time to get landed. I could see both guys were sweating heavy, I acted like it was nothing, but I’ll tell ya, I said a few prayers that time before I got on the ground.

  The airport was snowed in, I couldn’t get off and the airport authority wouldn’t give me clearance anyway.

  One of my passengers, the little guy, invited me to stay at his home in the suburbs. His house was the biggest place I had ever seen. He had a wife, two young girls and a house full of servants. All the people there treated me super, I had a really nice bedroom and the food was great, I spent the better part of two weeks there.

  The storm let up and the airport called and said I could get off, I was sent out in a taxi. On the way, a police car pulled us over and I was held in a police station the rest of the day and all night.

  It seems I was the guest of a gangster. The little guy I was staying with was Al Capone’s Jewish bookkeeper, Sam Coleman, the other man was Al’s bodyguard, Eddie Gurney. The cop who questioned me said Eddie was a killer. They kept me for two days until a lawyer showed up and told the police to charge me or let me go, they let me go.

  I went back to the airport, the storm was in again. Several other pilots were grounded, too. I met one who was Charles Lindbergh {Lucky Lindy} the guy who flew to France over the ocean. It was great to see him and listen to the men talk flying, these men were the real flyers of the day, most were flying the US mail.

  The storm over, I took off early morning and landed in Oklahoma City for fuel and an overnight stay. All the time I was in the city I had cops watching me; I guess they thought I was some dangerous criminal.

  Back at home, I told Uncle Bob about my stay and that the two guys were gangsters. He said he knew they weren’t businessmen as they were both packing guns. He got a big laugh out-a the whole thing.

  Looking back at that time, I was very lucky to have made it thru the whole thing with no trouble.

  Christmas Day, I called Allie and we talked for more than three hours. The airport office looked me up when the bill came in, for two dollars and fifty cents I’d talk to Allie every day if I could.

  The first of the year I flew a honeymoon couple to Mexico City. That’s a trip I will never forget, the Mexicans tried to confiscate the Stinson. I was held in jail for a week as the American counsel worked it out, I was a happy guy to get away from there. I pushed the Stinson as fast as she would go to get home.

  At home I had a charter waiting to go to Florida. The Stinson needed some work so I got to stay another day. My passenger was a good-looking woman, Wow! I mean good looking. She was about twenty-five and a living doll, trouble was she knew she was beautiful.

  Uncle Bob told me she was a beauty queen and that I might get to fly her all over the country. “How ya like that Tommy boy? This girl is going to tour the country, as a representative of some beauty products. I can set it up if you want to do it.”

  I told him I would rather not spend time with this girl. I should have told him about Allie but I didn’t.

  We took off on a Sunday morning. After three overnight stops, when mostly the weather held us up, we landed in Miami, Florida. She went into the airport office and did some telephone calling.

  Soon we had people everywhere, newspaper reporters and loads of people who just came to look. This fellow came to me and told me he was her manager and wanted me to fly him and her to New York City. I asked when I could have the money for the trip. He said he would get the money when we got to New York, I had to call Uncle Bob for advice. He told me to stay put until I got the money, I relayed that to the man and he got mad and started cuss-n me. I told him money first, and then I could fly them to New York. He said he could have the money in a few days. I told him I’d call my owner and see what he had to say. Uncle Bob told me to get to New Orleans as there was a passenger waiting.

  I took off early the next morning and just for fun I flew out over the Gulf of Mexico. This was the first time I had flown over a large body of water. Now I knew how Lucky Lindy felt flying over water as far as you could see in all directions. If you go down in the Gulf, it would be all over, not a good feeling.

  I came over New Orleans an hour before sunset. It took awhile to find the airport. I landed just as darkness set in, found a tie down and tied the Stinson down, then went to the office to see if they knew where my passenger was. A woman in the office told me my passenger was at a hotel in town, I was to call and let him know I was here. I did, and then I took a taxi to a hotel myself. After eating in the hotel café, I hit the bed for a long night’s rest.

  Next morning I got my passenger and to my delight he wanted to go to Los Angles. What luck, I could slip down to San Diego and pay Allie a visit. I made one stop for fuel and onto LA. I dropped my passenger off in LA, by the time I got to San Diego it was dark. I buzzed the field and someone turned the landing strip lights on, I sat down very easily. Tied down and ran to the office, I called Allie and in a few minutes the Ford roadster was pulling into the hanger. Allie gave lots of hugs and kisses. I had a most pleasant evening and all the next day with her. We had a nice talk with Jack and I got up the nerve to ask about Allie’s mother, I hit a sore spot on Jack as he got up and left without saying a word.

  Allie told me the story about her mother. She ran off with a guy while Allie was still a baby. Allie said that Jack was devastated when she left. Allie said he had never got over her mother. “He still loves her and he would take her back if she wanted to come back.”

  I asked if she ever tried to see her Mom.

  “I’ve only seen her two times in my life, she came one Christmas when I was five and another time when I was ten. Tommy, you’ll never have to worry about me running out, I saw how it affected Jack.”

  I thanked her for telling me the story. “I’ll never ask again about your mom.”

  “Its okay, Tommy, I don’t really care one way or the other about her, I have the best father a girl can have, he is swell to me.” She was smiling as she spoke. “Now I have a man I can love.” She sure knows how to make a guy feel good, now I know why I became a pilot.

  I flew home the next day. Oh how I hated to leave Allie. I had really become attached to her, me the guy who never cared much for girls before. Love is a funny human emotion, it had hit me hard.

  The spring of 1937 came with a fury of news about wars in the world. The Japanese had attacked China, the Italians had invaded Ethiopia in ‘36 and the Germans were building an air force bigger than any country had in the whole world.


  On one of my trips home, I asked Dad and Popie about the world situation. Popie said he didn’t think there would be a war that the U.S. would get in. Pop was more concerned. He said, “Yeah, there will be a war; men just have to fight each other.”

  I asked if he thought I should join the Army.

  “No, if they want ya, they’ll come for ya.”

  I talked to Uncle Bob and he said there will always be talk of war. “Don’t worry, the U.S. won’t get into it.” He made me feel a lot better.

  The first of May, I flew the Doctor and his family to San Diego for a vacation. I hadn’t finished tying down before Allie was in my arms again. After hugs and kisses she helped me tie the Stinson down.

  We spent a most pleasant evening with Jack. Supper at the diner, then we talked with Jack at their home until he retired for the night. He said I could sleep on the living room couch. He made Allie mad telling her to go to bed in her room.

  She said it in a sharp voice, “I will when I get ready.” I could see she had a temper when she got angry, Jack let it pass.

  She got Guy Lombardo on the radio and wanted to dance, of course I didn’t know how. Anyway I made a good try and I got to hold her in my arms while listening and dancing to the sweetest music this side of heaven. My life couldn’t have been better, loving this wonderful woman. We danced until the radio played the Star Spangled Banner, afterwards we took a long walk and didn’t go to bed until three in the morning.

  Allie woke me up at eight a.m. and had fixed a great breakfast. This girl could cook, too. After breakfast we took a ride in the car, she drove us over to Coronado Island. We sat in the car and watched a Navy PBY take off and shoot landings.

  I asked her about the war situation. She said, “Na. I don’t believe America will ever get in a war again.” She told me the US Congress had just passed a draft by only one vote. She didn’t want to talk of war anymore, she drove around showing me the sights of San Diego. We ended up at Mission Beach watching the people swim into the surf. We hadn’t had lunch so we had an early supper of seafood.