Jerry what network is it on and what time? My Dad retired from Piedmont Airlines, back when an airline cared about the passengers and employees. I remember meeting and talking to Tom Davis (the founder of Piedmont Airlines) several times. The man cared deeply about his employees and their families. My dream in high school was to fly for the military a while and become a pilot for Piedmont. My vision prevented this.

Jerry, I remember the old days. The first time I ever saw an airplane up close. My grandmother would winter in Florida and rode the train down every autumn. The trains back then were the luxury liners of the land. Her train was called "The City of Miami". Folks dressed up for the trains too back then, even for trips on the Greyhound bus. The trains had dining cars with wonderfully prepared meals served on freshly pressed white linen tablecloths with a vase of fresh flowers on each table. There was an observation car at the end of the train where you could watch the rails recede to the vanishing point with all the wonderful sights passing by...

But getting back to the airplane. In the fall of 1950 she decided to fly down to Florida. My folks took her to the airport with me along for the ride. I was five years old at the time, and before she boarded the plane, the stewardess asked me if I would like to see the airplane up close? Boy would I!

The aircraft was an old prop-job tail-dragging DC3. You boarded from a rolling set of stairs out on the tarmac. The aisle was pitched steeply up toward the flight deck err 'cockpit', and the brown cloth seats had a fresh white linen on every headrest. The pretty stewardess actually let me sit down in the pilot's seat. I was bug eyed and amazed at the little windows in the crowded cockpit full of more dials, switches, gages, handles, and instruments than I could have ever imagined (even more than on Flash Gordon's rocket ship)! What a wonderful experience that was for a little kid at that time in his life.

That day started a lifelong fascination with airplanes that led to eight years of flying in the USAF, and several more years as an air marshal on commercial air carriers.

My grandmother as with all other travelers on buses, trains, and planes, of the day was always dressed in her finest Sunday best from the fancy hat on her head to the white gloves she wore. Those were the days when travel was a wonderful undertaking filled with adventure and excitement.

Flash forward to today. crowded airports, long lines, angry rude people, $50 bucks to check a bag, x-rays, shoes off, pockets emptied into plastic trays, belts off, more x-rays and rifling through carry on bags, hand held scanners over your crotch, groupings by surly TSA officers, fellow travelers dressed like street bums or thugs, long delays sitting on the tarmac, free nuts and a coke (if your lucky).

Yup, those were the days...and so it goes.

Coffee? Tea?...or me?  

Here's the link to ABC website to watch that episode

http://abc.go.com/watch/pan-am/SH55126544/VD55144385/pilot

Am a big aviation buff, but missed that show last nite ... will try to remember to catch it in weeks ahead ...

BTW Christina Ricci is HAWT!

Built2Last wrote on 09/27/11 at 08:20:34:

Well, from what I've been told, "waiter" implies male since there are waiters and waitresses.  Server is gender-nonspecific and apparently as long as you're demeaning to both sexes it's ok.  

sjaskow - FSO wrote on 09/27/11 at 10:00:20:




If someone has a problem with waiter or waitress & is somehow twisted enough to believe that somehow "server" carries with it some air of respectability greater than waiter or waitress,, theyre too goofy for me to worry about their "feelings"..

I am still offended that corporations have renamed their Personnel department , "Human REsources".. Talk about demeaning..

Waiter, Waitress, defines the job,, if someone is demeaned by it,, go to school & get a better job.