LITMIR.BIZ

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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

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