Читать книгу ABOVE AND BELOW THE CLOUDS - Harry W Frahm - Страница 11

Chapter 2 Training

When Herbert arrived at Idlewild (now JFK) airport, a supervisor of Pan Am met him, and drove him to a small hotel, in Kew Gardens. There he found some girls of the same class he was assigned to, and who had arrived earlier, either from England or Germany, no other country.

There were a total of 25 hopefuls to become flight attendants and Herbert was the only male. He was called, later, the boy with his harem. Everybody of this group was unsupported by anyone or anything. They were alone in a foreign country and for the Germans, also a foreign language. They had the suspicion it was a planned test to see how they cope and adjust to the environment. The coming Monday the training was to commence. The only information this group had was the address of the Pan Am building in Long Island City, the time to be there and a subway plan with the station “Long Island Plaza” indicated where to get off the train. Glad to have a concierge at the hotel, who was a world of information! He explained the New York subway system to these eager listening foreigners; it must have made him feel like a professor at the university. One could see how he gleamed knowing his status as a guru.

At the entrance of this small office building, being the headquarter of this giant airline, was a poster instructing arriving flight attendants students to proceed to classroom X.

Nine AM sharp. An instructor showed up and gave a short, very short welcome speech followed by handing out a massive amount of papers to be signed. First and most important, among others, was to join the Transport Workers Union. Health insurance and pension plan to mention a few. Never mind the advice not to sign any papers without reading them first. That’s theory! After a long time, nobody cared anymore and kept signing document after document. Nobody dared to question the new employer of their credibility. Most of it was newfangled material for those Europeans. Much later, it became apparent how important these papers were and all of them turned out to be beneficiary to those applicants. After all, the biggest step, to a new future, had been done already. It seemed to treat foreigners as people who have always been here and are comprehensible familiar with the American way of life. On the other hand, Americans appear to believe, when in another country, the whole world speaks and understands English.

–Surprise!–

“It ain’t necessarily so!”

One has to understand the apprehensive emotion of these young people in this classroom. Most of them have been for the very first time, in their lives, outside of their homeland. On top of it, they are alone. The group from England had at least no difficulties with the language, besides the different pronunciation, speak accent. The German part of this party had some obstacles, because their school English was very different from the way the folks speak in New York. In the very first days, two girls from Germany had to call it quits. They were not able to follow the fast pace of instructions and when asked questions they were unable to answer. Back home they went!

Now this class consisted of 22 girls and one guy, Herbert. He had no problems, with his experience, for two years, to get used to American-English.

The first three days were conducted by an elderly lady, a registered nurse, all dolled up in her white outfit with a high pitched vocal sound, looking somewhat anorectic. Where Pan Am had found her? Who knows! She turned out to be a warmhearted likeable spinster with a different view of the world as most people will experience it. A nanny type who would fit perfectly in the household of the British Crown at Buckingham Palace, having the unfortunately task to teach children of a lower class. Her attitude was like being on a high situated judge’s bench talking down to a crowd of nitwits, which was nothing but a front of a person with an inferiority complex. This group of students in her class was amused by her way of explaining things, like the way to maintain healthy body maintenance. She knew that everybody in her class was from Europe and it seems to be her perception people over there are still living in medieval times. Many times one looked at another with a big smirk, when she produced a completely erroneous proclamation, like: “Don’t drink milk outside of the United States!” Good advice, she forgot, all classmates had grown up on milk in other countries. (And lived!)

Nobody had forgotten, this instructor had the power to terminate any student, therefore everybody was careful not to comment on anything adversely. After all, they knew, it was only for three days with this LADY.

Among other subjects she advised the eager listeners how important it is to shave the armpits. And yes, that includes the gentleman in this class, she declared with a face of obvious disgust. Who knows what experience she must have had with men, real or imaginative? Amazing how painful it seemed to be for her to talk of those things, being a nurse. One would imagine all nurses have experienced worse situations in reality, so talking couldn’t be so painful. But in those days many subjects where taboo. Not like nowadays where everything in in the open and will be discussed even on television, like: “Dr. Oz or The Doctors.”

Regardless, she continued to talk about shaving. It is imperative to shave the legs, but the man in this class is excused, she announced with a big smile, exposing her impeccable dentures. She talked about her recent travel in Europe where she had noticed a considerable number of women with unshaven legs. It wouldn’t have bothered her too much, but those females wore nylon stockings, utterly repulsive and she emphasized it by making a face like she had taken an enormous bite out of a lemon. Her whole body was shuddering in disgust. Everybody feared she would vomit any moment but they had to fight very hard not to show any enjoyment.

A knock at the door, a container with coffee, creamers, and sugar, paper cups, was delivered.

Exactly the way it was provisioned on the airplanes.

“Short recession,” she announced and continued to give information where to find the rest rooms on this floor and lit up a cigarette. Nobody believed their eyes seeing her smoking. Miss Mazoor (The classmates had christened her “Miss Razoor,” after the lesson of shaving different parts of the body), smiled and explained how unhealthy this bad habit was and permitted her students to smoke also. (After all it was at a time when TV adds by cigarette companies were abundant. Doctors endorsed their favorite brands and the huge advertisement of a “Camel” cigarette smoking face, puffed gigantic clouds of vapor over Times-Square.)

Her whole attitude had changed all of a sudden into a pleasant jovial very likeable lady. She sat with her students as if they had been friends for a long time. They were on an equal level, all the way. Only to return, after the break, to the same old authority spinster, she had been before.

This was for the European members the strangest experience they had ever encountered with a teacher. It was another image to grasp the American way.

Another topic in those three days of medical education, for first aid, were the comprehensive instructions given to aid a child birth. Every flight attendant must be able to replace a midwife. Miss Mazoor had developed a routine to demonstrate the step by step procedure to follow when a pregnant woman becomes a mother. It happens often on airplanes that a sudden urge of an unborn occurs to enter this world. The reason is the drop of air pressure at high altitudes in the cabin. It can also be observed to transpire at times of hurricanes when the same condition is present.

Before she initiated her demonstration of a child birth, she asked her class who had witnessed such an event. Just a few girls put her hands up and so did Herbert. When he was questioned how and where, he explained to have been present at his daughter’s birth. This was, however, not true at all. He figured it would ease the tension for the girls, as he would be looked at as an expert in this matter. His wife had told him so many times of this important event, he could have been there at such a significant experience for a young couple. Those topics were not discussed openly at the time when this happened. None of the girls were married as one requirement to become a stewardess, which did not apply to male flight attendants.

Miss Mazoor put a chair on a table with the backrest down, where the two legs up in the air representing a woman in such a position, which triggered a nervous giggle by some girls. She draped the upper legs of the chair with bed linen, which were provisioned on long haul piston airplanes with upper and lower berth. A play doll was used to represent a new-born baby. Newspapers and an aluminum pan (containers where the prepared food was delivered by the caterers), were put aside to hold the afterbirth for a later exam by a doctor at the next airport, where an ambulance would be standing by to transport mother and the new-born child to the nearest hospital. The ambulance will be ordered in advance by radio transmission.

Also the first aid kit was present, which contained several twain threats and scissors to bind and cut the umbilical cord.

With all the paraphernalia handy, the simulated birth of the play-doll could begin.

She particularized with very explicit details step by step how a normal birth will take place. To emphasize her dialog, she handed out pictures, some in color of close ups starting with the first sight of the baby’s head to show up, or just hair, in some cases. Some of the classmates got almost cross-eyed looking at these pictures, losing the coloring in their faces. Others were obviously embarrassed or even having their stomachs turning. The two girls sitting on either side of Herbert one to hand the pictures to him and the other to take them, didn’t know where to look and how to act, being in this painful situation. While Miss Mazoor kept on explaining those pictures with a seemingly diabolic satisfaction seeing the unpleasant effects on these young girls, pointing out that many of them will experience those endeavors when they become mothers.

With a big grin, she is nodding her head, asking,

“Is there anybody who would like to be excused?”

Nobody dared to do so.

She didn’t forget to mention that it had never applied to herself because being single, how could it be? Who knows what her purpose was to mention it. Maybe she was under the impression talking to three year old children.

Now she announced to show a film, in color of course (at this time, it was still not a normal thing on 16 mm film), of a normal child birth.

She underscored again, it will be very drastic and explicit, and she had to tell the students, that in earlier classes, girls had been passing out during the show.

Was she hoping the power of suggestion would work?

The film was planned to be shown the following day.

This assemblage of tormented bodies, discussed how to master getting through this presentation without showing their oppressor any weakness.

They were tormented bodies, because every day a lot of inoculations were given to face a world of germs and diseases.

The movie was shown and nobody passed out, but it was detected, many of the spellbound observers had their eyes closed or looked somewhere else, but not at the presentation.

Fortunately Miss Mazoor did not face the audience but looked at the display.

Afterwards she announced her admiration and congratulation to this class, being the first one, in her career, where no one had failed.

It was not the only movie the tortured audience had to endure. They had to watch accidents with burns, cuts, and other injuries. Those were all very realistic and gory, made in Hollywood, especially for the training of fire fighters, police, coastguard and military. Not easy to watch. One has to swallow a lot not to get sick to the stomach. It is the same feeling when a doctor put the tongue depressor too deep and gagging occurs. How many times did you see in the movie theaters a film where young to-be doctors observe their first live operation and keel over at the moment when the scalpel draws blood? The whole audience roars with laughter. It will terminate abruptly when it is you, being confronted with a similar situation.

These hours of torment seem to last forever but did finally end and this group of flight attendants to-be found themselves in the subway to Kew Gardens where the home, away from home was.

VERY FEW PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR DINNER, THIS EVENING!

“Why?”

Bunches of papers were handed out to be studied in the evening. A very serious business, the whole future was in the balance, not just to get good notes, like in school. So, everyone was studying very intensely. The dark shadows under the eyes affirmed it.

Not only were the evenings engaged with studying, a home had to be found. The hotel was eating up the pennies too fast. Some established flight attendants volunteered to assist those newcomers finding a room or an apartment. A very welcome gesture to establish the feeling to belong to a group of professionals who have a bond towards each other like family members have. And a big family it is indeed! Even today after more than twenty years after the demise of Pan Am.

Among endless movie shows, there was one, produced by the Canadian Air Force, with the theme, “Loss of cabin pressure!” A most interesting issue to observe the reaction of people in a minus pressure environment. In this hermetic sealed chamber the air is sucked out slowly and the aviators inside are closely observed. They have all an oxygen mask dangling in front of them to be quickly attached to their faces, over their mouth and nose, that is. This is done by a trainer wearing his mask at all times. Each individual in this compartment is performing a simple assignment, like it is done in a pre-kindergarten school. Put a star-shape form in the place where it belongs, put a cube in a diamond figure, and so on, in its place. It is easy child’s play, yes? Not so, when the ever so important oxygen is not present. The first sign of depletion is a silly grin, the star goes where the diamond shape is supposed to go. All of a sudden the controls of the hands are not there anymore. No coordination whatsoever, the eyes close and the head becomes too heavy. That is the time when the instructor puts the oxygen mask on this individual. The recovery is spontaneous and the thumb up sign is given, as the instruction was prearranged beforehand.

It was a very important lesson for flight attendants to recognize a slow decompression. They will be the first ones to be affected since they are active, while the rest of the people, including the pilots, are seated and therefore being in a rested position, needing less oxygen.

“What do you think about a stewardess bringing back trays to the galley, at the end of a meal service, and throwing them on the floor, instead putting them on a counter?”

Instructors of annually emergency training sessions like to ask this question.

“Correct, it is a slow decompression.”

These recurrent training classes, once a year, are required by the FAA (Federal Aviation Agency) in order to keep the flight status current.

Someone failing the test at the end of the training class will have an immediate vacation.

The test can be repeated a few days later and if failed again the vacation can be permanent, without pay!

What other job has such strict requirements?

Pan Am, however, conducted those tests every half a year.

After all, it was the “Most Experienced Airline,” as the slogan proclaimed.

On the other hand, a sudden decompression announced itself by a loud explosive boom and a sudden fog lasting only a few moments. Air rushes out of nose and mouth and the oxygen masks fall out of the compartments above the seats. Clever, as the designers of aircrafts are, there is always an extra mask provided. For example over a two seats there are three masks and so on.

The reason is, there might be a baby on a lap, needing the mask. But also a flight attendant or any other person in the aisle must grab a mask really fast, since there is only a short time of consciousness remaining, namely seven seconds.

And that isn’t much time!

Those three days of medical preparation and agony behind those “Sky Walkers,” to be, the fourth day of training was a wet one.

No, it was not raining, no umbrella needed but bathing suits and one bathing trunk. The day was scheduled to simulate a ditching (landing on water) and the anticipated problems of such a calamity. A bus took this group to a nearby swimming pool, including, this time, a male instructor.

All imaginary passengers and crew were supposed to be in good shape, after the plane had come to a stop on the water and was floating. No injuries of any kind.

But some girls asked to be excused to go into the water because of their monthly.

The instructor didn’t want to hear anything about it and mockingly said in a high voice:

“No captain, you cannot ditch this airplane today because I have my……!”

He was looking at Herbert with a big smirk, nodding his head.

None of the girls smiled and Herbert was looking at the water as if he expected to see a dolphin or something very interesting in there.

This out-of-place humor was cut short by Mister Parker; he threw a package, containing a life vest, into the chlorinated waveless water, substituting a real ocean. This, he explained, is the way the life jacket looks, found under each passenger seat. They all watched this little yellow bundle floating there at the deep end of the pool, wondering what will be next.

“Who will volunteer to jump in and put the life vest on?” He continued,

“Anybody can put it on easily on dry land, as you have seen it done coming over here!”

He knew his class consisted of all Europeans.

“Asking how about it?” There was no reaction!

Looking at Herbert with a face like a big question mark.

And so did all the girls.

Herbert thought: “I should have laughed at his stupid remark earlier, when he imitated a girl. Now he is getting even with me, sweet revenge,” and continued thinking,

“That’s what you get, when you are the only guy among women folks,” and jumped at the same moment into the H2O. Still in midair, he came to the conclusion,

“NEVER VOLUNTEER, YOU IDIOT!”

Wow, the water was colder than he anticipated, and almost took a deep breath as the involuntary reaction demanded, but didn’t because he was still submerged.

By no means was he a Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan or any other aquatic animal. He struggled and trod water like hell and managed to open the unfamiliar package without reading the instruction, swallowing an unhealthy amount of water, hating the chlorine taste, and tried to imagine it were gin and tonic. Herbert pulled at the inflation handle, after he had managed to get this device over his head, ending the fight for his life. He displayed a shy grin, while the whole gang applauded. He tried to take a bow but the inflated life vest prevented his stupid attempt.

“Stay in the water,” Mister Parker ordered him, tossed as many vests as he could grasp into the pool until the correct amount was floating happily in there.

“Alright, Ladies, in you go,” he shouted.

One mademoiselle after another jumped in, while other slithered over the rim into the cool wet element. Only one missy, with tears in her eyes, confessed that she couldn’t swim.

“It is one of the requirements to become a stewardess,” he said to her.

“Even on the application it is stated and you obviously answered with a yes,” he continued.

“I know, but I never thought it will be tested,” she whispered sobbing.

“Later, I would have learned how to swim, honestly.”

She knew, her career as a stewardess was over, at this moment.

To her surprise he answered,

“Go over to the shallow end of the pool and put on your vest, inflate it and paddle over to the others. And promise to learn how to swim, and that fast. Also forget, this conversation ever took place.”

She had the urge to kiss him, but stopped herself in time; she was so astounded and grateful!

All the others were also glad, over the outcome of this incident. They were aware of the consequence if Mister Parker would not have been so tolerant.

The next contraption which was thrown into the swimming pool was a yellow compendium, only much bigger. As a matter of fact, it was so large; it required two men to move it. Of course, one of the men was Herbert, who was summoned out of the water to help getting this surprise package maneuvered over the rim. Doing so, Mister Parker was holding on to a cord which was attached to this floating monster. He gave a quick jerk on this line and a loud, very loud, hissing noise filled the swimming hall, augmented by an echo effect.

The bundle split open with a flashy popping sound, to expose two large doughnuts, joined together, expanding rapidly upwards to slap on the water, revealing a life raft. The whole show took only a few seconds, with the whistling sound of air, slowly subsiding. The silence afterwards was ear splitting. None of the students had ever experienced such a spectacle before. When and where should it have been, unless one had gone through an emergency where such a device was necessary? Again, a spontaneous applause took place and this time it was really followed by a bow, towards the spectators, by no other then Mr. Parker.

He explained how to enter this life saving enormous monster from the water. There are two, so called, boarding stations. They were provided on opposite sides, with a little blown up sausage just under the water line. Slippery because it is wet, one is supposed to use it as a foot step. Good luck, since nobody has shoes on with non-slip soles. The upper and lower doughnuts are identical, since they might come up one way or the other. To climb into the raft is not easy at all and requires a lot of strengths. Most girls would not be able to do so. But help was always given, of course. A few lines, attached to the side of the rubber raft, are the only support where you can hold on.

Herbert, who was in no mood to be the laboratory test animal again, paddled slowly away from the object of interest, thinking to be out of sight this way, wrong!!!

Mr. Parker addressed him and said nonchalantly,

“Herbert, show the ladies how to board this entity, okay?”

He propelled himself over there, splashing his feet like an Olympic swimmer, which he was not by far, swearing loud with his mouth under water, causing bubbles to dance around his nose, and saying:

“Act number five, scene seven, light, rolling, and action! Hollywood, here I come.”

He grabbed the attached lines and found it impossible to pull himself into the raft. So he tried a different approach. He raised out of the water just enough to slide on his belly over the top until his forehead touched the rubber bottom which was stretched tightly between those two round knackwursts. With a somersault, he landed with a big thump on his wet back which echoed back and forth from wall to wall in this hall (it rhymes!), only to be replaced by a thunderous laughter by all the onlookers. Herbert felt like the biggest fool this side of the Mississippi. (Which is any old place, on this, our planet?)

He thought, “Why do I always have to be such a dupe, even when I am not trying to imitate a clown!”

After the laughter had subsided, he didn’t believe what he heard.

Mister Parker announced, “This is exactly the way it has to be done, congratulation, Herbert!”

He continued, “You must have seen it before, didn’t you?”

“N-n-nooo,” Herbert stuttered.

“Well in this case, double congratulation,” he added.

“So I did alright?” Herbert asked himself.

“Yes, you dummy!” he answered from somewhere inside.

“Alright, no complaints!”

One after the other struggled into this round enclosure; some needed help, which was given. With all these activities taken place, Mister Parker stayed on dry grounds to give orders or explanations.

“Next,” he said: “the utility bag has to come on board.”

Nobody understood what he was talking about!

“So,” he said. “Everybody look outside of the doughnut and find a line dangling in the water.”

One girl shouted: “I found it!”

“Pull on it and get it on board, whatever is attached to it.”

She tried and explained to be unable to do so. Something is holding it back.

“That’s the utility bag and it will be, when the life raft inflates, 99.9 percent of the times, be under the floating isle. The only way to get it is someone has to go overboard, hold on with one hand to the raft and with the other hand follow the line to pull the bag from under the bulge to the outside. Two others will hoist it safely inside. It is important because the next thing to do is to put the sea anchor over board, which is nothing but a small parachute-like device on a line, which has to be attached on the raft at the point where the wind is coming from, to prevent the raft to tip over when the sea is rough and the wind can get underneath.

There are a lot of other steps to be taken, which will fill a few more pages of this book. So let’s leave it at that!

One more item to mention, a bible is also included, water proof packed, needing no instruction!

Well, one more piece of important equipment, among so many, should be the Gibson Girl, which is a radio signal apparatus; it gives a constant SOS signal and can be homed in on. It has the shape of a female body, which needed a lot of imagination to recognize it as ,girl‘, with a handle to crank some electricity into it, extremely hard to turn. To make it effective, a kite had to be launched, on a wire, to act as an antenna, and another wire to hang into the water to ground this whole paraphernalia. A hand-held two way radio or a cell phone was not invented yet. The handling of all the equipment and the locations, like fire extinguisher, oxygen bottles and first aid kits, was always a very important priority with Pan Am because it was different for each type of aircraft. flight attendants changed from one type to another constantly.

To accomplish a more realistic training for the life raft drill, the US Coast Guard in New York offered to take a whole training class, with the comprehensive equipment, out on the bay, with one of their boats. It was welcomed by all concerned and so it was done, for some time. The coast guard took them out there, a life raft was launched and the trainees entered their inflated island and were left alone. How better and realistic it was, the real McCoy.

The sea anchor was tossed overboard after the equipment bag was retrieved. The canvas was rigged to shield the survivors from the elements, as procedures commanded it. Now the instructor went through the whole arsenal of all items provided, which was a time-consuming affair. When it was time to put the kite up into the blue yonder in order to crank the Gibson Girl to life, it was the first time they took a look outside and realized they were not in the bay anymore, they had drifted out into the open ocean.

“No problem,” The instructor announced, “Now we make good use of our SOS device!”

And so it was proceeding quite well. The coast guard station received the emergency signal loud and clear. After a while, they were getting annoyed because it didn’t stop.

“What the hell do they think they are doing? Are those Pan Am people going crazy? Stop already, please, you are getting on our nerves. You have still a lot of time before the arranged time for your pick up!”

Finally, someone investigated, why the signal continued to be sending. When he found out and told his colleagues, they had a good laugh and were amused by the predicament the members of the raft were in. Being on alert at all times anyhow, a boat was on its way to rescue those unintentional escapees.

Should it be mentioned?

“It was the last time, the more realistic training was done!”

BACK TO THE SWIMMING POOL!

Since injections were administered all the time, one or the other arm was tender to the touch. For example, to utilize a rapid escape from an airplane, on fire or so, (hopefully standing still,) slides are used to reach mother earth as fast as possible. At the end of this glide, two helpers are positioned, on each side, to assist the arriving individual to get out of the way for the next appearing figure, which is supposed to be very fast. To accomplish this feat those twins, down there, will grab something of the fast-arriving soul. At the same moment an ear-piercing scream can be heard, because this freshly recipient of some injections in the arms was grabbed, where else but at the point where the needles found their entrance. Instructions demand to run like hell away from the airplane, for many reasons. Absolutely not necessary to remind those tortured folks. They run out of basic instincts, implanted into all living creatures, for millenniums: “Run away from danger and places where pain was inflicted.”

The instructor, for this section of education, had a contented smirk to show. He was convinced of the gratifying success which he had conveyed on his students. How else could he interpret the fast running and the screams of enthusiastic excitement? And nobody laughed or giggled stupidly or even acted silly. Later on it was learned that this was his first time instructing a class of freshmen. He was used to be the leader for long time crew members on their refresher assignment, who did not have new vaccinations in their arms.

One day commenced, which was not forgotten for a long time. It was the period to introduce the future bartenders of the air to the waiting world. In other words, instructions were on the agenda to learn how to mix and garnish alcoholic beverages. To the surprise of the apprentices, the real stuff was used to demonstrate the skill and finesse of combining different liquids and condiments to produce the perfect drink. It is science, so it seemed to the students. Pamphlets were distributed with explanations how to produce the most common thirst-quenchers. The largest bombshell, however, was the unexpected invitation by Mister Goglia, the instructor and master of booze blending, to pass on those glasses after taking a small sip out of them.

“Just a little taste, please, there are a lot of different cocktails to be sampled!” he warned.

“Don’t be afraid to catch a disease, or any bacteria’s, the alcohol makes it antiseptic,” he added, with the biggest smile.

Nobody was scared anyhow, didn’t they all just received a bill of health?

Besides, AIDS was not known yet!

THE GOOD OLD TIMES!

The whole kit and caboodle used in the classroom was authentic, as it would be found on the airplanes. The bottles with alcohol came in a liquor-kit under lock and key.

Wisely the drink mixing was scheduled on a Friday.

Didn’t Pan Am stress the fact to be the most experienced airline?

This was also the moment to show those students how trustworthy (hopefully) they were.

Mister Goglia handed the key to Herbert, (the man in the class,) with the stipulation to lock the bottles into the liquor-kit and return it to him the following Monday.

“When to call it a day, is up to you. Please experiment with this stuff, have a good time, I don’t want to get any complaints. Don’t get drunk. Good night, have a nice weekend.” And out of the door he went.

For Herbert, it was his first experience of what would transpire in the future at this new career, when he became a purser, to be in charge of a bunch of females. It was an undertaking, where many men have failed miserably. And those ladies were sober!!!

The rest of the evening went smoothly along and everybody enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere to be without an authority watching. UNTIL, they boarded the subway, on their way to the hotel. How many times do people get upset when a bunch of teenagers storm into a street car, bus or subway? That was exactly the case with our animated gang. Everybody was talking at the same time, very loud, of course. Chatter nonsense and/or making stupid remarks. Herbert was standing a little aside from the rest, making believe he didn’t belong to them. Unfortunately it did not last very long, one girl shouted:

“Hey, Herbert, don’t you talk to us anymore?”

Almost every person in this compartment looked at him and he felt how the red-flushed his face.

He recovered very fast and shouted back:

“No, I am standing here and restrain myself not to come over there to hug and kiss all of you!”

A big laughter filled this cabin, especially by passengers not belonging to this group.

Arriving at the hotel, very noisy, naturally, all concerned, disappeared fast into their accommodations, leaving this establishment again peaceful and silent as it was before.

The next day at lunch, one after another showed up very subdued.

No one was seen for breakfast!

Also some sunglasses were observed!

The nearby church had a boost in attendance on the following Sunday!

Chapter 3 Stratocruiser

Six weeks training would come to an end and the day of graduation got closer. Everybody had found a place to live. Some of the girls did rent an apartment to share with two or three other ones. They were advised by other girls who had done it before them; you will not be together all the time. Schedules will make it sure. Not that it is planned, it just will happen that way. Uniforms were fitted to perfection by the tailor’s. This elite unit was ready to tackle the world up there in the air.

Speeches were delivered, diploma handed out, flight wings pinned on the graduates, by the superintendent, whose hands were trembling and pearls of perspiration glistening on his forehead. His task to put those pins on so many girls’ breasts made him very uncomfortable. Was he happily relieved to do the very last one on Herbert? You bet! And he said so in a whispered voice. His expression was visible as if a heavy load was taken off his shoulders. The sight of relieve did not have to be waited on.

Now with all this behind those newly created flight attendants, a dark future seemed to be ahead of them.

They were assigned on the very next flight, to their home town, in order to obtain a crew visa from the American embassy. They were dispensed as an extra crew member, and observed of what the real function of a flight attendant was. The same way it was planned for the flight back to the States.

Even though the training was comprehensive, it was not adequate to appreciate the full impact of what, where and how things are to be accomplished. The real training starts the moment when the first flight as a full crew member arrives. The insecure feeling will disappear with time, as it is with every new occupation.

It is not extreme initializing, more like teasing the freshmen on board of their first real flight. To ask them to do something they never heard of in training, because it doesn’t exist. The dumb expression they show finds the rest of the crew’s satisfaction. They remember their own first trip!

Herbert’s inauguration flight was to London, on the Stratocruiser, the Boeing 377. The two-deck airplane, with a bar on the lower level. Pan Am’s luxurious Clipper (Trademark); the PRESIDENT SPECIAL.

This was a weekly flight, to London, and on another day to Paris. Exclusively, first-class only, with 44 passengers, total capacity.

The cabin crew consisted of one purser and four stewardesses, or one steward and three stewardesses. They were called, “A frozen crew,” because they were always flying together, but only as long as they wanted to. A newcomer, like Herbert was, had no choice of what position to work. He was put in the galley, together with one stewardess. The galley was a compartment at the very end of the cabin. A door, which converted into three shelves, to be used for in- and outgoing items to be placed there. As long as this configuration was in use, the door could not be opened. It was a very innovative arrangement and most practical.

The steward’s responsibility was to prepare/cook the meals and transfer those onto “Rosenthal” chinaware. The stewardess put them on the ledge, to be picked up by the team working the cabin. She also picked up and stored away, returning items.

Whatever was needed in the cabin had to be requested and handed out from the galley. With a well-organized team, very little conversation was necessary. Everything was available when needed.

It worked:

“Like a well-oiled machine!”

With the introduction of the jet-engine airplanes, the “Frozen Teams” were maintained. Soon they had to be abolished, for reasons of discontent by other flight attendants, who had no chance to get prestige flights.

Herbert found himself in this small cubicle of an aircraft kitchen with his coworker, Lucy. She was a well-proven crew member, who handled the tasks and challenges of galley slaves blindfolded, left handed with the other hand bound on her back, so to speak! A real pro!

It was surely a reason, for Herbert, to calm down and relax. His worries disappeared instantly.

Hank, the purser, was a nervous type, jumpy and tense.

Lucy mentioned, “Isn’t it great to have this wonderful door to separate us, in here, from this lunatic?” Herbert agreed, but was astonished by the disrespectful attitude this girl displayed. In training, the instructor emphasized, how important the purser is and how to follow the orders given by this master of the cabin team.

Equal of how a general is ordering a G.I.

“Don’t pay any attention of whatever HE tells you, here in this galley we are our own bosses, okay?” she said over her shoulder, while she filled two paper cups with Moët & Chandon. Lucy handed him one cup and clicked hers on his and said: “Clunk!” to compensate for the silent paper containers. Took a sip of the bubblies and motioned Herbert to do the same.

“But!” he stammered: “We are not allowed to drink alcoholic beverages in uniform!”

“Good!” she said nonchalantly: “Take one shoe off, and you are out of uniform, simple?”

(Many times, grooming supervisors criticized crew members, when a button was open or a tie was not straight, and called it “to be out of uniform”, like in the military!)

Many airlines adopted their attires from the armed forces.

Pan Am selected the uniform of the Navy.

Conceivable, there were only Flying-Boats, in the early days.

And:

(No Girls)

Lucy took a big sip of this expensive liquid and told Herbert:

“Open a can of caviar, it complements the champagne!”

There were several one-pound containers provisioned of these sturgeon eggs from the Caspian Sea. Herbert did what he was told, while Lucy took two spoons, handed one to him and dug deep with her ladle into the black bulk to produce a handsome portion which disappeared in her mouth. Her eyes rolled in utter delight and she mumbled with her mouthful:

“That’s what I call living!”

She displayed a big smile while she was chewing.

Herbert, who observed this display in wonderment, thought:

“So this is what I’ve got into? I don’t think there was any mention of it in training? Well, I guess reality is always different of what’s been taught in school.”

Took a spoonful, to follow the example, and made believe he knew about it all along. Who wants to be a greenhorn, novice, and rookie?

He promised himself to be very alert to observe and learn to copy what others do, who are in this business already for a long time.

What a difference, he observed, when he was an extra crew member on the previous flight and now, being a link in a chain.

He was a replacement on this trip for a crew member on sick leave.

There was no way of selecting where, or with whom, to fly.

Many years later, a system of bidding was introduced to select flights, after pressure from the union, strictly by seniority.

After dinner was served, the purser made a list of duties and rest times for each flight attendant. Herbert was assigned to attend the bar for the next two hours, in the basement. (Lower deck!) Then, for two hours rest in an upper bed. Afterwards, two hours, cabin control with needs of the pilots in the cockpit.

The upper berth, as they were called, was located above the passenger’s seat to be pulled down, for the night, after the meal service. They were used by the crew, whenever not sold, to passengers for an extra very steep charge. A stepladder had to be utilized to get in and out of these devices.

(the most awkward situations have occurred there, which will be exposed later.)

Herbert went down to the bar by means of a spiral staircase.

(Equal to the one developed much later on the Boeing 747, going to the upper deck.)

The décor was a cozy habitation with mirrors all over the place. A half circle of upholstered seats to accommodate ease of conversations, which would increase with each drink consumed. The bar itself was also mirrored, like a converted, build in, closet in a home. Even a 45 rpm, self-changing, ten records player was there. The purser was issued ten records by the company, which he had to carry in his briefcase.

(No girl pursers at this time. It was also changed by pressure of the union.)

These records were selected by some vice president of the company and disliked because of different taste, to describe it mildly. So the purser brought his own from home. This music was played at boarding in the main cabin, a wonderful gesture. But as soon as the plane stirred, caused by a strong wind or on the taxi way, the needle jumped from groove to groove producing noise in the most disagreeable way, not resembling music anymore. You could see, the nearest crew member, to the stairway, flying down to end the unpleasantness. In flight the music could also be transferred to the lower lounge only. The jumping needle had to be stopped again the moment some, even little, turbulence occurred.

(Blessed be the modern music-producing devices of nowadays!)

In other words, music was an infrequent pleasure. Airplanes are always moving, not only forward.

Herbert mixed drinks for the few passengers, down there in the bar. Luckily no one ordered an exotic beverage. To be on the safe side, he had a booklet of mixology handy just in case. Since none of the occupants there found a topic for a chat, they concentrated their attention to Herbert and took him through a third degree. It is always the same focus, where do you come from, how long are you flying, have you ever been in a crash and do you like your job? He answered courteously, they nodded and managed a faint smile but it seemed nobody listened or was not in the least interested. Only a few drinks later each one of them talked at the same time.

One traveler after another left this comfy location and climbed up to the main cabin to get some sleep. Finally the last one vanished and Herbert was glad he had survived his first encounter, to be alone with important paying guests. After all, this President Special was patronized by statesmen, film stars and super-rich VIPs.

The two hours had passed and now his rest time had arrived.

He was instructed to awaken Georgia to take her two hours of duty time.

She was in: “U 4 L” which meant Upper berth #4 on the Left side. There was, naturally, also a seat belt provided and the occupants were instructed to strap in before going to sleep. The procedure to awaken a sleeping soul was, to gently pull on the seat/bed belt and give some tugs until a response was achieved and the curtain was opened by the sleepyhead to find out what was going on.

Herbert did exactly that! He pulled gently on this belt, little by little, until he held the end in his hand. What now? Georgia was not strapped in! He put his hand very slowly in there to get a hand or arm to pull on it. In the dark he fumbled a while until he got hold of something. What’s that? It’s a bosom you idiot, it signaled up there in the windings of his brain. He pulled his hand back, very rapidly! Tooooo late! He was caught in the act. A lady opened the curtain and a pleasant voice whispered: “What is your intention, young man?”

“I, I, I made a mistake, madam,” he stuttered. And continued:

“Please forgive me,” he felt his knees shaking, afraid to collapse right then and there.

“Never mind,” this female answered. He tried desperately to identify this woman but was unable in this sparsely lighted cabin. A pen light was in his pocket as part of an item for each crew member at night time. But he wouldn’t dare to use it to put hurt into injury? To recognize this lady-passenger was futile, since he worked in the galley back there and only knew the ones that were in the downstairs bar. What should he do now? His thoughts were interrupted.

“Since you woke me up, you can bring me a glass of champagne,” this Madonna whispered.

“But of course, madam!” he countered, being joyful to do good for this understanding woman.

Rushing back to the food-preparing caboose, he did not find any open bottle of champagne. Down the stairs he ran taking two steps at a time. The thick carpet was swallowing his heavy footsteps. No opened one there either. He fumbled with trembling fingers to take the wire off the cork to open the bottle. It seemed to him as if it took forever to complete this task. He finally managed to pop it open not to let the cork fly or making a loud noise. Filling up the glass to the rim, he ran up the stairs, again with two steps at the time and slipped, because he took two and a half steps. The coordination between his brain and his legs were not on the same wavelengths. Back again to refill the now empty glass, he forced himself to slow down three notches. Finally he was able to bring the liquid to the bed of this sympathetic feminine being. The curtain was closed and knocking on it would be stupid. Definitely grabbing inside he wouldn’t do so again. So he whispered:

“Lady, here is your champagne!”

A hand came out and Herbert put the drink in there. He was so happy to have done something for her; he almost kissed this hand in gratitude.

After all this he trotted, this time slowly, down again and filled another glass with the same wet stuff and gulped it down.

“So much for waking up Georgia,” he thought, and what now? Having not the slightest idea of what to do now, he walked up to take her two hours duty time, when he saw Georgia standing there.

Herbert was stunned and asked:

“Where are you coming from?”

“From sleeping, where else,” she replied.

Now he asked the most idiotic question of this century, (the 20th!)

“It was you there in U 4 L?”

“Who else?” she asked.

He confessed: “I saw myself already standing in the unemployment line, because I grabbed a lady, there,” he pointed at Georgia’s décolleté.

“What do you mean, a lady? I am not a lady?” she asked grumbling.

“Of course you are a lady, I mean…” he stammered, but was stopped right then and there, when she said:

“Oh, stop and have a glass of that foamy stuff you brought me there in my four-poster, and while you are at it, get me also one.”

Herbert obediently did what he was instructed to do and trotted down to the basement, (as the crew, jokingly, called the lower deck,) where the Moët was still standing there on the counter, bubbling happily, waiting for customers.

While he was climbing the stairs with the two glasses, he relived the previous hasty ascent with the disgusting result. This time, he was careful not to duplicate his clumsiness.

He asked himself:

“My God, where did I get myself into? I had no idea this job would be like this!”

(He found out, on his next trip, this was not the norm!)

Georgia took one flute out of his hand, said: “Skol!” took a sip, and twinkled at him.

“What now?” He became a complete question mark.

It was nothing but a colleague’s gesture. She pointed at his glass and said:

“Drink my friend and hurry up to get into the cradle, which I have warmed up for you. Go ahead before it cools down. Dream something beautiful, in two hours you will be awakened.”

She was not kidding, it was snugly warm and the fragrance of her perfume was still present. It is not an easy task to get undressed lying down, but sleeping all dressed up is ludicrous, and how does it look to have a wrinkled uniform the next morning? Holders for shoes and attire were provided. He cuddled himself into a comfortable position and did not forget to put the seat belt on. Not to put another crew member, who has to wake him up, through the same undertaking to get hold of a private body part?

Here now the situation with the upper berth, as promised earlier, of what took place during the night:

Not everybody would use the call button, to summon the ladder, to get in or out of those upper beds, to take their midnight scroll to the bathroom. They rather test their athletic capability to master the challenge without it. When they for the first time climbed up there, it was so easy. First, step on the armrest of the passenger who occupies the seat right under the bed. Get the upper torso into the bedframe, lift one leg up there, and roll further in there while pulling up the other leg. There, you see it is child’s play. Consequently it must be equally easy to reverse this exercise. Again:

“IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO!”

Turn on your belly, let the legs dangle down until you feel the armrest with your feet, stand on it and step down. Not so fast, because when the legs hang down to find the armrest of the individual down there, most likely being asleep. The head, where the eyes are, is buried up there in the dark, most likely, in a pillow. Not every climber is so lucky to hit this armrest and might wind up on the belly of this unfortunate sleeper down there. Or missing the target altogether. Hanging in midair, literately, between heaven and earth, if that’s the correct expression? Most likely, however, hanging between heaven and ocean, with about seven miles of nothingness amongst those two components.

After some struggling and peddling, the goal of stability will be reached and this happy soul is on its way to the WC.

Since no one in his/her right mind would get dressed for such a mission, the following will transpire:

Whatever people will wear up there, for the night, when one slides over any edge, on his belly, the cloth will get stuck up there and the legs get exposed. Not too bad, if this is an experienced upper bed user. All the others will show legs. In a case of a female, trying to get quietly down from up there, the guy sitting underneath, might get some show at close range, if he is awake, or will be awakened by the stirring. The spectacle will continue, in case this lady is having a flimsy something on. She will walk to the Ladies’ room. (Yes, girls and boys had separate accommodations even with a washroom next to it.) Little dim nightlights along the floor make all gowns see-through garments, impressively!

Blinded by the bright light in the restroom, stepping into the dark cabin on her way back, she stopped to give her eyes time to get adjusted. For the man she woke up on her way down she looked to him like the “Venus de Milo,” only this one had arms and moved slightly. As soon as she could focus somewhat she moved quickly to her bed. Stepped on the armrest, grabbed inside and swung her leg up at the same time, only to realize a person was in there. A man, to her bewilderment was in there. This one jumped up from the sudden assault, still half asleep:

“What’s going on?” he mumbled.

At the same time, she hissed at him:

“What are you doing there in my bed?”

A voice next to her head whispered:

“Lady, your bed is one more further back!”

It was the man who had enjoyed the show all along. He acted as a rescuer to a lady in distress.

She whispered an excuse to the man she had so rudely disturbed and a thank-you to her champion. With an elegant motion, like a gymnast, she disappeared into her now correct crib. Only moments later, her savior heard a sobbing, coming from her cubicle. He got up and went close to the drapery and with a low voice inquired if she needed some help. When she showed her face, he could see tears running down her cheeks. He felt a surge of pity for her, only to realize these were the water works from laughing, which she tried unsuccessful to dampen.

There is another compartment on this airplane, worthy to be mentioned.

On the lower deck, next to the bar, is a door leading to an additional cargo hold.

The liquor kits are also stored there, under lock and key. Most important however, an emergency door is also located there, which could be opened from the in- or outside. On the ground, when the airplane is standing still, of course!

Many captains insisted this door to be operated by each crew member, as part of the emergency briefing. It was not an easy task. This door had the hinges on the bottom and folded outwards, like the back flap on grandpa’s winter long-legged underwear. To stop this door from free falling, a wire was attached connected to a winch with a handle to be cranked for opening and closing this heavy mechanism. The handlebar had to be held firmly with on hand, while the other hand had to release the locking device. A stable position was essential and was achieved by having a leg high up against the wall. No problem for the men! The girls however had to pull up their skirts, to get the leg high enough. Striptease! So the whole crew could check what kind of panties they are wearing. If the leg was not planted in this position, one would fly out with the door, guaranteed! To close this monster again, the handle had to be cranked in the opposite direction. Shallow steps were attached to this sort of a trap door to become a little stairway. In the open position the door reached almost the ground. This exit was many times utilized by the flight engineer. Passengers at the window seats were alarmed when they spotted him walking around there close to the whirling propellers. Some last checks had, sometimes, to be made, before takeoff. This was the only aircraft type, at this time, having this ability. All others had to return to the gate to complete such an undertaking.