Fasten Your Seatbelts: A Flight Attendant's Adventures 36,000 Feet and Below (2 page)

BOOK: Fasten Your Seatbelts: A Flight Attendant's Adventures 36,000 Feet and Below
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knew I should have trusted my instincts by not going out with a stranger on a layover. A tear fell down my cheek as I looked into his eyes. They were glazed over with an animalistic look to them. I thought to myself,
I am either going to be raped or killed. No one knows where I am
...

s the hour grew close to midnight, the trapped passengers who were once calm and subdued lost all dignity by definition. Call lights chimed in frustration. Chants now heard in the cabin. “WE WANT OFF, WE WANT OFF!” I called the captain to let him in on the action. “You might want to hear this…”

fter a long grueling day, I couldn’t wait to take a short break. Unfortunately, the unwanted sound of the phone chimed. Shelly, the first class flight attendant, yelled, “Get up here,
NOW!” I made my way through coach wondering what I was going to find. As I entered first class, the putrid smell of vomit was in the air. I continued to where the commotion was taking place in the first row. There, a man’s body lay lifeless, slumped to the left. Fluids seeped from his mouth and his face was ashen. As I approached him, his eyes opened slightly.
Thank God he’s alive
. I unlocked the oxygen from the bracket…

hile filling my tank in uniform at the gas station, a young man opposite of me filling his tank spoke with curiosity, “You’re a flight attendant, huh? I bet you have some stories to tell…”

ne summer Sunday afternoon my parents took all five of us children to the airport. My father parked the car on an old dirt road at the end of the runway just to watch the airplanes take off and land. Barely 10 years old, I felt a surge of excitement as the engines revved up and the plane cruised toward us faster and faster. With a sudden burst and a roar, the aircraft soared above our heads. We watched in awe as it faded out of sight.

Each time we visited the airport, the excitement returned. One day, my parents took us inside the airport just for the fun of it. I observed the crewmembers as they passed by. The flight attendants looked so glamorous in their uniform and high heels. They had a movie star air about them as they confidently strolled by us.
That is what I want to be when I grow up
.

In reality, our parents had just enough money to raise their five children, so flying on an airplane was a luxury
we could not afford. My mother mentioned she would love to visit Europe someday. I assured her, “Don’t worry Mom, one day I’ll become a stewardess and you will get to go to Europe.”

I kept that dream throughout high school and was determined to fly. I attended Barbizon Modeling School in St. Louis with the intention of pursuing my career. (Barbizon’s famous slogan was “Be a model or just look like one.”) Barely clearing 5’ 4”, I knew I could only look like one. In the early 80s, women were somewhat limited in their career choices. Most became nurses, some became teachers, and others enjoyed being a housewife. All I wanted to do was leave my small town in southern Illinois and experience life.

My initial airline interview took place in a neighboring state. The airline paid for my ticket to attend. As the airplane took off, I sat glued to the window in childlike wonder. Flying for the first time was everything I dreamed of and more.

On board, I watched the flight attendants serving beverages from the cart. After the service was completed, I noticed they were in the first class galley laughing and having a good old time.
This was the perfect job for me
! I opened my notebook and began reviewing questions I thought might be asked in the interview.

As the plane began its descent, I checked in the mirror for last minute touch-ups. While powdering my nose, I was pleased my long brown hair still had a little curl to it. I gazed down at my wine-colored suit and straightened out the wrinkles.
I love this pink ruffled shirt
, I mused, clueless of my unprofessional attire.

After deplaning, I entered the airline’s office where a subdued gentleman escorted me to a room that felt more like an interrogation office. The moment I walked in I felt intimidated. A lady with her glasses sitting on the tip of her nose sat behind a desk staring at me critically. She was not exactly the warm and friendly type. She fired questions at me, none of which were on my list.

“Why did you choose to attend a Bible college?” she inquired.

I let out a nervous laugh and said, “Because my dad insisted.”

There was no laughter from her. She continued her pointed barrage, “Are you prepared to relocate?”

“Where would I go?” I asked innocently. I knew when I walked out of that room this was not going to be my airline.

The very next day I had a group interview with another major airline. I smiled really big and raised my hand to answer all the
questions being asked. At the end of the interview, the person asking the questions pulled me aside. “Next time,” she said with a smile, “Put your hair up.” I was devastated! If I had done that, you wouldn’t have been able to see my curls!

After these setbacks, I waited two more years to apply for a position with another major airline.

BOOK: Fasten Your Seatbelts: A Flight Attendant's Adventures 36,000 Feet and Below
11.96Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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