One Way or the Other

Ever since Monday I've been having thoughts about different paths chosen in life.  I don't know how many of you have had close calls with life and limb in the past.  You know, you choose one way, and the way you chose kept you safe....not that you knew it would.

 

I graduated high school early at age 17 and immediately went to work for American Airlines.  I thought I was so grownup, dressed in navy blue suits and 3" heels (also blue)...I was assigned to working seat selection and actually enjoyed my job.  Well, within six months I was entitled to travel "free" anywhere American flew and that wonderful comp applied to my immediate family too.

 

My Dad had not seen his sister since she had moved out to Los Angeles many years before, so it was decided that my Mom & Dad would take a much needed vacation out there.  Also, that I would babysit my two sisters ages four and thirteen...no problem.  I can remember as if it were yesterday, Mom & Dad all packed, kissed us goodbye and left for the airport.    Because these are comp tickets you actually had to wait at the check in as Standby's in case the flight was totally booked.   I knew they were trying to get on the red-eye (last plane out) to LA.  Because of the time differences I knew I would not hear from them until later the next day.

 

Somewhere around 8:30 am the next morning my little sister wanted breakfast and TV cartoons.  I can remember turning the TV on, remember the old sets needed to warm up a bit before they came fully on...all of a sudden there is a news announcement stating that an American Airlines Flight had crashed on takeoff over Jamaica Bay first thing this morning.  I was numb...didn't know if they had made the flight before this one or not.   Our phone started to ring off the hook, with friends asking which flight my parents were on, we had the FAA calling because people had called them....it was chaos.  I just kept thinking to myself Oh My God please let them be safe.

 

Well, short story, they made the red eye flight...they were the last two people allowed on as standby.   But for those two seats who knows?

 

I had a good friend named Sal who was in the Marines in Viet Nam, he planned to visit my husband and myself in Tokyo on leave in 1965.  Where he was located he had to make two connections to get the flight to Tokyo...he missed the one connection and that particular flight crashed killing everyone on board.   Again I was frantic cause I knew the flight he was supposed to be on, we were scheduled to meet him.  He never did complete that trip but I know he made it back home to become a great teacher.    A roadblock saved his life.

 

I guess you just never know.

 

Oh, I really, really wouldn't shoot the duck...just thought it was funny