Dear Mother,
Just a note. I got all my ironing done. Picked up my cleaning, and had anti-freeze put in my car. (I had a 1953 green Packard which I paid $50 and sold two years later for $50 to another hostess. It finally "died" while crossing the Broadway Bridge.)
Anna, her folks, Diane and Jan all went downtown shopping. I stayed here because I don't have any money to spend. I had so many expenses in Sept. - the TV, garbage disposal, dry cleaning, plus paying $12 for winter coats in summer storage, then those 2 outfits I have on lay-away. I'm never going to that darn
Country Club Plaza again! (What a joke!)
Would you please take $25 out of my savings and send me a check? I don't want to chance it. If I don't use it all, I'll send it back. I know the $30 broke me taken out of my check. But I can handle it this month. Don't worry. Thanks much.
Love & xxxxx's Tish
October 4, 1962
Dear Mother,
This will be just a quick note. I want to tell you, first of all, that I forgot to enter a deposit at the bank and I have $155 more than I thought! Boy, do I ever feel better! But, I sort of feel dumb. I didn't really know how I could be so broke! But, I'm not!
I have a terrible cold. I woke up and my eyes looked real funny and I was in a miserable, grouchy mood. Then my nose started dripping. I took a steaming bath, greased my chest with Vicks and was in bed at 7:00. Slept 'til 11:00 a.m. and felt better. I went out on F/337, and today when I got in, I went to the Medic (TWA had a doctor and a nurse on staff in our main office at the airport.) and they gave me a penicillin shot. I sure hope it takes affect by tomorrow. The Dr. said if it wasn't any better I'd probably have to go off schedule. They are afraid of our ear drums, but I refuse! That not only would cut my pay check, it would also mess my schedule for next week.
I'm going to take a bath now and go to bed. I have to unpack and repack tomorrow for this glorious
4-day trip. Sure feel icky.
Love, Tish
Found amongst the letters: A small card with Russell Stover Candies name on it that reads:
Hi Mommy,
No special occasion. Just wanted to send some candy
to the sweetest mother a girl could have.
to the sweetest mother a girl could have.
Love, Tish
October 7, 1962 Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge - Belleville, MI
Dear Mother,
Just a note to tell you how happy I was to be home Saturday. It's so enjoyable to come home, especially on surprise occasions like this was. Thanks for always coming into the airport so much. It's so nice to know you'll be there.
This motel is really nice. The rooms are very big and rustic looking.
Love, Tish
October 19, 1962 Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge - Belleville, MI
Dear Mother,
We just got in the motel and decided to just sit in our bedroom and watch T.V. The Flinstones are on and I haven't watched them in ages.
One more day, and I'll be home. This sure is a long flight. From STL to YIP it is a rough one. We have
1 hr. 45 min. to serve in a Super G - 31 first class and 16 coach. We don't have a chance to get any "lap time" in on this one. Ha Ha. (Need I explain what lap time is??? I never, ever had any lap time - well in the air that is, but I think my sister did. ha ha..she'll kill me!)
Wed. night from STL to DAY we had a bunch of men on coming from a convention. They gave me a silly Robin Hood hat that's red with a green feather, a lighter from the Playboy Club, a ball point pen and a sample of Chanel No. 5. Quite a haul, huh? What a gay group they were! (They were not "gay", of course. That connotation wasn't in our language in 1962.)
The last two nights in DAY we went bowling. I'm still not much of a bowler, but it's fun.
No more news. Will write after I get home.
Love, Tish
October 28, 1962
Dear Mother,
Wednesday I went out on a flight with Jan. I was working galley and we were half-way through the cabin serving dinner. I was helping serve coffee when I noticed a very strange sound from the engines. The plane sort of "rocked" and the engines got very quiet. I knew immediately that something was wrong. Jan went to the cockpit and they told her they had feathered No. 1 engine and were turning back to Kansas City. This was the first time I had a feathered engine. (This a prop. They shut the engine off and turn the prop on an angle so it doesn't "blow in the wind" like a wind mill.This plane only had two engines...one was off!) We got all the trays back and sat down for landing. Of course, we were met on the runway by fire trucks, which is just routine. Then we fed the rest of the passengers on the ground, got off the plane and waited for two hours. They got it fixed and we took off again. But, after takeoff, I knew all wasn't well because they cut the rpm down quite a bit and this is very noticeable when you're used to the normal sounds on this plane. When we landed in STL, the pilots told us they thought we would have to turn back again, but they just slowed the engine down and we would have a plane change. We finally made it to Dayton at 2:00 a.m. and we were supposed to be there at 10:30. We were on duty for 14 hours, and exhausted.
Thursday we woke up and it was snowing! I almost died. I had a funny thought as I looked out the window at the snow. It was the first time I woke up and discovered the first snow fall by myself. You always told me before I got up. Remember? Then I'd moan and groan! It's funny how so many little things stick with a person.
We almost froze to death because we didn't have our winter coats and it was down to 27 degrees. Well, we finally got home to Kansas City and it was much warmer here.
Sunday night I baby sat, if you can imagine. I had this man on flight to Dayton twice and by the second time we were calling each other by first names. He works for National Cash Register and got transferred to K.C. He told me when they moved, they wouldn't know anyone and wondered if I might baby sit sometime. I said I'd be glad to. So, he called Saturday and asked if I could come Sunday, and I did. He reminds me very much of Jim McKinnon, (my brother-in-law.) the way he talks and his actions. They have a girl 3, boy 2, and a baby boy 6 weeks old. Boy, was it strange to be around such a little baby. I had to change his diapers and it really felt awkward. Then I fed him. The kids were real good and just darling. I guess this man thought I was a nurse like airline hostesses used to be, asking me to baby sit. Ha ha. Little did he know, I'm not too experienced with diaper changing!
I got my November bids, and am so disappointed because I will be flying on Thanksgiving. I know you'll be very disappointed too and I tried so hard. I bid every flight I possibly could and couldn't hold any of those sequences. I'm just too junior, mommy. So sorry.
Love, Tish
October 31, 1962 Stationery from Sheraton Hotel - Philadelphia, PA
Dear Mother,
It seems like I've been out for weeks by now. We had 6 hours in STL today so they gave us a hotel room and we went to the Holiday Inn and slept. We flew a "G" here non-stop and had a 3rd girl from IDL (NY). The crew isn't too hot this time. The Captain is a big grouch. It sure makes a difference in a trip when the crew is crabby. It sets the whole tone of the flight, really. I didn't even want to go into the cockpit.
Tomorrow I fly from PHL to PIT, CMH, DAY, SDF, STL, and finally, MKC. 6:50 flying time. We will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner and are on duty for 10 hours because of the stops and checking in an hour before flight.. Flying time is considered from the time they remove the blocks from the plane's tires to taxi out to arrival when they put the blocks on the tires. That's why flying time is called "block to block". People will ask, "If the flying time is only 30 minutes, why does my ticket say we will arrive in an hour?" Then I have to explain the taxi time in and out. It is confusing, I know.
I'm living in terror that they'll balance me this weekend. If they do, everything will be spoiled. I am anxious to see what this Doug guy is really like. He'll probably end up to be a real fink.
I'll be waiting to hear all about your trip to Europe. I hope you get on all the flights okay.
Love, Tish
P.S. Maybe I can work a trade to get home this month. F/22 has 23 hours in ORD. I'll try!
November 1, 1962 Stationery from Mayfair Lennox Hotels - St. Louis
Dear Mother,
I can't begin to tell you how bad this stupid flight was today. We were on that airplane for 9 hours and 40 minutes. I couldn't wait to get my feet on solid ground! We served lunch from PHL to PIT, beverage PIT to DAY - nothing DAY to CMH, beverage CMH to SDF, dinner from SDF to STL and dinner from STL - MKC. I was working "A" and my hands were so sore from carrying those heavy trays. I figured I fed at least 160 people and gave "coffee, tea or milk" to all of them too! We had full loads on a 749 and made 40 million trips up and down that aisle. Boy! What a glamorous life I lead. I'm so exhausted I'm completely wide awake and I can't settle down at all.
You know I have the big date this weekend, and when I got in from flight, I went to scheduling and reluctantly looked at the Hostess' Master Schedule to see if they had me set up on a balance. Well, I was set up to go out on a turn-around Saturday, and I almost died. I was afraid to say anything and wanted to pretend I never saw it. But then, I thought I just had to get out of it somehow. So, I talked to the scheduling fella (almost had tears in my eyes, I played it up so good.) I said, how can they do this to me when I just got back from a 4 day trip and just spent 9 hours on an airplane with only one day of rest. I told him this weekend was so important to me and I didn't care if they balanced me up to 85 hours on every day off I have. (I was desperate!) Well, I almost made the poor guy cry after spending at least 10 minutes talking him out of it. He took his eraser out and erased my name and set me up on a new Wichita flight Sunday. It goes out at 12:15 and comes back at 3:00 - just to ICT and back. I almost kissed him and he just said, "Have a good time, Tish." So, I got Friday and Saturday off. This is the first time I've spoken up to them or really anyone on anything. I'm sure glad I had the nerve and didn't just accept it. Boy, I'm really getting along in this world, aren't I? And, I guess it's about time, since I will be 21 next month!
Love, Tish
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