Original subtitles

[lighthearted music playing]

[plane engines roaring]

[lighthearted music continues]

[music stops]

["Take Five" playing]

[narrator] It was late at night,

and there was hardly anyone in the terminal.

My mother saw a photograph of Liz Taylor in an upcoming movie

called The V.I.P.s.

She wanted a coat just like it,

except she bought hers from a church basement sale

where all the wealthy people sold their secondhand clothes.

- Goodbye, Grandma. - Goodbye, sweetheart.

- Mwah. [chuckles] - I'll miss you.

- Mmm. Goodbye, Mom. - Mmm.

Goodbye, honey.

- [PA system dings] - Final call for Trans World Airlines,

Flight 700 Royal Ambassador Super Jet service to London.

Now boarding at Gate 3.

All aboard, please.

[narrator] The voice over the PA system seemed so sophisticated.

I imagined it belonged to someone really beautiful,

more like an actress of some sort.

Maybe if I act like Marilyn Monroe,

the ticket agent will put us in first class. [chuckles]

[narrator] She also said that all the drinks were on the house

if you flew that way.

Of course I didn't really care, as long we really got to go.

["Breakfast At Tiffany's" playing]

[announcer on PA] Trans World Airlines, Flight 393

Super Constellation service to Pittsburgh,

Dayton, Chicago, Kansas City,

Denver and Los Angeles.

Now boarding at the West Arcade.

All aboard, please.

[narrator] The excitement ran through my body

like something I had never felt before.

Knowing that, within minutes, I would be airborne for the first time

was comparable to nothing,

including playing doctor with the kids on the block.

And that was saying a lot for an eight-year-old.

I remember everything about that night.

The lights being dim in the terminal,

color of the airline insignia

as we moved quickly to the gate in the West Arcade.

Even my mother seemed excited,

but for totally different reasons, I'm sure.

Probably something like the free drinks that she could have,

or the potential for meeting a handsome man on the plane.

My mother was about 49 years old, and quite attractive.

Blue eyes, nice hair,

and a good figure for her age, she told me.

She would even have had a better figure if she hadn't had me so late in life.

And a lot of men didn't mind a little bit of a potbelly.

It was very sexy to some, she thought.

Maybe she'd fall in love with someone really cool,

like the captain of the plane or something.

Rushing through the Idlewild airport was so much fun.

I couldn't believe we were really, actually going to fly this time.

Most of our visits to the airport were to see people off.

One time my mother actually had to fly to go to work

in some play that she was doing in summer stock.

But this time I would get to go.

[triumphant music playing]

[wind gusts]

[narrator] It all seemed very surreal.

Now my heart was in my throat.

Everything seemed as if it were in slow motion.

She was beautiful.

Silver and white, with two red accent stripes

and the letters TWA printed on the side.

Oh, what a sight.

The wind blew cold in my face, but it couldn't interrupt my first love.

Noble in appearance, strong and powerful in impression.

This would begin an experience I would never forget.

As we climbed the steps to board the aircraft,

I noticed something very peculiar.

There wasn't very many people boarding with us.

Only a few really.

Then I pretended that the flight was really only for me and my mother,

and wasn't that unique?

Welcome aboard. It's much warmer in here.

[narrator] The stewardess at the top of the stairs was tall and slim

and had a warm smile.

[triumphant music continues]

[music ends]

So we also have an emergency map for you.

[narrator] There was something different about her.

Something that was hard to pinpoint.

Later my mother would get to know her quite well.

Almost best friends.

I did ask her why Liz seemed so different from others,

and my mom told me that it was because she had depth

and true sadness in her life from being in a concentration camp.

[plane engines starting]

[narrator] As the engines started, one at a time,

I sat in what seemed like a big, soft, comfortable chair.

I could hardly hear them at all.

Big propellers turned around as fire exited through the backside exhausts.

I knew it was the jet age,

but there was something exciting about being in an aircraft

that would take twice as long to get there as a jet would,

especially my first time.

I remember I saved my coins in a black floral purse.

Your grandmother, my mother,

gave me this floral purse to save money in it.

And now you should save money in it,

and then maybe we can go on a short trip together.

We could go to Philadelphia, Hartford.

We could go to Boston!

Yes. [chuckles]

There was nothing like it when my mother got excited about something.

The whole world seemed to have brightness and hope.

["Samba De Uma Nota Só" playing]

- [volume decreases] - [exhales] Okay.

[inhales deeply] Okay.

I was gonna keep this a surprise,

but we are moving to Los Angeles.

Real… Really?

[giggling]

There's a director friend of mine from the Allentown Playhouse

who has promised if we get ourselves out west by February,

he is going to get me some work in a film.

For real?

I can't believe it.

[sniffs, giggles]

[narrator] Mom already had quite a few jobs

as an extra under her belt,

so it didn't seem that far-fetched.

She also taught drama in school,

and prior to that had a full-time stage career.

And when she wasn't working, I was her best audience.

I'll be right back.

I gotta go check my schedules right away.

[narrator] I practically flew upstairs to my room,

where I had my airline schedules.

United, American, TWA.

There it is. "Propeller One-Way Night Coach.

$95 full fare, children half fare."

That's it!

Now back to flight times.

"Trans World Airlines, Flight 393

departs Idlewild airport at 9:00 p.m.

Super Constellation services to Los Angeles

with intermittent stops at Pittsburgh,

Dayton, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver and Los Angeles.

Arrives at 3:00 p.m. the next day."

[TV announcer] Only Trans World Airlines

links 70 cities in the USA with 15 world centers overseas.

[singers on TV] ♪ Nationwide, worldwide ♪

[TV announcer] Depend on…

[singers on TV] ♪ TWA ♪

♪ TWA's the way ♪

["Wives and Lovers" playing]

[narrator] By the time I came back down,

the lights were off in the living room.

And the music from the radio portion of the stereo was playing softly,

"Wives and Lovers," sung by Jack Jones.

Her cigarette was burning in the dark, a glass of white wine by her side.

Then I worried that what she said about moving to Los Angeles

might not be true.

Maybe just a daydream of hers.

Oh, well.

I thought I could still save for the short trip.

Maybe I'll… I'll look at my schedules again.

[song fades]

[narrator] My grandmother had a '57 Plymouth Belvedere.

So there we were, in December of 1962,

on our way to Idlewild Airport with Flight 393 on my mind.

When are we gonna get there?

[Grandma] Honey, when-when the odometer gets to 62,

we'll be there.

[narrator] Now it was fun to see the big billboards

boasting different opportunities that one could take, like,

"Fly Pan Am, seven hours to Paris."

Or "TWA, the best way to California."

And here I am on this plane

going to one of the farthest trips the airline offers.

There were a total of about 15 people on this first segment of the flight.

I was wearing a hunter's cap that I forgot to remove,

probably due to coming in from the cold.

Nevertheless, on takeoff, this was my look.

I could tell that my mother was excited for me,

but for the moment was kind of impatiently waiting to be airborne

so she could have a cigarette and her drink.

[engines sputtering]

[narrator] I really enjoyed watching the fire come out of the back of the engines.

The in-flight magazine would tell you

that for a propeller engine, that was typical.

["Come Fly With Me" playing]

♪ Come fly with me ♪

♪ Let's fly, let's fly away ♪

♪ If you can use some exotic booze ♪

♪ There's a bar in far Bombay… ♪

[narrator] As we sped down the runway, that surreal feeling came over me again.

And at that moment, the aircraft left the ground.

- I can't believe I'm flying. - Hmm.

[narrator] My mother looked straight ahead,

and then she turned and smiled at me.

I'll always remember my mother that way.

- [song ends] - [engines roaring]

The takeoff was much more gentle in feeling than I thought it would be.

For some reason, everything that happened thus far that night

seemed perfect.

For years, no matter what negative experience I might have,

from the time I would leave for the airport

until the time I would arrive at my destination,

life would seem safe, and I would be happy.

[engines roaring]

[narrator] My mother liked Manhattans,

but I liked Coca Colas.

Liz showed up by the side of our seats.

Now what can I get you to drink?

- Can I have a Coke? - Sure.

- I would love a Manhattan. - Of course.

And is it okay to smoke now?

Of course, yes.

[narrator] Newport filter cigarettes.

That turquoise box, that half-moon in the middle of it,

would always bring to mind pleasurable moments.

As she lights up,

that first satisfying breath of smoke leaves her mouth

and I would think, "How festive."

All my mom's friends from the theater smoked.

As a matter of fact, I don't remember an adult who didn't.

I could see every star in the night sky.

["So Many Stars" playing]

Or so it seemed as I looked out the window.

"This is so beautiful. Why don't people just live in airplanes?"

I started to reflect on how sometimes at home, late at night,

I would lie in bed awake,

listening to the drone of some airplane flying over the house,

probably having just left Newark or LaGuardia airport.

And I would think, "Where is that plane going this late?

Who's on it?

And are they sleeping? Are there beds on board?"

And here I am,

maybe even on that very same plane that I had been pondering.

The gentleman in seat 3D wants you to have this drink on him.

Oh, how nice of him.

Oh, please thank him for me.

[narrator] When my mother wanted to impress someone,

often her voice got deeper and richer.

I called it her theatrical voice.

She didn't like it when I'd say it,

but it never stopped her from using it.

Shortly after, almost like clockwork,

the most handsome gentleman, about 50-years-old,

sat across from us in the same aisle.

My mother at once wondered if this indeed

was the gentleman who had treated us to the drink.

[passenger] Do you mind if I sit next to you?

If you don't, I'll pull you over.

I'm terribly nervous about flying.

You are not.

Don't contradict me.

- But you're not, Mom. - [chuckles]

Honey, why don't you go up to the cockpit and meet some of the pilots?

[narrator] Actually, that was a good idea,

even though I thought I was probably in trouble.

So I left my mother to her own devices.

I was halfway to the cockpit when I saw what seemed to be the most bizarre sight.

Hello. I'm the ten-foot-tall man.

Would you like my autograph?

Who?

I work for Barnum and Bailey Circus.

I'm the ten-foot-tall man.

Okay.

[narrator] In the early '60s, the cockpit doors were not locked,

and one could have easy access to them,

usually with permission from the stewardess.

Liz was not to be found,

so I opened the door to the cockpit anyway.

There were three men facing forward, so they didn't see me enter.

- Tell me, was she not beautiful? - I mean, she was gorgeous.

You know, I just can't believe that she did that with all of us.

- I know. - I can.

[narrator] I only caught part of the story one was telling.

Only later did I realize, when I was older,

that they were probably referring to sex or something.

[chattering]

Whoa.

Hey, are you, uh… Are you going to Pittsburgh tonight?

No, Los Angeles.

[chuckles]

How did you end up on the milk run?

I wanted to stay on the plane as long as possible,

but my mom can't afford a nonstop jet.

[narrator] I thought they would've loved the idea that I liked planes so much,

but they saw the more inconvenient side of it, I guess.

Okay, okay. Well, we're only with you until Chicago.

So, you know, if and when you get bored, you're more than welcome to come up.

Just do make sure you ask the stewardess next time, okay?

Sure.

Thank you.

What's the ten-foot-tall man?

Oh. That's your new girlfriend.

[narrator] Nevertheless, I was flying, and all night at that.

Could life be any better?

By the time I got back to my seat,

Mom was on her second drink

and already getting very touchy with her new friend Harry.

This is my baby boy, Jeff.

- Hi, Jeff. - Hey.

This is Harry.

Harry's from Pittsburgh, honey.

He is a lawyer.

And he knows some of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Isn't that wild? [chuckles]

Are you married? Do you have any children?

Why, yes, I am. I have a boy and a girl.

Oh. That's good.

[chuckling]

["Last Tango In Paris" playing]

Hope you like chicken.

I like fried chicken.

Well, it's just like it.

It's called chicken cordon bleu, and it's very tasty.

Okay. I'll have some.

[narrator] When I got back to my seat,

Harry was whispering something in my mother's ear.

I waited until I thought he was through so I wouldn't get in trouble.

[mother chuckles]

Oh, what a wonderful man.

So well-spoken.

[narrator] My mother liked people who spoke well

and enunciated words and were articulate.

She didn't like accents too much on people,

unless they were using them for a role.

She said good speech reflected how well educated they were.

Her friend Julia was a beautiful woman,

very wealthy, married to a rich inventor,

and seemed to have it all,

except my mother could never get over the idea

that she had a thick New Jersey accent.

She would say, "What a shame.

All that beauty and wealth, and that horrible New Jersey accent."

The funny thing is that sometimes

Mom would actually have the same kind of accent herself.

If we're ever in Pittsburgh, honey, Harry would love to take us to dinner.

Oh, with his wife and kids?

Smart-ass.

[chuckles]

[narrator] As the darkness of the night turned into snow clouds

outside the window,

I could sense something being placed before me.

[Liz] This is for you.

[narrator] And from the smell of it, it was chicken cordon bleu.

Wow. It really did look like fried chicken, but better.

I started to dig in.

Oh, oh, oh.

I like chicken, and I like cheese.

But I'm not sure I can eat them together.

Mom, I don't really like this.

Can I have another Coke?

Oh, sure, honey.

[engines roaring]

[narrator] As we started our descent into the Pittsburgh area,

I could finally see outside our window.

We were below the cloud layer now,

and it was snowing at a pretty good rate.

It actually looked quite beautiful to see the city below,

kind of glistening through the weather.

Then I started to think that possibly

there was some child down below in some house,

listening to the drone of the engines above

and wondering, "Who's on that plane so late?

And where are they going? And were they sleeping or not?"

["Peaceful Lullaby" playing]

[narrator] We could hardly feel the landing, it was so smooth.

[narrator] The blue lights that lined the taxiway

seemed to stand out even more in the snow.

As we taxied up to the gate,

an announcement over the PA system of the plane was being made.

[on PA] This is your captain speaking.

Due to the unexpected snowstorm,

those of you continuing on to Dayton and Chicago

will be delayed until further notice.

Please check with the ticket agent at the gate for further information.

[Liz] Not to worry.

TWA will be taking care of the hotel for the passengers.

- Free of charge. Okay. - Thank you.

So we will have a hotel room?

- Yes. Don't worry. - Great.

Okay.

[Jeff] I asked the man behind the counter when the hotel was built.

He told me 1952.

[narrator] Now I could fantasize about all the people

that had to do the same thing we were doing

in the middle of the night since 1952.

Okay, sweetheart.

So the airline will call when the flight's gonna be ready,

but that won't be for a couple of hours. So, you should try to get some sleep.

- Okay? - All right.

I'm gonna go down to the lounge for a nightcap.

All right.

- Okay. You good? - Yep.

- Okay. I love you. - I love you too.

[narrator] Somehow I knew Harry was gonna be involved,

but I held my tongue.

[lighthearted music playing]

[phone rings]

Hello?

Yes, we'll be there.

[narrator] I ran out the door, I flew down the hallway,

and I pushed the elevator button over and over again.

[mother chuckles] No, you need to stop.

Mom! Mom, come on! We're gonna miss our plane!

[mother chuckles, kisses]

Mom, come on! The plane leaves in 20 minutes!

We're gonna miss it!

[narrator] As I looked down the hall, I saw Mom leave some different room.

Coming.

It didn't really matter, even if she was with Harry.

What really mattered was that we only had 20 minutes

to get to the gate to continue our flight.

For 3:00 in the morning, my mother was in an awfully good mood.

But so was I.

Three hours of sleep and the rest of our journey to go.

The flight from Pittsburgh to Dayton was just under an hour,

and was far more interesting in retrospect.

I watched my mother go through more emotions in 40 minutes

than I had ever seen before.

- [chuckling] - What could she be telling her?

Later, of course, I got the whole story on Liz.

- [Liz] I don't remember a lot… - Mm-hmm.

…other than being confused by it.

But I was only nine years old when we tried to flee the country,

and my brother and I were the only ones to make it.

And, unfortunately, we had to watch them taking our parents away.

Oh, honey.

No, I-I'm okay. I'm okay. I've gotten through this.

[narrator] There was a TV show in the New York area at the time

called Remember Us.

It showed actual footage of the Nazi event.

It was probably more responsible for my nightmares than anything.

I just always felt bad for Liz.

Anyway, my mother really cared for her.

It was almost as if someone who had more emotional pain than her

offered some kind of relief.

I was suddenly sorry I hadn't gotten to know the ten-foot-tall man.

At least I would've had someone to talk to.

But tonight I would join the evening stars.

["Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" playing]

♪ Quiet nights of quiet stars ♪

♪ Quiet chords from my guitar ♪

♪ Floating on the silence That surrounds us ♪

[narrator] We decided to stay on board during the stop in Dayton.

Mom and I had actually got a nap in.

We were in the air again before we awakened.

Liz let us sleep as long as we were buckled in.

No one had gotten on in Dayton.

Well, anyone that seemed that interesting.

At 4:00 in the morning, why would they?

So we slept until Chicago.

It was still dark when we arrived in the somewhat new O'Hare terminal.

It's my last stop.

It's my home base.

But I have planned a couple of surprises for you.

[inhales deeply]

I've arranged for you both

to fly first class

- to Kansas City and Denver. - [mother gasps]

And another little surprise will be waiting for you in Denver.

[chuckles] So…

[whispers indistinctly]

So here are the details.

Just give this to the ticket agent.

- Okay? - Thank you.

- All right. Goodbye. - Thank you.

[narrator] All I could think about was how much it would have cost us

if we had to pay first class ourselves.

It was something like $185 one way.

The amount of toys and hot dogs I could buy.

And that's including probably two or three more trips like this.

What a gal, that Liz.

Suddenly, my mother's whole demeanor changed.

I could see the visible change come over her.

Her posture was straight, her chin up, her walk was noble.

We were flying first class.

And she was an actress flying to the West Coast, first class.

I know that she was wishing that she had worn that fake leopard coat

that I had talked her out of before we left the house.

- Oh. - [sighs]

Hollywood called.

They told me to grab the next flight.

Oh. So you're an actress?

Yes. How did you guess? [chuckles]

[narrator] My mother would often make unsolicited comments like this.

Good luck in Hollywood.

Thank you.

[inhales deeply, sighs]

[narrator] The terminal was beautiful. And for some reason,

the hot dog stand was open even at 4:00 in the morning.

- Hello. - [narrator] I wanted two.

My mother ordered one.

- [server] We done here? - [mother] Yes.

Could I have another hot dog?

Do you really, really want another hot dog?

Yes, I really, really do.

Okay.

["The Best Is Yet to Come" playing]

♪ Out of the tree of life… ♪

[narrator] First class sections on propeller planes

were usually in the back of the plane, different from the jets.

First thing I noticed was the seats were bigger.

Second was the beautiful mural.

♪ Still, it's a real good bet ♪

♪ The best is yet to come ♪

♪ The best is yet to come ♪

[sighs]

♪ And, babe, won't it be fine? ♪

[engines roaring]

♪ You think you've seen the sun But you ain't seen it shine ♪

[narrator] When we took off, it was much more quiet.

That's probably the reason the seating was placed in the back.

In jets, it's quieter up front.

My mother seemed genuinely excited to be in first class.

You know, if a film studio was flying me out here,

the Screen Actors Guild would insist that the studio fly me out this way.

[whispering] It's the rules.

[breathes deeply, sighs]

["Lazy Afternoon" playing]

[narrator] As the plane continued to fly westward,

I could see the sun was starting to rise.

As we did a small turn to the right,

the sun came through the window

and seemed as if it were dancing on my mother's face.

Remember, darling, when I was in Light Up the Sky in summer stock?

And that critic that said that I was a cross between Crawford and Stanwyck.

A tour de force performance.

[chuckles]

Wasn't that marvelous?

[chuckles]

♪ It's a lazy afternoon… ♪

[sighs]

[narrator] As I looked to my right, I saw these gold, sparkly curtains.

And I wondered what was behind them.

I looked up and down the aisle for a stewardess.

I saw one standing by the galley.

I motioned to her,

just the way I would have in school for my teacher.

["The Girl From Ipanema" playing]

♪ Tall and tan and young and lovely ♪

♪ The girl from Ipanema goes walking ♪

♪ And when she passes ♪

♪ Each one she passes goes, "Ah" ♪

Yes? May I help you?

[narrator] The voice seemed so familiar.

She sounded just like the voice I'd heard at the terminal in New York.

She looked exactly how I imagined that person would look.

What's that thing for?

Oh.

That's the sleeper service for the cross-country overnight flights.

We don't really use them anymore.

When did you use them? What year?

How come you stopped using them? How many are there?

How about I answer one question at a time?

Okay.

Well, from the time when this plane was new,

until the jets came in in 1959,

this was used on longer nonstop flights.

Anytime the plane flew, let's say, over eight hours.

Let's say on an overnight flight cross-country.

They would sleep people. It was part of the first-class airfare.

Oh, cool.

How come you know so much?

Well, my mother's been in the airline industry for years,

originally as a stewardess in the '30s.

Wow.

And she retired in 1939, but ever since then

she's been doing the flight announcements at New York Airports.

- [oven bell dings] - I'll be right back.

You're kidding. Really?

How old is she now? What kind of planes did she fly in?

Where does she say those announcements from in the airport?

Well, she's 58 and she mainly flew in DC-3 planes.

And I think that she does it in a little room in the back of the TWA terminal.

You have a lot of questions. You really like flying, don't you?

Is this your first time?

[narrator] Doris answered all my questions and more.

She was my new best friend.

Mom! Mom! Wake up!

You gotta wake up!

- What is it? - You're not gonna believe it.

Doris's mother is the voice at Idlewild Airport.

She's 58 years old and she was one of the first stewardesses ever.

Mom, you're gonna love her.

She has no accent at all and she's really beautiful.

- Who? - Doris!

Oh, that's wonderful, my baby boy.

Mom, don't call me that in front of Doris, okay?

Okay, darling. Now let me go back to sleep.

[narrator] Her hair was done in just the style I liked.

Light eyes.

I couldn't stop looking at her.

How old are you?

Twenty-one.

[Jeff] What's your favorite airplane?

[clicks tongue] Boeing 707.

- Why? - Because it's beautiful and very fast.

That's pretty good.

Do you have a boyfriend?

I did. But we just broke up.

My mother's an actress, you know?

Really?

[narrator] I used this line whenever I wanted to impress someone.

That's very interesting.

Yes, we're going to Hollywood.

They called her.

She has to do some movie with Paul Newman, I think.

Paul Newman, really?

Oh, I can't believe it.

Well, I have to go now.

My mother wanted something.

Okay.

[narrator] Oh, God. Why did I lie?

That was so stupid.

She was already impressed with just the actress stuff.

[engines roaring]

[narrator] Kansas City Airport was not very interesting.

Except for this toy store.

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

There's a battery-operated toy replica of almost the same airplane we're on.

It was the greatest toy ever made, bar none.

[whirring]

The door opens, passengers disappear,

stewardess appears.

Oh, my God.

The door closes,

the passengers reappear.

The engines start, one at a time.

Oh, my God. It starts to taxi.

[chattering]

Life at this moment was so good that it was just hard to recover from.

- So it's $12.95. With tax. - Okay.

Okay, let me write it up.

- Okay. Great. - [thuds]

- [gasps] - [stammers] Oh.

[narrator] Until I broke the plane.

[sad music playing]

I didn't stop crying for an hour,

including the time during takeoff en route to Denver.

This would be our longest leg,

just under four hours, due to the headwinds.

What's the matter?

[Jeff] My plane broke.

Well, even real planes break, you know?

They do?

[Doris] Yes, of course they do.

[Jeff] Oh.

Well, I didn't know that.

[narrator] Doris telling me that changed my life forever.

I had always had a problem with things being less than perfect

for some reason,

especially mechanical things.

And now she had the answer that I would use until this day.

Real things break too.

Would you like me to make up the berth so you can get some sleep?

Yes!

Doris, thank you, but that won't be necessary.

- Mom! - [Doris] No, really. It's not a problem.

I'll make it up right now.

[narrator] I was so excited to be in this berth

looking out into the sky from the window.

I-I just couldn't sleep at all.

I wanted to stay put so I could have some fun,

maybe even eat a meal in here.

- Your son told me that you're an actress. - Yes.

And I have to say congratulations on your Paul Newman film.

That's so exciting.

[mother chuckles] He must have misunderstood.

There's no specific film.

Just a friend who is going to try and help me out.

He knows that I love Paul Newman as an actor,

so he must have put the two together.

[narrator] I was mortified, and I didn't wanna live anymore.

Lunch is almost ready, so I should probably check if he wants some.

- Thank you, Doris. - I'll be back.

You're so sweet.

Lunch is almost ready.

I hope you like chicken.

I like fried chicken.

Well, this is just like it. Only better.

Oh, yeah?

It's called chicken cordon bleu.

Can I have another Coke?

Of course. I'll be right back.

[mutters] Okay.

[engines roaring]

[narrator] The man in the seat I approximated to be 7D

was drinking a lot and smoking Pall Malls,

a very strong unfiltered cigarette, my mother told me.

Newports were not nearly as strong.

At any rate, he kept referring to the headline on the front

of what appeared to be The Kansas City Star.

It said, "Disaster: Jet Airliner Crashes at Idlewild."

And below was some blurry, black-and-white photo.

Air crashes, when I was younger, were more intriguing to me than upsetting.

I think it was just too much to comprehend

that something I loved so much could ever hurt anybody,

let alone kill them.

Then I overheard him talking to a different stewardess, not Doris.

Sir, are you all right?

[inhales deeply] Actually, no.

Um, this is a rough thing to read because not that long ago,

I… [smacks lips] …booked a trip from Chicago to New York for business,

and I… I couldn't get on my flight.

I fought for my seat, but they would not accommodate me.

I went home quite upset, but by the time I got to the house

and turned the TV on, I had seen that my plane had crashed.

[whispers] The one I was booked on.

Hmm.

So, I'm… I'm… quite afraid to fly.

I'm so sorry to hear that.

But I can assure you that nothing will happen and we're fine.

And if you need me, I'm right here.

[breathes shakily] Okay. Good to know.

[sighs]

[narrator] I guess he had a right to be scared.

Besides, how could I help him feel any better?

My plane was broken.

It would probably scare him just to look at it.

And then I had the greatest idea.

Maybe the captain could fix it.

My toy, that is.

Are you married?

No, I'm not actually.

Freshly divorced.

Isn't that a coincidence?

My mother's an actress.

[narrator] I don't think I knew what a coincidence was.

[sighs] He fixed it.

God, he's the greatest.

Why couldn't he marry my mother?

Thank you!

You know, my mother is going to be in a movie with,

I think she said, Kirk Douglas and Elizabeth Taylor.

And Paul Newman.

Really? Paul Newman?

- You don't say. - Well, I have to go now.

Thank you.

Hi, darling.

- The captain fixed the plane. - [gasps]

- He's so cool. - Oh, good.

I'm so happy for you, baby.

[narrator] She looked really pleased, and I knew why.

Fresh linen had been placed before her,

and the most beautiful china and silverware for her to look at.

[mother clicks tongue] Oh, my.

Lenox. [chuckles]

It's ill-mannered to turn a plate over in front of people.

[narrator] My mom loved antiques and expensive china.

She started to read aloud the menu, a habit she had.

It was done in a very deep, theatrical voice

that always embarrassed me at restaurants.

"Your choice of appetizer: shrimp cocktail

or stuffed mushrooms with crab meat.

For the main course, beef with au jus

- or chicken cordon bleu." - Chicken cordon bleu.

Ugh.

[mother sighing]

["The Good Life" playing]

[narrator] I climbed back up into my little haven,

my own private world.

♪ Oh, the good life ♪

♪ Full of fun Seems to be the ideal ♪

Thank you.

♪ Mmm, the good life ♪

♪ Lets you hide All the sadness you feel… ♪

[narrator] As I looked down where my mother was sitting,

I wondered what we would do this year for my birthday.

I started to giggle at the thought of when I was little, my fifth birthday.

It was so successful that I wanted a party every day.

My mother gave in for about five days.

And then I had to learn the ugly truth,

birthdays lasted only one day, usually.

But no one told me that I couldn't have them every month.

I can remember that one time in April

my mother's friend walked in on one of my birthdays and said,

"Isn't his birthday in February?"

"Yes," my mother said, "but don't spoil it for him."

My mother was good that way.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

[narrator] I laid down on my side.

The drone of the engines seemed to be kind of lulling me.

Before I knew it, I was asleep.

For many years to come,

I would scrounge through my airline schedules

to find a propeller plane to fly, providing that I had the time,

just so I could get the same kind of sleep.

♪ And in case you wonder why… ♪

Now, you can stay up here as long as you're strapped in, okay?

- Okay. - Okay.

This is your captain speaking.

We are expecting moderate turbulence for the next 20 minutes.

Please remain seated and, uh, fasten your seat belts.

[narrator] The aircraft started to buffet and rumble a bit.

The pitch of the engine sound changed as we started to climb above the weather.

However, the turbulence got worse,

and some of the passengers started to look around

as if maybe something they could look at would solve this problem.

The man in 12A got up

and strangely moved toward the back of the plane.

[stewardess] You okay?

He yelled out to no one.

Stop following me!

Sir? Sir, can I help you?

[narrator] The stewardess that I didn't know ran after him.

- Sir, can I help you? That's okay. - What a bizarre sight.

The man had his hands around the throat of the young lady,

and she had her hands around his throat as well.

There seemed to be a genuine resistance between the two.

I understand. I've been there.

But they were having quite a normal conversation.

There's more to this character than meets the eye.

- There's a problem. - Breathe out.

- Thank you. - [both exhale]

[narrator] When he boarded before everyone else did,

apparently he was drugged and placed on board

so he could be transferred to a different mental hospital in Denver.

- [stewardess] Oh, thank you so much. - [pilot speaks indistinctly]

[stewardess] If you need anything, let me know.

[narrator] They were talking in such a calm manner.

It was hard to believe anything was wrong.

And together they managed to calm him down.

Still everyone was quite uneasy until we disembarked.

- Let's get you to sit down, okay? - Yeah, I'm okay.

[engines roaring]

- Good luck on that Paul Newman film. - [chuckles]

Why, thank you.

I'll need it.

[chuckles]

Why do you think our plane broke down?

[clicks tongue] I don't know, darling,

but it's okay.

It will give us a good night's sleep.

And tomorrow we will have a wonderful flight.

[clicks tongue]

And what do you say we read a play together?

I think we should read The Philadelphia Story.

- All right. - Okay.

[narrator] Actually, staying in Denver was fun.

That night, Mom read two acts of a play.

Ever since I can remember,

Mom read me good-night plays instead of fairy tales.

We went to lunch at the Denver terminal restaurant.

Grilled cheese and a Coke as I watched the airplanes come and go.

This was just great.

What could happen to beat everything that's happened so far?

Nothing.

I wanted to live forever.

- Enjoy your flight. - Thank you. Have a nice flight.

Hi, there's a note in there for you to read.

Yes, Liz told me all about it.

Wait! We're at the wrong gate!

Mom, we're gonna miss the plane!

It's not this one, Mom. I'm telling you!

This is a nonstop jet flight to LA.

I know it by heart.

StarStream Boeing 707 Royal Ambassador service.

- Thank you. I'll take that for him. - Enjoy your flight.

Thank you.

Surprise, honey.

We are going on a jet.

- What? - [chuckles]

[stutters] I can't believe it.

We're taking the 707 to LA.

Aren't you excited, honey?

This is your surprise from Liz.

What's wrong, baby?

Nothing, i-it's just…

Well, we're going to get on there and you're gonna start showing off.

[mother clicks tongue]

[mother] Well, let's just head to the gate, okay?

[narrator] I was excited, truly.

But sometimes I just didn't know how to express it.

Somehow I felt a kind of loss.

Maybe it was saying goodbye to that big, beautiful old Connie,

or maybe it was never seeing Doris again.

She didn't say anything, and I felt really bad.

[triumphant music playing]

[narrator] There it was. An absolute specimen of an aircraft.

It was art. Believe me, it was art.

[no audible dialogue]

I was on a jet and in first class.

I just couldn't believe it.

My mother said I could sit by myself

so I could pretend that I was flying alone.

She decided to sit by a lovely woman named Barbara.

[engines roaring]

[narrator] A surge of power thrust me back in the seat.

Wow. Fantastic.

[narrator] And it was fantastic.

Straight up into the air we went.

We were over the Colorado mountains before we knew it.

The snowcapped mountains glistening in the afternoon light were unforgettable.

We leveled off, and the captain came over the speaker.

[captain] Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the jet age.

We are flying at 600 miles an hour at an altitude of 33,000 feet.

Our flying time to Los Angeles will be one hour and 52 minutes.

So sit back and enjoy your flight.

- Champagne is on me. - [both chuckle]

[mother sighs]

[narrator] Barbara was a little older than my mom,

but very pretty and just like my mother liked,

sophisticated, wealthy and no accent.

[Barbara] No, no.

Unfortunately, my husband passed away many years ago.

- Oh. [click tongue] - Henry was his name and…

Oh, I'll tell you the story.

He was at a podium accepting the presidency for the Crocker Bank

- when he had a massive heart attack. - Oh, my God.

- Oh, Barbara. - Forty-three years old.

[narrator] I decided to roam the cabin.

I was walking in a very cocky manner.

A way that only an eight-year-old could do

when he knows he's doing something truly special.

As I looked to the left, down the aisle,

I saw a young kid there.

He was younger than me.

About two years I'd say.

He sat with an official airline guide, or OAG,

which only travel agents in big companies have.

Is that the latest OAG?

My dad gets 'em in the mail before anybody does.

Geez, you're so lucky.

I'll be right back.

Mom, I made a new best friend!

- He has an OAG. Oh, my gosh-- - Oh, Jeff, darling.

Jeff, this is Barbara.

And believe it or not, her father owns an airline.

- Trans Caribbean Airlines. - Mm-hmm.

- Really? - [Barbara] Yeah.

And I'll have you know that my father put my name, Barbara,

on the nose of a brand-new DC-8 jetliner.

- Wow. That's so cool. - [Barbara] Mm-hmm.

[narrator] A plane with her name on it.

Do I stay here or go back to my new best friend, Skipper?

- Kids. - [both chuckle]

[narrator] The next hour was filled with conversation

that only would fascinate Skipper and myself.

Can you believe that TWA had a nonstop flight

from London to San Francisco that took 22 hours right up to 1960?

Wow, really?

[narrator] None of my friends are into aviation,

but now I have Skipper.

- Where's your father? - Over there.

[Jeff] What does he do?

- He's a lawyer. - [Jeff] Where's your mother?

Oh, she died when I was three.

Oh, really? Do you have a new mother?

No, my dad remarried twice after my mom died,

and they died of cancer too.

- All of them. - You're kidding.

Does he have an accent?

I don't know. Does it matter?

Well, kinda.

I don't think he does.

Oh, great. My mom's gonna love him.

She loves people without accents.

- To Hollywood. [chuckles] - [chuckles]

- To us. - Yes.

- I still can't believe-- - Mom!

I made this new best friend,

and his dad is rich and sad and has no accent.

[both laugh]

Well, make sure you tell him which row I'm in.

[chuckles]

Hi.

Why are you here?

Well, I changed my flight so I could see you guys one last time.

[narrator] I'll never wash my face again.

This is too good.

My girlfriend, my buddy, my mom's new husband, hopefully.

And we're all on a new jet heading westward.

It's scientifically impossible for life to be any better.

[engines roaring]

Hello. Would you care for some chateaubriand?

- No. - No.

Do you like chicken?

Not really.

You don't like fried chicken?

I love fried chicken.

Well, this is just like it.

It's called chicken cordon bleu.

But on our jet flights, we also offer a children's menu,

which is your choice of hot dog, hamburger,

and peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I'll have a hot dog with mustard.

I'll have a hot dog with no mustard, no ketchup.

Perfect.

[narrator] I thought I would faint.

A hot dog at 35,000 feet?

I was so excited I-I was lost for words.

But I had to say something, so I turned to Skip.

I like your official airline guidebook.

Thanks.

[narrator] The sun was shining, the sky was brilliant blue,

and I was eating a hot dog and drinking a Coke

with my new best friend at 600 miles an hour.

From that moment on, I never thought things could get better.

["Un Homme Et Une Femme" playing]

[chattering]

[engines roaring]

[narrator] As we taxied in,

I could see the new space-age-style restaurant at LAX.

It was truly beautiful.

I'd really like to eat there sometime, I thought.

["Aujourd'hui, c'est toi" playing]

Through the window,

I could see the jetway start to glide over to meet our plane.

Mom, there's movie cameras out there.

- You're kidding. - No, he's not.

- Better safe than sorry. - Yeah.

Well, you look wonderful.

[dramatic music playing]

[no audible dialogue]

What are all those cameras doing out there?

[narrator] It was the captain of our jet.

He was 62 years old, and this was his last flight.

[captain] Doris told me all about you.

- Is your name Jeff? - Yeah.

[captain] How would you like to walk the jetway with me?

[narrator] And Life Magazine was doing a TV special on him.

Okay, I've got one last question.

What are you gonna do now that you're retired?

Well, I haven't officially retired until I sign out,

but, uh, if you're gonna make me retire in front of your cameras…

I think that, uh… [sighs]

…I think that I would like

to give my wings

to this young man

who I think…

has flying in his blood.

[lighthearted music playing]

[narrator] I took that moment in my life so seriously

that today I'm a captain myself.

And I married Doris, although I had some catching up to do.

Thirteen years to be exact.

But nevertheless, happily married.

An aviation couple to the max.

As a matter of fact, I get to see her almost every day.

She's the new voice at JFK, and I've got the New York, LA run.

Very convenient.

Oh, yeah.

In case you're wondering about my mom, she never married Skipper's dad,

but she did get to date him for a while.

We all pretended that it would work out.

She's very happy though.

She teaches acting at the Pasadena Playhouse in California.

She's 80 now and gets a big kick out of the young guys.

And Liz is her favorite student, has been for almost 20 years.

It's been a wonderful life.