My Flight to Texas With Foxy

Killeen, Texas?  That’s in what is considered the “heart of Texas” – a very long way from Burbank, California!  But that’s where I was going because that’s where Bill was stationed and that’s where I needed to be.

So I quit my job, packed up some household essentials to ship on a Greyhound bus bound for Texas and booked a red-eye flight on American Airlines.  I had never been on a plane before so this was going to be a new adventure.

During the 5 months of our marriage we had acquired a new member of our family: an adorable blue parakeet named “Foxy”.  I was not about to leave him behind but had to figure out how to take him to Texas.  We couldn’t ship him on a Greyhound bus like our other things, for goodness sake.  No, he had to travel with me.  So I bought a huge basket purse and a tiny birdcage that fit perfectly into the basket.  Foxy and I had a little talk.  I instructed him that he needed to be a very good boy on the airplane and be very quiet so no one would know he was there because I had no idea what the airline would say about bringing a parakeet on the plane.  (It was a one-sided conversation but he did seem to listen intently.)

Airline travel those days was very different from today.  There was no TSA or security checks.  You just checked in at the front desk with your baggage, walked to the gate where your plane awaited, handed the attendant your ticket and boarded the plane.  And in those days you dressed up – so I wore my best, brand new self-made dress, complete with heels and nylons.

My parents drove me to LAX, parked and walked with me into the airport.  This was going to be hard, saying goodbye to them and to my life in California, the only home I had ever known.  But the love of my life was waiting for me so far away.

I wonder how my parents felt, though.  Being 19 years old, I never thought about that.  Now that I’m 73 and having sent my children off to follow their own paths, I can only imagine how heart-wrenching it must have been for them.  But, they wisely knew that their “baby” was grown up now and had to follow her heart.  I will forever be grateful for their never-ending, unconditional support and love.

It was 10:00 pm and time to board the plane.  After tearful farewell hugs and kisses, Foxy and I made our way down the jetway.  That was a very long walk.  I felt as though my heart was being torn in two, longing to stay in the life I had always known, but also longing to be with Bill.  I was both afraid and excited at the same time.  I couldn’t see beyond that tunnel but knew that it was leading me to the place I needed to be.

Finally inside the plane, I made my way down the narrow aisle, bumping my basket which contained a very bewildered bird against the seats.  I finally found my seat and sat down.  So far, Foxy was being a very good boy.  As I looked around, I realized, to my chagrin, that I was the only female on the plane except for the stewardesses.  Not only that, all the men were in the service and were dressed in their respective uniforms.  Let’s just say that all eyes were on me.

I tried to make myself as inconspicuous as possible as I stuffed my parakeet-containing basket under my seat.  The plane taxied toward the runway.  So far, so good.  However, when the engines started roaring and the plane catapulted down the runway, Foxy was not a happy bird and began to squawk at the top of his little lungs.  All eyes were really on me then.  As I smiled a tentative smile, slumped down into my seat and turned several shades of red, I sheepishly admitted with a nervous laugh, “Ummm, I have a bird in my purse”.

Once safely in the air, Foxy quieted down for the rest of the flight.  No one said anything to me about Foxy – not even the stewardesses.  Whew!

I could finally enjoy the flight, looking down on the lights of Los Angeles at night.  It was magical.  I had never seen such a sight.  After Foxy’s entertainment, and some snickering, most of the men on the plane turned off their lights and slept.  However, I was enjoying the flight so much didn’t want to sleep and as the morning sun rose on the horizon, I gazed at the clouds below us and enjoyed the beauty.  Then breakfast was served.  I thought that was pretty cool – eating breakfast on a plane!  I decided that I really do love flying.

The plane descended toward Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, touched down on the runway, and I held my breath as Foxy squawked again.  When the plane finally came to a standstill, Foxy quieted down.  As we got off the plane, I heard more snickering from some of the men and vainly tried to become invisible.  But as we mercifully got lost in the airport crowd, I could finally hold my head up again.  I enjoyed my 2 hour layover and wandered through the airport.

Then it was time to board the plane that was to take me to Killeen.  This was NOT a big airplane.  It was a little “puddle jumper,” 12 passenger prop plane.  As I boarded the plane I decided to confess to the pilot and attendants the fact that I had a parakeet in my purse.  But no one seemed to care.  They placed my Foxy-bearing basket in a safe place in the back of the plane.  Then the pilot invited me to sit in the co-pilot’s seat!

What an adventure!  All those fascinating dials and knobs and microphones!  As we took off, sure enough, I heard Foxy from the back of the plane, squawking again.  Oh well.  No one seemed to care so I decided I wouldn’t care either.  I was having way too much fun as the pilot explained everything to me.  Flying in this plane was much more fun.  I had a bird’s eye view of the countryside below me as we flew in and out of clouds.  At times, the plane seemed to hang, suspended in the air as it rocked back and forth on an air pocket, then surged forward.

All too soon Killeen came into view.  I was a little disappointed that we had to land so soon but then I saw Bill.  He was waiting for me, all handsomely dressed in his fatigues and boots and I couldn’t wait to run into his waiting arms.  Finally we were together again.

HOWEVER, as soon as I got out of the plane, the grim reality of Texas weather hit me hard in the face.  I had just stepped into a sauna bath and my best, brand new self-made dress with heels and nylons were instantly soaked with sweat.  Welcome to Texas!

And so began the next chapter of my life:  an Army wife.