ST. LOUIS SUNDAYS

CIRCA 1959

We lived on the flight path of the planes landing at St. Louis Lambert International Airport,  although I don't think it had such a long name back then. 

We just called it Lambert Field.

The jets coming in over our house were so cockadoodie loud that we had to stop our conversations in mid sentence and start up again after the plane went over! 

 For example: The Cardinals sure have a great..roooooAAAAAARRRRRRRR..baseball team this year. 

My dad would look up at the jets going over and yell, "Pull up you fool, you'll kill us all!!" 

As kids, we would love to walk over to the airport and watch the rich people getting on and off the jet liners.

That's when they rolled the steps up to the door of the plane, and folks had to walk a short distance across the landing field to the terminal.

We could walk all over the place...any where we wanted...no security, no scanners, no taking our shoes off for inspection, no cameras watching us, no nuttin' honey!!

They even had a platform area with telescopes, where we could put in a dime and watch the planes coming in from a distance...for about 10 seconds...then we had to put in another dime.

Here is yet another interesting piece of history I'll share with you.

The McDonnell Douglas Corporation was located right next to Lambert Airport http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas 

They built and TESTED military jets every day, and there were no laws against them breaking the sound barrier over our house at that time in history.

The first time it happened, we thought a semi-tractor trailer truck, loaded with bricks, had plowed into the side of our house!

The house shook, and the BOOM was deafening!! 

Between the "sonic booms" and the jets flying at tree top level over our house, it's a wonder I can even hear at 162 years of age! (Just seeing if you're payin' attention.)

 The first time I ever got to go to Lambert Field and fly on a plane was in 1969, when the Army, so graciously, paid all my expenses to Seattle, Washington for basic training at Ft. Lewis.

It was still really cool looking down and seeing all the shapes, patterns, squiggly lines, and crop circles on the ground.

I don't care to fly now.

Back then, everybody was treated like kings and queens, the stewardesses all looked like Miss America contestants, the meals were pretty good, you didn't have to pay extra for your luggage, or take off your shoes, or go through a life shortening scanner, or come to the airport 2 hours early...

Nowadays, I'd rather walk.