GOOD AFTERNOON...........SAS RESERVATIONS............. MAY I HELP YOU?

It wasn't long before my first job with SAS as mail boy, that my very first promotion and my sudden climb into such a tremendously great company began. I guess it was about 6-7 months after joining this company that I was called into the managers office and told that there were two other managers that were interested in my talents and would like to speak with me. OH glorious!!! what a great feeling. I visited both department heads and selected to go along with "inside sales" better known as reservations. The other job that was offered was outside sales in Cargo but I would have to spend 9 or 10 months working in the cargo warehouse at JFK to familiarize myself with the department. I just couldn't see myself as a warehouseman being a skinny 159 lbs (soaking wet) small frame, model type looks pushing around crates 3 times my size. I was never told that they had machines to do that work. Anyhow, here I was in a new environment. I spent the first week listening in to my department teacher handle calls from the general public. How to help potential passengers plan their trip to Europe and beyond. The second week, I started an intensive 2 week program in our sales training department training room, learning every thing necessary to begin this trip planning. I learned 3 letter codes to cities around the world, 2 letter codes to other airlines, open jaw travel, closed jaw travel, chewing jaw travel, blind cities, open cities ETA's, time changers and the list goes on and on. What a training. During my stint in reservations, I was sent for several other 2 week courses for tariffs (cost planning) ticketing (making the ticket) prepaid (other people paying the ticket) even though there were specialist in those fields that were doing those Jobs. It seemed that I had to learn them for the information. Well, like I have always said...........never refuse furthering your education................... When I finally returned to my department, I was given a seat between two experienced agents, just in case I had to ask a question.........apparently they never realised that MEN DON'T HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!

I remember that in those days reservations were written up on a 5" x 7" itinerary card where the travelers name, telephone number, contact address and anything else we could use to locate this person was noted...........along with their proposed itinerary city by city. Airline codes were used to note which airline served the two cities with departure times and arrival times. Since we did not have computers during that time, large manual containing literally every airline in the world, along with their schedules became part of our individual information. These manuals were renewed each month and for those that were given just partial updating, we would get pieces of print outs that had to be inserted in the proper area of the manual.

Well, there were many things that I recall about my days in this department, the frustrations, aggravations, of unhappy passengers, (but we had to remain calm, considerate and in total control) as apparently this was felt by "the customer" over our telephone lines. I was taught, that if you needed a moment to compose yourself, just politely ask the customer to hold on for a second while you check that out., put the caller on hold and when the redness left your face, simply return to the call with a smile on your face. Believe me when I say, I took advantage of this situation many times. I would VERY POLITELY inform the the traveler to hold on for a second, let me check that out, put the call on hold, throw down my headset, lite up a cigarette, take a few puffs while staring out the large windows of this massive office, feel the bubbling leaving my body, return to the call with the information that always made the customer happy.

Well, there was one day, this happened to a new gal in our department. I guess she was hired about a month before me having been a flight attendant for another carrier (TWA) her training was completed in record time. She sat directly across from me. Our system was set up so that after we filled out all this information regarding the reservations, this card was put into a belt system that went along this long belt around a little corner, through and opening in the wall, and into another department, we would call reservation control. This was the department that recorder the information on the card, got the confirmations from other airlines regarding space on other airlines, recorded the outbound SAS flight on VERY LARGE cards simulating our airline and sent back to the reservation department on a return belt. Finally, back to the person making the original booking. At that time we simply would call back the passenger and confirm what was to be confirmed or rebook where the particular flight was unavailable.........................Having said all that..................let's get back to our new girl (call her Evelyn) from TWA. Everlyn, must have had a really bad day because she did something you would never think of. Everlyn, decided to go across the street for lunch this day, to the local happy hour hang-out. Instead of a tuna sandwich, she decided that her nerves had to be settled so she decided on a Martini.......or two. She came back to work, sat down, brought out this big bubbly smile she always had and took her first call. She did everything........by the book........except for one little thing. After the usual...." Thank you for calling SAS" she picked up the itinerary card lite a fire to one edge of it....put it onto the delivery belt.........immediately called reservation control and announced.........HOT MESSAGE COMING DOWN THE BELT...........low and behold, everyone watched as the message disappeared through the little hole in the wall and all of a sudden a loud SCREAM!!!!! What she didn't know was that there was, during lunch time a great amount of calls were taken and the messages waiting to be service had piled up only to catch fire when her booking card entered the pile-up. An half hour later, Everlyn was found packing up all her little personal things from her locker and never heard from ............UNTIL............she ended up marrying the district sales manager from one of our mid western cities. What a hoot!!!!!! what a set of ?????? There was another good side of the story, only two cards were destroyed beyond recognition due to the alertness of a colleague, who quickly pulled the HOT MESSAGE from the belt along with one other, threw them on the floor and started to do the Mexican hat dance.

This became the main topic of conversation during the 5PM meeting of the "happy hour club" and with each telling the truth grew by some 2 reservation cards.

MARGOT AND I..........AS NEW PARENTS......OH THE JOY!!

First house in Seattle  1966-1977

Margots selection: 1250 sq. ft. $18,500 next 30 yrs of 3 dinners per week of hamburger helper.......sometimes without the hamburger.

Results: Happy 11 yrs. 2 kids, 1 adopted dog (sarah) moved up to 4000 sq. ft. mortgage doubled but started eating steak.

Only in America!!





A few months prior to me coming out to Seattle, Margot gave birth to our daughter Lisa. At the hospital, I was given instructions to call Margot's parents in Sweden to tell them ,so an announcement could be put into the paper. Well, guess my Swedish was not as good as I thought since Lisa's name appeared as Liza Rizzo---guess people thought we named her after Liza Minelli.

It was decided that since we were able to sub-let our apartment so quickly that Margot would leave for a trip to Sweden to spend time at her parent's place while I would look for a house in Seattle. When I found one, I would send for Margot and Lisa to come and give her approval. At that point SAS agreed that any waiting time involved in Seattle could be spent at a hotel that they would pay for. Not a bad deal, so off to Sweden she went. After arriving in Seattle, most of my time was taken up by trying to get all the ends tied up for the GRAND OPENING of SAS service. During the evenings I would drive around looking for a house to buy. I came upon this real nice neighborhood, that was just in the final stage of construction called "SALT WATER PARK WEST ESTATES ", minutes away from Salt water park, on the shores of Puget Sound, just about 8 driving minutes to the Airport. I called Margot and since there was no direct service yet, she had to come via New York, spent the night at my parents and then fly to Seattle. Well, I met her and immediately we went to see the house. It wasn't quite finished but Margot instantly put the house on a MAYBE list. It seems that she wasn't as crazy for it as I was since, it was a 2 story. I don't know what her problem was....... something about the possibility of Lisa falling down the stairs.........."but Margot, she doesn't even walk yet.......and besides we could put up some kind of gate". Personally, I think it was because I bought her a riding vacuum cleaner for her birthday and she was just pissed that it did not come with the ...........going up and down stairs attachment....... The other reason she was hesitant, was because the house came with the upstairs unfinished. I tried to convince her that in my spare time I could finish the upstairs myself and we could save some money. YAH RIGHT!!!!!..........AND where does this time come from? Guess she new me even at that point. Well, just to prove her right I worked the next 57 days without a day off. Now that my face was BLUE and I was talking to the WALL, I gave up.........BUT........she discovered another house just two doors away........called a Japanese ranch style........all on one floor, and finished but did not come with the Kobe beef......that was extra..... "This will do just fine!.......but it's smaller!!......that's fine". "OK..we'll get that one". What a softy I turned into. Anyway, now we were not only new parents but also new Land Barons.

We decided to have a small house warming party with just a few friends......since that's all we really had here in this forsaken land...........so, it ended up with being 10 people that were here to help with the station, 3 families that lived in this new neighborhood plus an SAS flight crew of 22 ......You might ask where they came from.........this house warming happened several days before the first arrival of SAS and two crews were sent in from Stockholm to work the first couple of flights. Don't try to figure that out, because as it was occurring I could not figure out what Stockholm was doing. Anywho, like the Norwegians would say, the crew showed up in a 42 passenger touring bus that was just able to make a 'U' turn in this neighborhood with all the construction vehicles etc hanging around...... so we decided to invited the driver to the party with the understanding that his drink of preference was diet coke........he agreed to that but still wanted 3 hamburgers to go with it. The party lasted until 11:30PM at which time one of the Chief Captains (SAS) immediately informed everyone that their drinks were to be put aside since the flight they had to work was now 48 hours away.

The entertainment for the night was watching one of the ladies being carried through some mud puddles (the whole place was mud ) over to one of the few houses in the neighborhood to get more ice cubes. Her husband slipped in the mud and both ended up looking embarrassed...............and muddy................

One year after arriving in Seattle, Scott, our son, came along. This was a little different for me. I was asked by the Doctor, the morning I brought Margot to the hospital, if I would like to be in the delivery room. WOW!! what a privilege. I recall getting into my Doctors green gown with little booties, green hat and hung my matching green mask around my neck, I almost felt like It was going to be a hands on job............but where are my gloves??............. As things were getting ready in the delivery room, Margot also decided she wanted to see it, sssoooo as they adjusted the overhead mirror, things were beginning to happen. Margot was given a local, that's Doctor talk, and the Doctor, anaesthesiologist, 2 nurses positioned themselves for the grand entrance of our son into this world. Oh what a day. I had my own position, sitting next to Margot and holding her hand (the closer it came to pushing him out, the stronger her gripe----it reminded me of how my dad would use the "bone crusher" grip on my hands to calm me down from my tantrums)......here it for assurance that if I fainted.........some one was still holding on to me, since no one else would have time to give a damn. OH Well, that's the way it is in Doctor business, everyone for themselves.

It seemed that the conversation around the table focused on a Christmas party from a few nights back (Scott joined us on Dec. 17th) and the food that was served. OK Doctor know it all, enough about your party.............pay attention to MY WIFE lying on your table with her legs in these stirrups and her knees touching her chin and since this in MY son, make sure all the parts are attached where they are suppose to be. OK everybody, here he comes!!!!! action! camera! WOWWIE!!!!! what a site........"are you sure this kid is mine?????? ........no wonder there was no battle to come out of that playpen." BUT here he was........"just make sure you snipe the right thing there DOC." and to think, I didn't faint......but I felt a little woozy.

This was one experience I will never forget. Can I keep the green suit??

Three days later, Margot left the hospital with .......our son.......... Some days prior, I called my mom to fly out from New York to help take care of Lisa. My mom loved that, so she dragged my dad along also. Mom was a tremendous help, since I had no idea of how to do all those things you had to do to a 1 year old. Dad was a complete drag but kept everyone on their toes.

I remember Margot being wheeled out of the hospital with Scott in her arms. The nurse held Scott until Margot got into the car and then handed her Scott. It wasn't long after that, we pulled up into the driveway..........now the question.........."Margot, how do you get out of the car holding Scott"...."guess you'll just have to hold him until I get out of the car".......me? what happens if he wiggles and falls? "

Watching Margot change Scott's diapers was always a thriller. She learned the hard way that it's very different from changing Lisa's diapers. Margot learned real fast that as soon as you take off the old diaper, throw something over that tiny package, otherwise prepare to take a shower.

THE FUTURE.........IN THE EYES OF AN OLD GEEZER....

I've been thinking back in time during the "what do you want to be.....when you grow up?....."stage. Between the age of 18 and 65, one always tries to look into the future to see what they should, could or would do for the future for not only themselves but for all humanity. I started to do this at 18, since in my view, my parents have now turned over the taking care part of me.....TO ME.... since now I had become an individual. I ended this at age 65, when I felt my government should take care of me. After all I gave them a portion of my check, one way or another, for a span of 47 years. You may question that statement but if you think about it in this manor you will agree with me. The way I look at it is that the government should have a big folder on each and every person in the country. Each and every time the government takes some of your money i.e. payroll tax, income tax, federal tax on purchases etc, etc, they should make a record of what tax is coming in from what person. All this money should be placed into an escrow, interest bearing account under that persons name. After retirement(at 65), that person would be entitled to either a one time payout or an annuity for "X" amount of years. Now......if that person happens to die in anyway before retirement, then one half of the money now goes to the government without any question, the other half to any surviving direct relative. If and when the person retires that money would be given to that specific person as he/she chooses. If, for example, that person selects a buyout amount, there would be no more monies paid by the government for any reason. If they select an annuity, for lets say..... 30 years, the money would be split up equally for not less than 360 payments, then there is no more money for them. If that person continues to work after 65 but still wishes to draw on that money, he can do so but must still pay into the account on the monies he/she continue to earn and must still pay taxes at the same rate as they did prior to age 65. If they select not to continue working they will receive their appointed annuity or lump sum and pay no further taxes of ANY KIND, including all local taxes i.e. real estate, sales etc, etc. As far as other benefits such as medical insurance each person would be given a choice of plans equal to those of the governing body of the government and must pay for that chosen plan out of the monies he/she has acquired. Now...... the more difficult part..............infants from birth to 18 years old. They will become the sole responsibility for the DNA identified parents. If, for any reason, identity cannot be made, or if that child is denied by either or both parents for any reason, then that child will become a ward of the state and can be auctioned off to the highest bidder made up of only those wanting more children than the maximum allowed 2. That, of course, brings up another point. Families would only to be able to have a maximum of 2 children, except in the case where more than 2 were born from the same pregnancy. The only other way to have more than 2 children is the previous mentioned, auction. Here, also, the raising of children from age of birth or date auction to and including age 18 will become the sole responsibility of the parents, either natural parents or winners of the auction parents. At birth, each child will have a I.D. chip embedded into them containing their true birth name, DOB, social security number, blood type, true sex, country of birth, true nationality along with any other information that is pertained to be of importance in the future. This will help control illegal immigration. The USA will become open borders...........however.......... any privileges extended will only be for those with a chip stating born or naturalized in the USA, speaks English, SS#, and any and all information is the same at birth. No matter what one does, goes to the hospital, drives, college, employment, etc etc they must be scanned over the chip and instantaneously this information will be transmitted to the scanner and to the US Government for verification. Any persons immigrating to this country must become a US citizen, speak understandable English and at naturalisation will be embedded with a chip containing all required information. All other persons are considered visitors or entertainers only. Visitors can earn no money. Entertainers may earn money but will be taxed at 50% of earnings, the tax to be forwarded to the Government, but will not be able to claim that taxed balance of 50% until such time they become a naturalize citizen.

Any persons that chooses to follow the profession of an elected officials will be on a term limit bases depending on their job. Executive branch 4 years, Judicial branch 10 years, legislative branch 6 years. All terms are maximum. Can never serve in any elected job more than twice in a life time. Can never become a lobbyist and must have a 3 year minimum 3 point grade average collage education from an accredited political training school.

Any violations to any of this stuff, will result in removal of the chip from within and deportation to another country at least 3000 miles away from and border of the continental USA. All rights and claims will be relinquished and visits to the USA will be limited to 3 per year at a maximum of 6 weeks per visit. Computerized GPS bracelets are applied upon entry in order to keep records of the whereabouts of that person at all times.

On the subject of embodied chips, I also can foresee the use of chips for the purpose of communications. Once a child reaches the age that they can communicate with others, I think that they will be fitted with a telephone chip as described below: As far as telephones are concerned, this will be known as the hand model cell phone. This will be common on all persons.

The thumb would contain the receiver chip and is placed against the ear.

The pinkie would contain the speaker chip and is placed against or in close vicinity to the mouth

As in this manor,thus becoming a telephone. You simply speak the number of the person you are calling into the pinkie or if on speed dial you use finger #3 as the speaker and you simply say the name of the person.

Printers would be optional and located in another area of the body. The printer would also second as a fax machine.

Communications would be connected with a central worldwide provider so that reception can be made instantaneously no matter where in the world one may find themselves. Roaming and long distance charges would not exist but several plans would be made available depending on your usage required. Roll over minutes will apply in all plans, so that one will not loose minutes at the end of each month. Of course, telephones would be available in the most popular colors, white, tan, black, yellow and if preferred could be decorated with inked drawings (tattoos) or jeweled with an assortment of piercings.

MOM.......CHIEF COOK AND BOTTLE WASHER

Mom and Dad (around 1947)

Looking back, I must say, my mom was the ultimate cook and bottle washer. She was phenomenal in the house. She could do everything and some, and never complained about it. Early on, it was apparent that my dad was in charge of everything outside the house, my mom inside the house, except for the bill paying. I would even say, that until the day she passed on, she probably never made out a check. No need to, she always had my dad and later he passed that onto me, but it was uncanny how she made pennies turn into dollars.

In going through my dad's stuff after his death, I discovered that he and my mom had bought 3 rooms of furniture.........bedroom, living room and kitchen in 1935 for a total of $39.00. When they bought their first house around 1941 on long Island the price was $2,500 dollars and the mortgage was $18 bucks a month. My grandparents and my mothers sisters and brothers all chipped in and bought a very elegant hand carved dining room set with six chairs, 2 buffets and a china closet from some wealthy friends of my grandfathers and that was their house warming gift. We sold that set after them using it for 30 some on years for $10,000 at a tag sale. Well, back to my mom.

My mom, could not only cook just about anything you wanted but baked all kinds of Italian pastries, cakes including decorating them, cookies, her own bread, pizza. She jared her own preserves, and still found time to clean the house and keep my dad and I in clean clothes..........without a dryer............and in most cases hand washed the delicates. Washed and starched her organdy curtains and stretched them on an old stretcher in the backyard. A Clothesline was stretched from our kitchen window to a tree about 40' away from the house. If it was raining or snowing she would hang the wash in the bathroom which seemed to be the hottest room in the house. Talking about starching stuff. My dad and I always had our shirts starched and ironed, and my dad was a blue collar worker. She even made a error several times and starched our underwear............WOW!!!!! what a feeling..............it was great for me ! was it great for you ?? Back to mom.

Every holiday, mom would bake all kinds of Italian cookies, I remember most of my friends would come over to visit "mom and dad" as they were known to get some of her anisette cookies. Mom would always send some home to their parents never sure if it made it that far. She never had fancy chef's tools only a fork or knife or whatever she could find around the kitchen. Always decorated with sprinkles or silver eatable beads or whatever. Some were even fried in boiling oil but they were all delicious. She could spend a whole day mixing, kneading, mixing and more kneading bread, brushing butter over the top. Setting it under blankets to help it rise. kneading it down again and letting it rise again. What a job.......but the end result was what counted. Beautifully shaped loaves of bread. I use to watch her cut the bread, it was just as her mother did. She would put the loaf between her breast and with the knife facing towards her, she would begin slicing...........WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING MINNIE??????? would be my fathers reaction............WANT TO CUT THOSE PUPPIES OFF?????.

Now, her idea of a sandwich, or perhaps it was my dad's. Meat and cheese equal to the thickness of the two slices of bread, plus lettuce and a sliced tomato. Little mayo, maybe a little mustard just for flavor. AH!!!! JUST RIGHT.

Regardless of the day of week, or the time of day, there was always food, drink and dessert in our house. Never did we have a want for food. Whenever someone dropped over, whether it be for a minute or an hour, out of the fridge came "the works" out of our home bakery came whatever kind of cake, cookies or donuts we had. Coffee, tea, soda, beer??? what's your pleasure. Want to take some home with you? Want to sell me insurance, sit down, have a sandwich........... here to pick Vito up for school, sit down have some breakfast. Want me to help you build a garage? sit down and have some lunch.........can't work on an empty stomach.

Now on the non-important holidays, mothers day, fathers day, Halloween, Suzie's birthday?, Clara's anniversary----ever notice how the woman always had the anniversary---never the man. Mom would bake her special cake with special pans....little girl with a hoop dress, little lamb shape cake, pumpkin with a black cat poised on top or perhaps a pineapple upside down cake. I don't know if that was intentional or not but it taste good, graham cracker ice box cake, Long Island cheesecake........her version of New York cheesecake. Boston cream pie, Banana cream pie, lemon chiffon cream pie, you name it she baked it. One thing though, her recipes were not to exact. She had an additional set of measures (besides the teaspoon, tablespoon, cup etc)....she had....a pinch....of.. a shake....of... 2 shakes.......of....in the case of salt it was always a pinch of........and one over the right shoulder for good luck......A WHA?????. one quarter of a hand full......whose hand? what size hand? She had two squeezes, a short sqeeze.......ee......a long squeeze......eeeeee........This was great for keeping ALL HER secret recipe's a SECRET!!!!. If Mrs. Pellegrini doesn't understand that recipe.........to bad. "But mom why are you leaving out the baking soda. Because it's my secret!!!!!that's why". One reason, one would never ask my mother for a recipe..............BECAUSE you wouldn't get the right one! Betty Crocker never invented toll house cookies. MOM did because her chips were better and never mixed into the batter, they were hand placed into each cookie ---straight up-----as the dough laid on the pan........guess this is why it was HER cookies. The funniest was, that my dad could not boil water....or at least that's what he said....because that was woman's work BUT my mom when cooking pasta WOULD ALWAYS, ALWAYS, go to my dad with a little piece of pasta on a fork or spoon and ask my dad's opinion if it was cooked. My dad, would sit back, chew it very slowly and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, come back with "1 more minute". That tradition has remained in my household. Margot ALWAYS comes to me to ask if the pasta is cooked to my taste. My reply is " 2 more minutes" at which point it's immediately taken off the stove, drained in cold water(which stops the cooking) and put on the plate..............funny it still tastes good.............

With all of this food, all these snacks, drinking water out of the garden hose, getting a cut in your finger dirty, drippy nose, wet feet, swimming before the half hour after eating was over, getting whacked on the knuckles with a yard stick by Mr. Gregory in shop class, a bout with athletes feet, jock itch, hammer toe, murmur of the heart, measles, mumps, and whatever else we did .....or.......had as young kids........ that now-a-days is not acceptable.............I survived. What a great life it was.