Gone but not Forgotten

My fondest memories are from the 1960s when my father would fly out of SLC for his work. As a kid I remember there was the largest bank of telephone booths that I had ever seen in my life just inside the terminal. While mom and dad were at the ticket counter, my brother and I would check every one of the coin returns; hoping to find some change to buy candy with.

We’d run to the world map on the floor and trace out the longest routes we could find; wondering what it would be like to fly too those far off places.

Mom would insist that my dad purchase travel insurance before flying. I guess flying was still considered somewhat risky in those days. Purchasing the insurance consisted of stuffing a dollar or two into an envelope, writing your name and beneficiary’s name on it and depositing it into a collection slot.

In those days we could walk to the gates to see my dad off. I remember people in those days were always nicely dressed. Flying was considered a special occasion back then and people wanted to look their best.

I remember the gate attendant would open a sliding glass door, and the passengers would walk out onto the tarmac and up the boarding stairs that were mounted on the back of a pickup truck.

I remember how exciting it was to run to the outside concourse stairs that led to the roof. From there I could watch the plane my dad was on turn over the engines, taxi out and then take-off; wondering all the while if he could see me from the airplane waving good-by to him as he took off.

Those days are now long gone but not forgotten.

– Paul