I looked up from my desk to see Sue, the owner of Sue's Flying Service talking with a lady at the front lobby. The lady was an attractive 50 something, short, slim, fit, and energetically engaged in explaining something to Sue.
The next thing I knew, two hands slapped down on either side of my desk and as I looked up I looked into an open blouse with two perky "B" cups, unhaltered and pointing proudly at me from the silk blouse that had fallen indecently open. I looked for a moment to long, and then looked up into the lady's eyes.
"You like?"
"Very nice." I flushed, feeling the heat in my cheeks.
"I'm Thea Whiteside and I want to start flying again.
Whiteside was a name plastered all over town. A car dealership, an implement dealership, a department store, and several of the local gas stations were adorned with that name. I had never met any of the Whitesides but Thea had a reputation of being a reclusive and a nudist. Our mailman related a time when he was greeted by the nude lady as he attempted to deliver a registered letter. The mailman was flustered. Thea simply explained 'she was a nudist and to get over it'. No matter what she was, in a Midwest Baptist community, she was the talk of the "respectable" women.
"I learned to fly in 1980 and flew for years. Motherhood put a damper on my flying and I left it to my husband then and now the company pilots. Now, I want to fly again. I will need some dual instruction and a flight review. The airspace requirements and regulations have changed so I will review those. I would like you to be my instructor."
"I am a pilot examiner and give the FAA check rides to the students in the school here. I don't instruct anymore."
"Oh..... Sue said you would be glad to."
I looked past Thea and saw Sue nodding her head vigorously. I took that as a plead.
"Ohooo Kaaay....I will work with you but one of the regular instructors would be better at instructing."
"I don't want a boy, I want a man!"
-2-
Thea showed up at the appointed hour with a company A-36 Bonanza emblazoned with their company logo. It was a single engine, low wing, six passenger bird that had a $700,000 dollar price tag. She demonstrated a thorough pre-flight inspection, and it was obvious she was in complete control of the airplane. In two hours time she had regained her proficiency and was demonstrating excellent piloting skills and ability. We discussed rules and regulations for two hours, and it was obvious that she had mastered those as well. I signed her log book and she was cleared to go.
I congratulated her and bid her good flying.
"I'm not done with you yet."
"I'm sorry?"
"I want you to teach me to fly that." She pointed at a small red and white Aviat Huskey. It was a small fabric covered high wing airplane built to be used as a utility and sportsman's airplane. The Husky would take off and land in 400 feet. It could be a tricky little beast to fly.
"We don't have one of those to fly." I thought that would be the end of that.
"That one is mine. I just bought it and now I need to learn to fly it."
Thea had it mastered in two days. The lady had a gift with an airplane.
"I understand you flew airplanes like this in Viet Nam."