Sifoddling Along

By Marilyn Carnell

My first commercial flight was in 1960 with Frontier Airlines, a well-named company. The plane was a converted military C-47 so it was on the frontier for sure. You entered from the back and walked up the tilted aisle to your seat. I flew from Columbia to Joplin, MO.

In 1966 I went to work for General Mills and began flying often for business. There were very few female business passengers in those days and we were treated like queens. The flight from Minneapolis to Chicago was 1 hour. Within that time frame, we were served a meal with real china and silver, and the flight attendants (all pretty women) wore designer uniforms. Even the planes were painted pretty colors until they realized how much the weight of the paint impacted gas mileage.

During COVID my travels halted. In 2021 I bought 3 tanks of gas for my Prius. This year I have ventured out into the world again and found significant changes both in me and the world.

If you are interested in travel my first suggestion is to have a very smart and efficient daughter-in-law. Without one of those to book everything, it will be exceedingly difficult. In my case, it involves reserving a ticket, hotel room, and on-ground transportation in a wheelchair. I learned that first class on Delta has the following rewards: you get 1) board early, 2) have a wider seat, 4) get a tepid 8 Oz bottle of water, and 4) your coffee is served first.

A gap occurs when you have to get from the car rental desk to the actual car a block away with 2 bags, a purse, and a walker. Last week the last straw was a spilled root beer in my purse. I did the only thing possible- sat down and cried. A nice man Roth OK a wheelchair service came by and saw my plight and my journey resumed.

A small complicating factor is the change in fashion while traveling. Heels and hose are no longer required. I saw some outfits that would be first-rate for a pole dancer. It is no longer special to travel by air.

To add to the woes, my hair rebelled after taking a prescription med. I now have hair suitable for different personas a white kinky patch on top. On a given day, I may look like Karl Marx or Dredd Scott. On a really bad day, there is a strong resemblance to Queen Camilla. I think it is time to stay at home again.