Thrills (and Spills)

摘要

I HAVE two vivid recollections of summer 1966: one is a visit to Aldergrove Airport, Belfast (BFS) with my English class; the other one the inevitable, but devastating breakup of the pop group The Monkees-which drove my girls' class to near hysterics. We were all 13 at the time and believed that our lives were over. Fortunately, youth being elastic, we survived and moved on to other things. Standing in the airport cafe at Aldergrove, we awaited an onboard tour of a BOAC Vickers-Armstrongs VC-10 aircraft, incoming from London. The Flight Attendants had unfortunately suffered the loss of a passenger, who had had a heart attack in flight. While we toured the offices, Flight Dispatch sent a message to inform us that the Attendants still wished to take us onboard while the aircraft was being prepared for its next flight. It was a gracious offer following their difficult morning. And it was an experience that changed my life.