Minute 067: Turning Two

Airport Minute Podcast

Guest Host: Chris Epting

Chris Epting is the author of 26 travel/history books, including James Dean Died Here (Santa Monica Press), Roadside Baseball (McGraw Hill), Hello It’s Me, Dispatches From a Pop Culture Junkie (Santa Monica Press) and many others. He is also an award-winning travel writer and has contributed articles for such publications as the Los Angeles Times, Westways and Travel + Lesiure magazine, among other publications. In addition, Chris is a veteran music journalist and recently co-wrote Def Leppard’s Phil Collen’s memoir, “Adrenalized.” Originally from New York, Chris now lives in Huntington Beach, California with his wife and their two children.

Summary

One of the ground operations crew radios Flight Two. “Clear to start Two,” he says.

Anson picks up his microphone. “Turning Two,” he says. Vern presses the Ground Start on the overhead panel for Engine Two.

Outside, Engine Two spins up.

Anson radios the ground crew, “Okay to start One?”

Meanwhile, Inez is at the far end of a very long terminal corridor. She’s running toward Gate 33.

Back at Flight Two, one of the air marshallers is signaling the 707 to turn right, away from the gate.

Inez is still running down the corridor. She turns a corner and arrives at a now-empty Gate 33. The gate agent and the ramp supervisor are counting tickets. Another gate agent is changing the departure sign.

Inez composes herself for a moment, and walks up to the counter.

“Excuse me, please, ” says Inez. “I’d like to find out if — my husband’s on that flight that just left. I -”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am,” says the gate agent, “I’m not allowed to give that information.”

“Well,” says Inez, “it’s just-”

In this minute

Dean Martin as Vernon Demerest
Barry Nelson as Anson Harris
Gary Collins as Cy Jordan
Maureen Stapleton as Inez Guerrero
Lew Brown as Ramp Supervisor Reynolds
Unknown as Gate Agent