John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

Page 33 text:

JUST PLANE BI-MOTCR MARION ALLWEISS IF ANYONE had been flying down Lightning Lane that night, they would have noticed a little more than usual activity going on. This flurry in a normally quiet neighborhood was cen- tered about Hangar 423, the home of the Bi-Motor family. Inside, Mrs. Bi- motor was rushing about, fussing with this and adjusting that. If you would ask her what all the to-do was about, she would blink her landing lights in surprise and say, Why, didn't you lmow? Suzy's young man is coming to dinner. Yes, daughter Suzy had finally de- cided that the man for her was Eddie Piper Cub, an up-and-coming young plane who had a great future at Idle- wild Airport. Even though Eddie had a good alti- tude toward life, he had one fault: he was terribly shy. However, he had fin- ally consented to come to dinner, to Mrs. Bi-Motor's delight and Mr. Bi- Motor's amusement. While Mrs. Bi-Motor was putting the finishing touches on the dinner, Suzy was trying to instruct her father con- cerning his manner toward her guest. But Papa, please remember that he's awfully shy, and please don't ask him any embarrassing questions, she pleaded. But Mr. Bi-Motor just couldn't under- stand. He cou1dn't be much good, he reasoned, if he can't stand up under some simple questions. He couldn't be much good? Oh, Papa, wait till you see him! Why, any girl would give her right wing to be i.n my wheels. He's so cute: especially the way he cocks his propeller . . . Please Papa, be good. She gave him a last pleading look as she flew up the stairs. Soon the house quieted down as all was in readiness for the visitor. Every few minutes Mrs. Bi-Motor would peek out the skylight to see if he had ar- rived yet and every once in a while she would sniffle when she thought about her little baby having a young man. Suzy was iust putting the finish- ing touches on her instrument panel and Mrs. Bi-Motor was reminding Mr. Bi-Motor that she felt so positively an- cient, when the bell rang. Suzy's Motor started thumping way past it's normal rate as she glanced in the mirror once more and flew downstairs. She almost had quite a bad fall, when, in her haste, she forgot to lower her landing gear. But she finally got downstairs and opened the door. There stood Eddie, as handsome as she had remembered. He was all shin- ed up and had a new coat of paint for the occasion. He stammered shyly through the introductions. Suzy breath- ed a sigh of relief when they sat down to dinner, for now her father would have no chance to question him. But finally, the time that she had dreaded came. After dinner, they sat down in 31

Page 32 text:

IT WAS in the summer that I met Mike McElroy. wonderful Mike. We were both staying at Mrs. Neison's boarding house in the heart of the Poconos Mountains. I was very much attracted to Mike from the first day I saw him. I had dropped my purse and he picked it up. He was so good- looking with his brown wavy hair and entrancing eyes. all this and six feet. too. I wanted to make a goo-d im- pression. so when I saw him at break- fast. I said politely. Good Moming. and he answered me. I could hardly eat. I was so thrilled. I remember the next day. while I was helping Mrs. Neison feed the pigs and he came towards us. I was in an old housedress, and my hair was up in pincurls. I tried frantically to get out of the pen. when I slipped and fell in the mud. I was so terribly embarrassed. but not for long. for lVIike came in to help me. That was our first real meeting. I can still pic- ture poor Mike as he stood in the pen looking So bewildered. with all the pigs surrounding him. It was then that we became great friends. Then came the moment I hoped would never arrive. My parents came. and when they found out about my seeing Mike they were furious and forbade me ever to see him again. They said that I was too young t-o go out with boys. mamma and poppa couldn't go out with boys and girls until they were nineteen. But ieepers. what's three years? When I saw 30 I I M I KE: I JOAN SCANLON Mike I told him my story and he sug- gested that we never see each other again. since my parents felt that way. I ran into the house. to my room. I just had to keep on seeing Mike. but I knew that that was impossible. for I heard poppa talking to Mrs. Neison. about giving me a job working in the kitchen. and there I would never see Mike. I just had to think of some- thing and I decided to take a long walk. It started to rain. but I didn't care. When I did return home I was so tired and soaked that I caught cold and a few days later I collapsed. When I awoke I was in bed and poppa was beside me. Poppa. I said. please don't be angry. Maria . . . it is you who should be angry with us. and with almost tears in his eyes. he went on. in his broken Eng- lish. It is hard for your mamma and I. to becum used to dis new world und new generation. but if you vill help uns, ve try. He looked at me very pathetically. then said. you vill not have to vork down in the kitchen any longer. I vill see to it that you get a job upstairs. there you may see Mike. That's what I like about poppa. he's so considerate.

Page 34 text:

the parlor, and, as Suzy had feared, Mr. Bi-Motor turned the conversation to Eddie. Mrs. Bi-Motor knew her hus- band, and when she saw the warning twinkle in his landing lights, she has- tily intervened to ask Eddie if he would care for a nice, cool glass of gasoline. He refused, explaining that he never drank high-octane drinks, and the room once more was silent with a pre- hension. But, Mr. Bi-Motor still un- daunted, reigned supreme. Coughing his engine, and throwing Suzy a signi- ficant glance, he asked innocently, And what are your chances for ad- vancement. my boy. Suzy blushed to the top of her cock- pit, for she knew that her father was capitalizing on Eddie's shyness for his own entertainment. Well, you see he . . ., she tried to interrupt. But, sur- prisingly, Eddie would not let her fin- ish. He braced himself staunchly and explained, Well, to tell the truth sir, I haven't thought about it much. But I guess that now that my father has been elected president of Idlewild Freight Planes, Inc., I don't have to worry. Mr. Bi-Motor stared at him in per- plexed astonishment. It wasn't that the information shocked him so, it was just that it was so different than the stammered reply he had expected. But Mrs. Bi-Motor glided in graciously to save the day. Come dear, she said to her husband, help me wash the dishes. I'm sure the children have more important things to talk about. She linked his wing in hers and led him out, while Mr. Bi-Motor could do nothing but scratch the graying top of his cockpit and wonder about these surprising youngsters now-a-days. Illustration by Walter Stack 32