The charter flight to LA with British Caledonian
was my third visit to the US, but my first
with a husband, our three year old daughter
and my mother-in-law
We paid extra to sit in the 747’s upstairs cabin
The seats were bigger seats and you were given a bucks fizz
and that’s where the glamour ended.
The airplane was old, it creaked and rattled it’s way
down the runway as we began the first leg of our journey,
landing in Winnipeg to refuel.
Passengers weren’t allowed to leave. The cockpit door was open
and while we waited, I could hear the pilot talking to the tower.
I wasn’t paying much attention until he raised his voice
and shouted ‘I’m not flying across the Dakotas with only three engines.’
Not long after we were all turfed off, put in hotels
and told to be back at six thirty in the morning.
Four of us in one room, was a bit of a squeeze
and sleeping was difficult with the words ‘only three engines’
circling my head as the hours passed slowly.
In the morning we were told a spare engine part was coming from
Boeing in Seattle along with someone to fit it because ironically
it was Labour Day so hardly anyone was working and no replacement
aircraft available.
Twenty four hours later we landed in Los Angeles.
I don’t know what the pilot thought might happen
high above the Dakotas with only three engines.
I guess we should thank our lucky stars
we didn’t have to find out.
Jackie Parsons August 2024
From the National Poetry Day 2024 collection