Brett’s sweet dream.
Matthew and Meredith walked arm in arm amongst people down the busy Washington Street sidewalk.
“I want to thank you again for taking me flying. I dreamt about it all night and wanted to be a pilot. It would be a dream come true,” she said.
“It was my pleasure, and we’ll go up again, and I’ll let you fly her,” he replied.
Meredith’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I want to fly her.”
Brett smiled. “So, what’s with this arranged marriage?” he asked.
“I can’t bear the thought of it, but my father insists,” she said, frowning.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. It could be because Charles is the assistant manager at the Reeves Pulley Company with a promising career,” she suggested.
“He sounds very boring and dull.”
“Oh, yes. His mother’s so controlling. She won’t let him own an automobile.”
Matthew stopped at a parked car.
Meredith stopped and watched Matthew walking over, patting the fender of a 1907 Reeves Model 6 cylinder automobile.
“Why not have one of these marvelous inventions?” he said. “They’re better than a horse. You don’t have to brush them. You don’t have to shovel up their poop. And you don’t have to worry about it wanting to mate with another automobile,” he said.
Meredith chuckled.
Brett walked over to her. She placed her arm around his arm.
“You sure know how to make me laugh. Unlike,” Meredith said. She stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened. She yanked her arm away from Matthew’s. “It’s Grace Snyder and Charles,” she said quietly.
A young, wimpy, pretty boy and an older, thin-framed woman with black and white hair rushed over to Meredith and Matthew.
Grace glared at Matthew.
Charles stared at his shoes. Shoulders slumped.
“Sir! Why are you wooing my son’s fiancé?” Grace said, glaring at Matthew.
“Please, Mother, you’re embarrassing Meredith and me,” Charles said.
“I don’t want to hear it, Charles,” Grace snapped back at him.
“Yes, Mother,” Charles said, hanging his head low.
“I’m Matthew Sims, a pilot from Fort Wayne. My airplane broke down outside town, and Meredith showed me around your lovely city,” Matthew told her.
Grace’s eyes bulged. Her nostrils flared. She yanked Meredith by her arms away from Matthew.
“Any more of this, and I shall deal with you in a manner you’ll live to regret,” Grace threatened Matthew with a shaking finger.
Grace escorted Meredith across the street.
Charles walked behind Grace like an obedient servant. Meredith glanced over her shoulder at Matthew.
“I love you,” Meredith mouthed her words.
“I love you,” Matthew mouthed his words to Meredith.
He moped off down the street.
Fifteen minutes passed.
Matthew walked up to the St. Denis Hotel. He noticed the horse and buggy parked in front of the hotel; it was no big deal.
Matthew entered the hotel lobby.
“Matthew! Where have you been?” Anne called out from the lobby sofa. She got up, rushing over to him. “You stood me up!” Anne fumed, crossing her arms.
Matthew hesitated. “I’m so sorry. After finding the telegraph office, I wandered around town and got lost. I didn’t find the hotel until a few minutes ago,” he said, crossing his fingers behind his back.
“You couldn’t stop somebody for directions?”
“I ah, I didn’t think about it. I’m so sorry,” he replied.
Anne stared at Matthew. She smiled. “That’s all right. I forgive you,” she said. Her eyes widen. “I know; why don’t I give you a personal tour of our beautiful city right now.”
“I don’t know. I’m a little tired, and I saw most of the town already,” Brett replied and yawned.
“Nonsense. You’ve never had a tour until you’ve had a tour by Anne Whitestone. I can tell you all the hidden secrets about Columbus,” she said. She placed an arm around Matthew and escorted him out of the hotel.
Outside the St. Denis Hotel, Anne and Matthew got inside her buggy. She glanced at Matthew and leaned over, kissing him on the lips. He pulled her away and promptly jumped out of her buggy.
“What’s the matter? I thought you liked me?” she said, frowning.
“I’m sorry, but I met someone else today,” he hesitated for a few seconds, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news. Someone I like and want to spend more time with and hopefully establish a long-term relationship,” he confessed.
“Who?” she responded, crossing her arms and pouting.
Matthew hesitated. “Your sister, Meredith,” he confessed.
Anne’s eyes bulged, and her nostrils flared. She snapped her reins, driving her buggy away.
“I’m glad that’s over with,” he said and returned inside the hotel.
Matthew went inside his hotel room, lay on his bed, and stared at the ceiling.
Back to Brett’s reality.
It’s Friday morning. Brett was asleep on his back. He woke up and glanced around the room, dazed.
Brett glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. It was “6:30 a.m.”
“Crap, I don’t want to go to that stupid plant!” he slowly got out of bed, moping to the bathroom.
In Brett’s bedroom in Fort Wayne, Dorian tossed and turned in bed, frowning. A bad dream.
An hour passed in Columbus.
After a continental breakfast in the lobby of the
Residence Inn, Brett drove off to the plant.
Brett drove north on Interstate 65, got off Exit 76A, and headed south on Route 31.
He noticed the Sky King Aviation plant to his left. “Sky King, please help me get a better life,” he silently prayed.
Brett drove farther south down Route 31. He noticed the “Victory Warbirds Air Show at the Columbus Municipal Airport – Friday Only” billboard with pictures of old vintage airplanes.
Brett was mesmerized by the billboard, then drove down to the next road and turned around.
Brett drove back to the billboard, pulling his car off to the side of the road. He got out and stared at the billboard. He looked to the south, noticing a few vintage airplanes at the Columbus Municipal Airport.
Brett got in his car and drove off north on Route 31.
Brett drove to the Alliance Gears and Pulley Company parking lot and parked.
He drudged through the parking lot, heading to the main entrance of the building.
Brett entered the three-story Alliance administration building.
He walked to the receptionist’s desk.
“Good morning,” the young receptionist said. “Good morning, I’m Brett Woods. Sidney Harris sent me to see Howard Bitner. I’m supposed to work on a financial report.”
The receptionist looked at her computer screen. “Yes, Mister Woods, Mister Bitner is expecting you. Take the elevator to the top floor. Once off the elevators, turn right, and Mister Bitner’s office is straight ahead. His secretary, Betty Salisbury, will assist you,” she said.
“Thank you,” Brett replied, walking away, heading to the elevators.
He got in an elevator, rode to the third floor, got off the third floor, turned right, and walked straight ahead.
Brett found Betty Salisbury’s desk outside a large wooden door and then walked up to Betty’s desk. “I’m Brett Woods. Sidney Harris sent me down here to work on a financial report,” Brett told her.
“Yes, Mister Woods, Mister Bitner is expecting you,” Betty said. She got up from her desk.
Betty walked Brett into Howard’s office.
“Howard, this is Brett Woods from Sidney’s office,” Betty told Howard. She turned around and left the office, closing the door.
Howard Bitner, a lanky older man with white hair, got up from his desk.
He approached Brett and extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he smiled.
They shook hands.
“I’ll show you where you can work,” Howard walked Brett out of his office.
“I guess Sidney wasn’t happy with me,” Howard said, walking past Betty’s desk.
“Sounds like it,” Brett replied.
Betty sneered, watching Brett and Howard walk away.
They walked through the office area.
“Well, that’s all right, as I’m going to retire in three weeks anyway. So you know where he can shove his reports,” Howard said, smirking.
Brett discreetly smiled.
Howard walked Brett into an empty office. It was small with windows, a desk, a table, and a computer.
“You can use this office. The computer is connected to the Internet if you need it to research some data,” Howard said. “I’ll give you a walk down our plant later this afternoon,” Howard added.
“That would be great,” Brett replied discreetly, rolling his eyes.
“Good, well, have fun working on your report,” he added. He left the office.
Brett walked over and down in the desk chair.
A few minutes passed, and Betty entered the office with a stack of file folders.
She walked them over to his desk and plopped them down. “Here are some of the files you might need. Plus, when you’re ready, I’ll show you how to navigate around our company website,” she said. She turned around and walked to the door. She stopped and turned around. “If you need anything else, stop at my desk,” Betty said, leaving the room.
Brett opened one of the file folders. Inside were a bunch of receipts and other financial records. He yawned.
An airplane was heard outside.
Brett jumped up and rushed to the windows. Glancing outside, he spotted a Corsair flying past the plant.
Brett glanced back at the desk of file folders, then glanced out the window at the Corsair flying away.
Brett smiled and rushed out of his office.
He walked down the office area and approached Howard’s office.
“Do you need something, Mister Woods?” Betty asked from her desk.
“I’m fine. I’ll be right back. I left my laptop in my hotel room,” he said, rushing to the elevators.
Betty shrugged it off, returning to her work.
Brett rushed out of the front entrance of the Alliance Administration building.
Brett rushed to his car in the parking lot, got inside his Fairmont, cranked it up, and drove away.
The flight line of the Columbus Municipal Airport is crowded. People strolled around admiring the aircraft on display on the flightline.
Brett walked down the flight line, grinning from ear to ear. “This sure beats boring financial records anytime, any day,” he said quietly.
Brett walked up to a de Havilland Tiger Moth. He walked around admiring the airplane.
Brett walked away from the de Havilland Tiger Moth and over to the P51 Mustang, admiring it.
Brett walked away from the Mustang and over to a Stearman Kaydet, admiring the bi-wing Stearman.
Brett walked away from the Stearman and headed over to the DC-3, then walked halfway to the DC-3.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Look to the end of the runway. You’ll soon see the amazing aerobatic flying skills of Corrie Matherson,’ the announcer spoke over the speakers.
Brett headed over to the runway.
Brett entered the crowd and noticed a Slick 360 aerobatic airplane taking off from runway 23.
“Corrie will start her show by performing a Humpty Bump,” the announcer said over the loudspeakers.
Corrie’s Slick 360 flew horizontally over the runway. The Slick 360 went into a vertical climb. During the steep climb, the Slick 360 performed half a roll.
The Slick 360 made half a loop and came straight into a vertical dive.
The Slick 360 went out of the dive over the runway.
The Slick 360 flew off.
“Corrie will now perform an Immelmann,” the announcer said over the loudspeakers.
The Slick 360 flew over the runway.
The Slick 360 flew into half a loop, reached the top of the loop, and went into half a roll.
The Slick 360 flew off away from the airport.
Brett watched the Slick 360 performing numerous other aerobatic maneuvers for fifteen minutes. “Whoa!” he said being impressed.
“For her grand finale, she’ll perform a Cuban eight,” the announcer said over the loudspeakers.
The crowd glanced at the sky.
The Slick 360 flew straight and level. It went into a vertical climb and rolled right-side-up when it reached the top of the loop. Then, it entered a forty-five-degree dive and leveled out at the attitude it started the maneuver with.
The Slick 360 went into a second loop, reached the top of the loop, and rolled right-side up.
The Slick 360 went into a 45-degree dive. It recovered with the same attitude with which it had started the maneuver.
The Slick 360 flew away from the airport.
The Slick 360 banked, returning to the airport. The Slick 360 landed on the runway.
It taxied near the announcer’s stand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please warmly welcome Corrie Matherson!” the announcer said over the loudspeakers.
The airplane taxied past the announcer.
The Slick 360’s canopy is open. Corrie waved at the crowd from inside her plane.
She taxied her Slick 360 airplane, following her escort vehicle.
She parked her Slick 360 and shut down her engine.
A crowd of people rushed over to Corrie’s airplane.
She got out of the Slick 360.
People rushed up to her, requesting her autograph.
Brett admired her airplane, stared at the tail, then walked around and peeked inside the cockpit. He made his way to the engine and checked it out.
Brett glanced at the crowd surrounding Corrie and then made his way through the crowd.
Brett saw the back of Corrie’s blonde hair. She turned around, and he glanced into her blue eyes. His eyes sparkled.
With the soft top removed, a Jeep Wrangler drove up to the crowd and stopped.
“Are you ready, Corrie?” a young female called out from the Jeep.
Corrie observed the female in the Jeep. “Yeah,” she said, then signed her last autograph on a brochure.
Corrie walked over to the Jeep.
Brett pushed through the crowd.
Corrie sat in the passenger seat. The Jeep drove away
“Rats,” Brett said, disappointed, then walked away and checked out a few airplanes.
An hour passed.
Brett walked back to the parking lot at the air show, got inside his car, and drove off through the parking lot.
Brett drove his Fairmont away from the airport. He glanced at this watch. “Aw, it’s too late to head back to the plant,” he said.