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Closing the cockpit curtain the Stewardess walked promptly
over to the intercom a present smile on her face as she picked up the
microphone and brought it to her mouth. “Please buckle your seatbelts Ladies
and Gentlemen” the Stewardess announced using the microphone at the head of the
plane. “We’ll be arriving in Paris, France and landing shortly”
For Lois Symone this month long vacation to Paris was the
trip of a lifetime. Since she was a child growing up in the French Quarter or
New Orleans Paris was the ultimate destination. It had to be one of the most
romantic places in the world, there was so much to see, so much history and
culture and of course the fashion. She could remember as a little girl her Mama
telling her about all her adventures there before she came to America and it
was all she could dream about since.
Sighing Lois closed her eyes to keep from looking out the
windows as the plane began its decent not wanting to ruin her first look at her
beloved ‘Gay Paree’. She had no desire to enjoy that moment on a tiny charter
plane no she wanted to experience the city the way it was meant to be. Her eyes
clenched so tightly together that they hurt but the smile she wore on her face
grew even wider when she felt bump that indicated the plane landed on the
runway and rather roughly to be honest she thought to herself as her right hand
went up to her suddenly fluttering heart and the gasps of the other passengers
echoed throughout the plane. But none of that mattered she was in Paris and
ready for adventure, the flight over she’d dreamed of what this moment would be
like, the sights, the smells, and the people. She was practically bouncing in
her seat a whole lifetime of dreaming coming down to one moment, she was
finally coming home to Paris.
As the plane eased to a slow halt she opened her eyes with a
shuddering breath, a sudden case of nerves coming on so strong it was
overwhelming. Reaching for her purse under her chair she took out her engraved
gold cigarette case and gold lighter that her Papa brought for her for the
occasion. Opening her case she took out one of the Embassy brand King sized
cigarettes and brought it to her lips with shaking fingers quickly lighting it
then taking a deep relaxing inhale. The Stewardess’s voice coming through the
microphone once more had Lois quickly putting it out a few exhales later as she
scrabbled to put everything back into her purse and sit back in her seat to see
her clearly making sure to take in every word.
“Ladies and Gentleman may I have your attention please!” the
young Stewardess spoke into the mic loudly to be heard over the chatter then
waited while the ten passengers riding the Stratocruiser Flagship charter plane
settled down. “We have now arrived at our destination and are about to leave
the plane. I would ask you all to be patient and form a single file line and
ask that you be careful coming down the rollaway steps. On behalf of
Stratocruiser Flagship Pan-American I would like to thank you all for choosing
us to fly with and we hope that we have made your time with us pleasant.
Bienvenue á Paris: Welcome to Paris merci” hanging up the small
microphone she walked to the plane’s exit and opened the door and stepped out
smiling at everyone’s cheers and claps.
