Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the twentyfifteen domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /chroot/home/a6f7779a/9d7429a5d9.nxcli.io/html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6170 {"id":1008,"date":"2018-06-18T20:26:56","date_gmt":"2018-06-19T01:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/frankdeleon.com\/?p=1008"},"modified":"2018-06-18T20:41:31","modified_gmt":"2018-06-19T01:41:31","slug":"new-horizons-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/frankdeleon.com\/?p=1008","title":{"rendered":"New Horizons-Part Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Horizons \u2013 Part Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

A Smooth Start<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Things at my parents\u2019 home started out relatively well.\u00a0 Mom seemed to be impressed with Kaz, constantly praising her beauty and courteous demeanor and going out of her way to compliment her on the way she dressed\u2014especially her minimal use of makeup.<\/p>\n

Dad was uncommonly jovial and conveyed his pleasure with our visit by constantly telling and re-telling his token racial and oft-repeated silly jokes, and recounting stories of some of the goofy things I\u2019d done when I was growing up.<\/p>\n

That one week I spent with my parents prior to leaving to go to Oklahoma City for my ATC Initial Training, was probably one when I felt closest to them.\u00a0 The one subject they managed to stay away from was that of Sharon and the boys.\u00a0 Although I\u2019d explained that Kaz knew all about my ex-wife and the issues that had occurred during my first year on Okinawa, it seemed that my parents were still a bit uncomfortable with the whole situation.<\/p>\n

Before I knew it, it was time for me to depart and begin the long drive to the FAA\u2019s Aeronautical Center (also called \u201cthe academy) at Wiley Post Airport, in Oklahoma City to begin my initial air traffic control training.\u00a0\u00a0 The night before I left we took Mom and Dad out to dinner at a nearby Mexican Restaurant and everyone seemed to truly enjoy the evening.\u00a0 After returning back home I spent a couple of hours packing my little car with clothing and essentials that I thought I\u2019d need for the next nine weeks I was to be assigned at the Aeronautical Center.<\/p>\n

Very early the following morning as I pulled out of the driveway\u2014my parents and Kaz all standing on the little porch waving goodbye\u2014I couldn\u2019t help but feel a twinge of anxiety as I recalled the terrible clash of personalities that had occurred between my mother and Sharon those many years ago.\u00a0 On the long drive north I replayed those appalling, stress-filled moments when, while serving on my remote assignment in Alaska, I read letters from my wife complaining about my mother\u2019s dreadful temperament towards her, right after having received similar missives from my mother severely criticizing Sharon and complaining about her laziness and disrespect towards her maternal authority.<\/p>\n

Those unpleasant recollections were profoundly unsettling, but I held out hope that Kaz\u2019s pleasing and forgiving personality would effectively smooth over any misunderstandings that may arise between them during my absence.\u00a0 And besides, I thought, because Mom seemed so enthralled with Kaz, surely that should go a long way in maintaining a harmonious relationship\u2014at least for the next nine weeks.<\/p>\n

Oh, if only it had been so\u2026.<\/p>\n

ATC Training\u2014The Beginning<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

I thought learning to fly had been tough.\u00a0 Turns out, it was a piece of cake compared to ATC training, and I would soon find out that this was the hardest thing I would ever do in my entire life.<\/p>\n

I drove into Oklahoma City late Friday afternoon and decided to check into a local Holiday Inn for the weekend.\u00a0 During my two-day orientation at the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZHU ARTCC) I, and the rest of the fifteen ATC candidates from Houston, had been given a couple of lists containing names and addresses of hotels, motels, FAA approved apartment complexes, recommended restaurants, and a map of the local area with the Aeronautical Center highlighted.\u00a0 We had also been issued a government per-diem check supplying each of us with an appropriate amount of funds which were to be applied towards any travel and lodging expenses.\u00a0 Subsequent checks would be issued monthly, in addition to our regular pay, until we concluded our training in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n

We had been briefed that we were to report to the Aeronautical Center on Monday, and that it would be best if we checked into a local hotel over the weekend, waiting until Monday afternoon, after our orientation, to check out approved apartment complexes for more permanent lodging.\u00a0 Besides, we were told, during that first day of orientation we were going to pick, or be assigned, a roommate with whom we were to share a two-bedroom apartment during our training.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t particularly like that idea as I thought I\u2019d be living by myself for nine weeks.<\/p>\n

Before leaving Houston, I had selected several hotels which I thought would be convenient, and the first on the list was the Holiday Inn where I was presently headed.\u00a0 I checked in, unloaded what I thought I\u2019d need for the next couple of days, and headed out to find a good steak restaurant.<\/p>\n

After dinner I returned to my room and decided to call Kaz.\u00a0 Since these were the days before cell phones, I used my room phone to call my parents\u2019 number collect.\u00a0 Before leaving I had assured my folks that I would reimburse them for any phone calls that I made since all my calls had to be made collect.<\/p>\n

My mother answered the phone and seemed overjoyed to hear that I had arrived in good shape.\u00a0 She wanted to know what Oklahoma looked like and I explained that aside from the red clay dirt that I began seeing on the sides of the highway as soon as I crossed the state line, it didn\u2019t look a lot different from any other city that I\u2019d been to.\u00a0 Besides, I explained, I was presently in a part of the city that was predominantly full of restaurants, gas stations and hotels, so it sure didn\u2019t look too much different from Houston.<\/p>\n

Before I was allowed to speak to my wife my Dad took the phone from my Mom.\u00a0 His interest centered mostly on how much time it took me to get from Houston to Oklahoma City (7 hours), and how many times I had to stop refill my gas tank (once, just north of Dallas\u2014and I really didn\u2019t need gas, just a pit stop).\u00a0 Finally, after a few more questions on \u201c\u2026how that little buggy\u2026\u201d of mine drove (just fine), I got to talk to Kaz.<\/p>\n

Since I knew that Mom and Dad were still in the room, I kept the conversation as neutral as possible\u2014mainly telling Kaz that I was already starting to miss her.\u00a0 Since our marriage this was going to be the first time we\u2019d been apart for more than a few hours.<\/p>\n

I told her I\u2019d do my very best at the \u201cacademy\u201d (commonly referred to instead of the FAA Aeronautical Center), and that I would see her in early June when I returned home.\u00a0 She asked me to call her often and I promised I would.\u00a0 Before I knew it we were saying our goodbyes.<\/p>\n

After I hung up I regretted that I was not able to properly caution her about my Mom\u2019s tendency towards territorialism\u2014that is, her habit of wanting to be in charge and insisting that people living in her house do things her way.\u00a0 I remembered how she and Sharon had butted heads on how to take care of the boys when they were babies, and how they disagreed on the manner in which certain household chores were to be performed.\u00a0 As I got ready for bed I decided that as smart as Kaz was she probably would be able to work her way around my mother\u2019s quirks.\u00a0 At least I hoped so.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

After a restful, but lonely, weekend, early Monday morning I drove to the Aeronautical Center to begin the first of three days of orientation.\u00a0 As I pulled up to the guarded entrance to the Center I noticed that there was a special lane for \u201cVisitors\u201d, so since I had no idea what building the orientation was to be held in I thought maybe this was a good lane for me to get into.\u00a0 My decision was seconded by the armed guard stationed by a guard shack who, after glancing at my front bumper and windshield and noting that I had no decal displayed, motioned me to drive into the \u201cVisitors\u201d lane of traffic.<\/p>\n

The lane led to a large parking lot with a small wooden building situated on one corner on which a large sign displayed the word, \u201cCheck-In\u201d.\u00a0 I noticed a short line of people formed at the stairs leading to a lone access door, so I thought maybe I should join them.\u00a0 Before I got out of the car I made sure I had my newly-issued orders from my home facility and the large envelope containing instructions and maps of the Aeronautical Center\u2019s buildings and grounds.<\/p>\n

As I walked to the Check-In Building, I saw a wide variety of states represented by the license plates on many of the parked cars.\u00a0 From as far as California and New York, to as close as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, I realized for the first time that my fellow ATC students hailed from all parts of the United States.<\/p>\n

Once inside, I was asked by an Oklahoma State Highway patrolman to show my orders and two forms of identification.\u00a0 I dug out my Texas driver\u2019s license and my old military ID card\u2014long since expired\u2014and a copy of my newly minted orders.\u00a0 After a visual look-over by an attractive and smartly-dressed female police officer, I was asked to fill out a data card listing my personal information and the year and make of my auto.\u00a0 She explained that I should leave the address section blank until I had a permanent Oklahoma City address.\u00a0 After that, my fingerprints and a photo were taken, and within a few minutes I was sent back out to the parking lot armed with an ID card and a decal to place on the windshield of my auto.<\/p>\n

Included in the package were directions to the auditorium where the orientation was to be held for the next three days and beginning at 10AM that morning.\u00a0 I glanced at my watch and saw that I still had more than an hour to burn before I needed to be in place, so I pulled out the map that had been included and looked for a cafeteria.\u00a0 In short order I found what I was looking for and headed for a cup of coffee.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The auditorium was about half full by the time I arrived\u2014and I estimated there to be a couple of hundred, or so, prospective air traffic controllers.\u00a0 As per the times, the vast majority of candidates were white males, with a sprinkling of darker skinned Hispanics and a just a few blacks.\u00a0 There were no females present.<\/p>\n

I tried to spot one of the other fourteen trainees who had been in the orientation at Houston Center, but since I\u2019d hardly spoken to anyone on that one day, and I\u2019d spent the whole time listening to instructions rather than looking around to memorize faces, I failed to recognize anyone.<\/p>\n

The auditorium was roomy, easily able to hold probably around five hundred or so participants, and since this was the pre-water bottle era, there were tables along the wall holding large coffee brewers, pitchers of iced water, along with glasses, cups and napkins.\u00a0 At the entrance there were two large tables on which several boxes of donuts had been placed.\u00a0 Although I\u2019d had an ample breakfast at the hotel that morning, I couldn\u2019t pass up the chance at snagging a couple of free glazed donuts.\u00a0 As I surveyed the area, looking for a good seat, hands full of coffee and donuts, I thought that maybe I was going to like this FAA.<\/p>\n

For the next two hours I tried to stay ahead of a severe sugar-induced coma and struggled to concentrate on the various speakers up on the stage and what they were saying.\u00a0 There was the director of the Aeronautical Center welcoming us to the Academy, some HR lady explaining accepted and expected student behaviors during our nine-week stay, some other lady explaining health plans, and a couple of senior FAA ATC instructors.\u00a0 What those last two had to say has been forever lost due to my sugar-addled memory.<\/p>\n

What I do remember was that after a couple of hours we were mercifully given a well-earned thirty-minute break.\u00a0 While relieving myself of the morning\u2019s orange juice, coffee and water, a guy standing at the urinal to my right decided that this would be a good time to introduce himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey,\u201d he said, cheerfully.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re from Houston Center, right?\u00a0 I remember seeing you there last week during our orientation.\u201d\u00a0 I was hoping he wasn\u2019t planning on shaking hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0 I answered cautiously.\u00a0 \u201cI guess you\u2019re from Houston too, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYup!\u00a0 Well, I mean I\u2019m going to be working at the Houston Center.\u00a0 I\u2019m really from New York.\u00a0 How about you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m from Houston.\u00a0 That\u2019s my home town.\u201d<\/p>\n

We finished our business and headed toward the basins to wash up.\u00a0 I walked a little behind and to his left, allowing me to get my first good look at him.\u00a0 He was a little taller than me\u2014maybe an inch or so over six feet, with wavy sandy blond hair piled on top of his head, and cut in an overly high and tight style on the sides.<\/p>\n

He was wearing a light brown paisley patterned tie knotted over a pale yellow short-sleeved cotton shirt that was tucked into a pair of light olive-colored polyester slacks.\u00a0 What was instantly noticeable though was that he had his pants hitched up halfway between his chest and his natural waistline, causing the inseam to fall several inches above the top of his shoes.\u00a0 In Texas we call that the \u201chigh-water\u201d look.<\/p>\n

Worse, because his body type was a definite \u201capple\u201d shape, the way he wore his pants only served to draw attention to his portly midsection.\u00a0 Between the bottom of his pant cuffs and a pair of scruffy brown shoes, he sported a pair of bright green socks that had tragically fallen down to his ankles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll bet since you\u2019re from Houston you\u2019ve already picked a roommate, right?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d\u00a0 I said, quickly shooting my gaze up to his face, hoping he hadn\u2019t noticed that I\u2019d been giving him the once-over.<\/p>\n

\u201cA roommate.\u00a0 You know\u2026what the admin lady and the ATC instructors talked about a little while ago.\u201d he said as he bent over the basin to wash his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, I think I must\u2019ve missed that.\u00a0 They asked about roommates?\u201d I asked, honestly surprised.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, well\u2026we were asked to think about who our roommates are going to be for the next nine weeks here.\u00a0 And then they asked how many had already picked their roommates.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t raise my hand because I don\u2019t have one and I noticed you didn\u2019t either.\u00a0 I think most of the guys in our class have already paired up, so I was wondering if you\u2019d paired up with anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t think we would have to pick roommates so early in the process.\u00a0 And to be honest with you I don\u2019t recall that part of the briefing this morning.\u00a0 Must\u2019ve been dozing a bit, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no!\u201d he said, emphatically.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t you hear when they briefed us that when we went to check out our FAA approved apartments we should do it with our roommates?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh\u2026no.\u00a0 I must\u2019ve missed that.\u00a0 But OK, I guess that makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, who\u2019d you pick as a roommate\u2014or have you yet?\u201d he asked as we made our way back to the auditorium.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe?\u201d\u00a0 I asked, trying to create thinking space. \u201cOh, no one.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt what hotel were you staying in Houston?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was at my parents\u2019 house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, that\u2019s right, you\u2019re from Houston.\u00a0 So, if you don\u2019t have a roommate picked out\u2014and I don\u2019t either\u2014how \u2018bout we buddy up?\u201d<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know what to say since I didn\u2019t know this guy.\u00a0 But, then again, I didn\u2019t know anyone.\u00a0 \u201cOK, let\u2019s talk about it after the orientation.\u00a0 Where are you sitting?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight behind you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u00a0 Alright, we\u2019ll talk afterwards, OK?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, that\u2019ll work.\u00a0 By the way, my name\u2019s Bill.\u201d\u00a0 And he stuck out his hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrank.\u00a0 Nice to meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n

As I gripped his hand I felt like I\u2019d grabbed a warm, moist, and a not so recently deceased fish.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

After the orientation I got together with Bill and we decided to find a restaurant nearby to have lunch and strategize on how and where to find a permanent living space.\u00a0 During the morning orientation we had been given a more updated list of FAA approved hotels and apartment complexes.<\/p>\n

Since we were required to have a roommate, all the apartment complexes and hotels offered two-bedroom units, but the downside was that only one bathroom to each two-bedroom unit was the norm.<\/p>\n

After a nice comforting steak sandwich with French fries for lunch, Bill and I returned to the Aeronautical Center for the afternoon portion of the orientation.\u00a0 This session was more boring than the morning one and I again fought a losing battle with trying to stay awake.<\/p>\n

Just before we were dismissed for the day we were again asked if everyone had paired up.\u00a0 If not, those stragglers were to come up to the front of the auditorium where the FAA people in charge would help pair them off.\u00a0 I looked over at Bill who gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up.<\/p>\n

Outside in the parking lot, Bill and I made arrangements to meet the following morning to begin our search for living quarters.\u00a0 We had been told that we had until Wednesday to make all final living arrangements because Thursday we were to again meet in the auditorium to submit our lease agreements and the names of the employees rooming together.\u00a0 Then we were to be given a tour of the classrooms at the academy and end the day with an introduction to our primary instructors.<\/p>\n

We were further instructed that on Friday we would report to our respective training buildings to receive our classroom assignments, formally meet our individual instructors, and be given our training books and materials.<\/p>\n

Classes would start on Monday, at 0730, sharp.<\/p>\n

The next morning Bill and I rendezvoused in the parking lot of a restaurant which was conveniently located a similar distance from his hotel and mine.\u00a0 We used our FAA Apartment Locator maps to plan out a logical route among the recommended apartment complexes to more easily find a suitable place to live.\u00a0 Since he insisted on driving his car\u2014an older four-door Volvo sedan\u2014I left my little red Toyota sports car in the parking lot, hoping it wouldn\u2019t garner too much attention and would still be there when I got back.<\/p>\n

As we pulled out into traffic, I noticed that Bill was wearing the same clothes that he\u2019d been wearing the day before.<\/p>\n

Bill<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Although he was never deployed to Vietnam, he was an ex-Navy aviator having flown the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, and a handful of smaller non-jet powered aircraft.\u00a0 He signed up right out of college and for some reason only served four years of a six-year commitment.\u00a0 I suspected he\u2019d had a medical issue and was medically discharged, but anytime I tried asking he always managed to dodge the subject.<\/p>\n

After returning to his small upper New York state hometown, he married his high school sweetheart and was hired to sell insurance for a couple of years at his father-in-law\u2019s State Farm agency.\u00a0 He admitted he was never very good at selling, and the longer I got to know him I better I came to understand why.<\/p>\n

He had applied to the FAA two years ago, and after taking the entrance exam three times he was finally selected.\u00a0 I asked why he chose Houston Center instead of New York Center, and he said Houston had been his only choice.\u00a0 He decided not to tempt fate and accepted the offer, hoping that after he certified he could put in for a transfer back to New York.<\/p>\n

That morning in early April was unseasonably cool for Oklahoma as we pulled out into the vehicle-cluttered avenue.\u00a0 After visiting three or four apartment complexes we stopped for lunch to discuss our perceptions.\u00a0 We agreed that they all were in our price range and offered roughly the same amenities.\u00a0 Some offered free breakfast\u2014usually bagels, donuts, and cereals\u2014while others touted their large pools and spacious grounds, and some even had free Taco Tuesdays!<\/p>\n

After lunch we decided that the one complex we both ended up liking had moderately-sized furnished bedrooms, and a small pool, but it was right off MacArthur Avenue which offered us a fairly straight and short drive to the academy.<\/p>\n

We returned to the leasing office and signed off on our nine-week lease agreement.\u00a0 Since we were FAA employees, the leasing manager explained as she gave us each a set of keys, we were not required to make a deposit.\u00a0 I thought that was very convenient, but I guess it made sense since the complex knew where we worked and who we worked for.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, I asked Bill if he wanted to join me for dinner and a few drinks later on that evening, but he said he probably couldn\u2019t because he hadn\u2019t asked his wife if he could go out.\u00a0 I thought that was odd and told him that I didn\u2019t think she\u2019d be able to check his whereabouts all the way from New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no!\u201d he said, arching his eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s here at the hotel waiting for me to come back.\u00a0 If I told her I wanted to go out later without her she\u2019d really be mad!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s here?\u201d I asked, surprised.\u00a0 \u201cShe came down with you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah.\u00a0 She wouldn\u2019t let me come by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, so is she going to be moving in with us too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d he said nervously, \u201cshe\u2019s just going to help me move in and then she\u2019ll fly back to New York.\u00a0 She just wanted to make sure I\u2019m OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was about to ask if he was sure it was his wife and not his mother that had come down with him but decided against it.<\/p>\n

He drove me back to the parking lot where I\u2019d left my car and as I got out I caught a sharp whiff of sour body odor.\u00a0 As Bill drove off I and walked back to my car I discreetly made a double armpit sniff check.\u00a0 Well, it wasn\u2019t me.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

I spent the next few days checking out of my hotel and repacking my car for the move into the new apartment.\u00a0 Because my car was so small I had packed almost two weeks-worth of clothing changes into the trunk, right-front floor and seat, and every nook and cranny I could find.\u00a0 Because I had to fold and roll most of my shirts and pants, so they would fit in the car, I knew that I\u2019d be spending the first week in the new apartment ironing and re-hanging all my clothes.<\/p>\n

When the decision was made that this complex was going to fit our needs nicely, Bill and I chose our respective bedrooms.\u00a0 Mine turned out to be a little smaller but it had a nice view of the swimming pool and a larger closet.\u00a0 Also, since it faced east it would get the early morning sun but was spared the late afternoon and early evening solar heat.<\/p>\n

Since I was the first one to move my stuff into the apartment I picked the optimum areas of the bathroom cabinets to store my personal items and the more convenient towel bars to hang my towels.<\/p>\n

When Bill finally showed up late in the afternoon after taking his wife to the airport to return to New York, I showed him the available areas in the bathroom for him to store his toiletries.\u00a0 He just shrugged and said anywhere was OK with him.\u00a0 And when I brought up the subject of who should take their morning shower first he told me that he\u2019d just as soon go last as he normally didn\u2019t take too long to get ready in the morning, and he wanted to get those extra few minutes of sleep anyway.<\/p>\n

The apartment was fully furnished and featured a very spacious living room.\u00a0 In it was a nice TV set, a roomy couch, comfortable upholstered chairs, and modern lamps and tables.\u00a0 Everything looked pretty new, but I was especially fond of the kitchen which was decked out with all new appliances.\u00a0 Checking out the kitchen drawers and cabinets I found that they were stocked with four-place setting dishes and eating utensils, and an abundant variety of cooking tools.<\/p>\n

While it had taken me about an hour to get all my stuff out of the car and situated into the bathroom, my bedroom closet, and dresser drawers, I noted that it had taken Bill just a few minutes to get whatever stuff he had from his car and into his living area.\u00a0 When I asked him if he\u2019d already gotten all of his stuff out of the car and into his bedroom he said he had.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like to pack a lot of stuff, so I traveled pretty light from New York.\u201d he said casually while looking through the channels on the TV.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll buy more stuff now that I\u2019m here.\u201d<\/p>\n

I thought that was probably OK, but I was a little surprised to see that he was still wearing the same yellow shirt and olive-green slacks that he\u2019d been wearing for almost a week now.\u00a0 For the move, though, he had removed his shoes and sagging socks and put on a pair of very thin-soled white flip-flops.\u00a0 I noticed that he\u2019d also rolled his pant legs almost up to his knees.<\/p>\n

After taking a shower and putting on a fresh pair of jeans and a T-shirt I told Bill that I was planning on making a trip to the nearest supermarket to buy some detergent to use in the complex\u2019s laundromat, and other odds and ends.\u00a0 I asked if he needed anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2026I don\u2019t think so.\u00a0 I\u2019m good,\u201d he said, not taking his eyes off the afternoon soap opera he was watching.<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, so by the time I get back maybe we can go get a bite to eat and check out one of the local bars.\u00a0 Anyway, while I\u2019m gone you\u2019ll have time to shower and change so we can go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d he said, \u201cI was planning on just walking up to that burger joint down the street in a few minutes and getting take-out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t you rather go somewhere nice instead?\u00a0 After this weekend I doubt that we\u2019ll be able to splurge too much given the workload I think the academy will pile on us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah\u2026that\u2019s OK.\u00a0 I just want to eat, read a bit, and then hit the sack.\u00a0 You can go out if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, suit yourself.\u00a0 Oh, and when you hit the shower I made sure to put all my stuff, like soap and all, to the side so you\u2019d have room for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not a problem.\u00a0 I don\u2019t plan to take a shower tonight anyway.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t sweat that much today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, OK.\u201d\u00a0 I said quietly.\u00a0 As I got into my car I thought to myself that\u2014well, he may not have sweated a lot, but he was starting to smell.<\/p>\n

I spent Saturday morning doing wash, ironing and sorting my clothes after having had a bowl of cereal and some toast.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t see Bill until later that day when I was getting ready to walk out to the pool and enjoy the cool sunny afternoon.\u00a0 He came out of his bedroom wearing a pair of white boxer shorts and his well-worn flip-flops.\u00a0 For fear of what I might smell I made sure to stay on the other side of the room from him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow, you slept late!\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I didn\u2019t see any reason to get up, so I just slept in and read a little this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, well I\u2019m going out to the pool for a couple of hours and enjoy some of those free snacks and margaritas the apartment complex is serving.\u00a0 Wanna come out later?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, I don\u2019t drink and I don\u2019t like to swim.\u00a0 Besides I\u2019m gonna call my wife to make sure she made it home OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u00a0 Maybe after you call her you can come out to the pool.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNah, I don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n

And with that, I headed out to the pool to soak up some sun and chug down some free margaritas.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t see Bill for the rest of the day but noticed that his bedroom door was closed when I returned.\u00a0 I assumed he was reading or maybe sleeping.\u00a0 I did note, however, that when I took a shower after returning from the pool, the tub had not been touched since I\u2019d used it earlier that morning.\u00a0 His bar of Ivory soap sat in its little dish looking as pristine as it had when it came out of its wrapper.<\/p>\n

On Monday morning, our first day of training, I awoke extra early to get a good start on the traffic situation between our apartment and the academy.\u00a0 I was out in the kitchen, having already consumed a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee, when at 6:50AM, I finally heard Bill\u2019s bedroom door open and the bathroom door close.<\/p>\n

I was already concerned because, although our first class didn\u2019t start until 7:30AM, we had agreed to leave at 6:45AM to take into account any unforeseen traffic glitches.\u00a0 For the last ten minutes I had been debating whether or not I should beat on his door to make sure he was up or whether to just wait him out.\u00a0 Since we had a little time to spare I decided to wait.<\/p>\n

I walked over to the bathroom door and in a loud voice reminded him that since we were already late he needed to hurry and shower, shave, and dress.\u00a0 To my astonishment, he opened the door and told me that he\u2019d be ready in a couple of minutes.\u00a0 He said this as he was \u201cbrushing\u201d his teeth with his index finger.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you have a toothbrush?\u201d I asked, incredulously.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhaaaa?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cToothbrush!\u00a0 Don\u2019t you have a toothbrush?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, I don\u2019t like to use them.\u00a0 This is faster!\u201d\u00a0 Then he bent over the sink and spit out what I hoped was toothpaste.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t believe what I was seeing.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re haven\u2019t taken a shower yet?\u00a0 We\u2019re already late!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t need a shower.\u201d\u00a0 He informed me as he scooped two handfuls of water\u2014splashing them over his head and face.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like I don\u2019t need a shave either,\u201d said he, as he peered into the mirror.\u00a0 Then, opening up the largest bottle of \u201cAqua Velva\u201d aftershave splash that I had ever seen, he shook some of the grossly aromatic fluid into one of his hands.\u00a0 Putting the still open bottle down he vigorously rubbed his hands together and bathed his face, head, underarms and chest with the aftershave.\u00a0 Before I could look away he pulled the elastic waistband from his boxers away from his gut and stuck his hand down, massaging his genital area with what was left of the liquid.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere! All ready to go!\u00a0 Just need to run this comb through my hair and I\u2019ll rush into the bedroom and get dressed.\u00a0 OK?\u201d<\/p>\n

He pushed past me and in a cloud of sickeningly sweet alcohol fragrance ran into his bedroom.<\/p>\n

I was shocked and rapidly getting a bit nauseous.\u00a0 Walking back towards the kitchen I remember thinking that God should strike me dead if he came back out wearing that same old yellow shirt, olive pants and light green saggy socks.<\/p>\n

Luckily, God wasn\u2019t listening.\u00a0 He came out dressed as I was afraid he might\u2014his pants still bearing the wrinkles from having been rolled up to his knees.<\/p>\n

On the drive to the academy in my little car I made sure both windows were rolled all the way down and I concentrated on breathing through my mouth to avoid smelling the Aqua Velva and whatever other odor that may be coming from the passenger seat.<\/p>\n

Air Traffic Controller Training<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

As I recall, the nine weeks of training were divided into three separate blocks:\u00a0 The first two weeks were academic and included learning about the structure of the FAA, the differences between the three options within the Air Traffic Control field (Terminal, Center, and Flight Service Station), and an introduction to the tools of the trade\u2014flight progress strips, flight strip bays and headers, and the infamous double-ended ATC pencil with its red lead on one end and black lead on the other.<\/p>\n

The next two weeks were devoted to having the student memorize the imaginary airspace structure that existed above and around the, also imaginary, Oklahoma City Center.\u00a0 We were issued high and low altitude ATC maps which contained airports, airways, airway intersections, navigational aids, restricted and prohibited airspace, military refueling routes, and sector boundaries and radio frequencies.\u00a0 The low-altitude maps depicted airspace from twenty-three thousand feet and below, while the high-altitude maps depicted the airspace from twenty-four thousand feet and above.<\/p>\n

We were told that to be able to pass the \u201cMap Test\u201d, to be administered at the end of this two-week training period, we would be required to draw every line, symbol, number, and notation on each map\u2014by memory\u2014on two blank sheets of paper.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, we were to also memorize the format and type of information that was to be displayed on flight progress strips.\u00a0 These strips of paper were about seven inches long and about an inch-and-a-half inches wide.\u00a0 (See examples of strips and holders in the pic section of this blog).\u00a0 Each strip is divided into approximately thirty sections wherein pertinent aircraft and time and route information is manually entered by the controller. Some of this information consisted of aircraft call-sign, type of aircraft, airspeed, departure and arrival time, altitude requested and approved, routing data, and time over fix and so forth.\u00a0 Further, there were a plethora of symbols that needed to be memorized so that they could be hand-entered on each flight progress strip.\u00a0 Each symbol denoted a particular action taken on a flight and was represented by: arrows pointing up or down, arrows pointing left or right, the capital letter \u201cD\u201d\u2014with or without an arrow going through it, a strikethrough, the symbol \u201c@\u201d, the letter \u201cX\u201d and \u201cC\u201d, and many others.\u00a0 To complicate matters, if an action was written in red on the strip it denoted a non-approved or requested action, and if it was in black it meant the action or request had been approved.\u00a0 Information successfully passed to and approved by another controller was circled in black.<\/p>\n

These paper strips slid into plastic or metal strip holders and displayed on what is described as a strip bay.\u00a0 Since each strip represented one aircraft, the controller would have to scan each strip carefully to interpret that aircraft\u2019s past, present, and future position and altitude.\u00a0 After scanning all the flight progress strips in the controller\u2019s strip bay, he should be able to formulate a three-dimensional mental picture of the position and altitude of all the aircraft in his section of airspace (called a sector).<\/p>\n

This three-dimensional mental image of all the aircraft in a controller\u2019s sector was commonly referred to as \u201chaving the picture\u201d.\u00a0 So, as an example, when a training controller made an error and assigned an aircraft a route or altitude that conflicted with another it was assumed, and loudly broadcast by the instructor, that he \u201c\u2026didn\u2019t have the picture\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Not having the picture is a fatal condition in air traffic control, and the main cause of controllers washing out of the training program.<\/p>\n

It should be noted that all of this mental imagery had to be visualized without the assistance of a radar scope.\u00a0 This was and is known as manual air traffic control\u2014that is, controlling aircraft by imaging the complete moving air traffic picture solely in one\u2019s mind based on the information that is presented to him on each aircraft\u2019s flight progress strip.\u00a0 And, while maintaining this moving picture the trainee was expected to communicate verbally with each aircraft, and coordinate information and aircraft requests with supervisors and other controllers.<\/p>\n

The next two weeks we were going to learn (and all but memorize) the Air Traffic Controller\u2019s Bible:\u00a0 FAA Handbook 7110.65.\u00a0 This document, made up of over seven hundred pages, contained rules of separation and all criteria necessary for controllers to be able to move aircraft from one place to another without losing the required spacing.\u00a0 The handbook also contains everything there is to know about the world of air traffic control.<\/p>\n

There were rules on how to apply departure separation between two aircraft departing the same airport when the leading aircraft was slower than the latter.\u00a0 Hundreds of rules on how to apply the three basic types of separation:\u00a0 Lateral, Vertical, and Longitudinal.\u00a0 And finally, definitions of phraseology, descriptions of navaids, and procedures on how to handle emergency and radio-out situations.<\/p>\n

The final five weeks were devoted to applying all this knowledge to simulated air traffic control scenarios, called \u201cproblems\u201d.\u00a0 This was accomplished by using flight progress strips representing imaginary aircraft.\u00a0 Since the planes were not real, the imaginary pilots flying them were voiced by the instructors standing behind the student.\u00a0 (Example\u2014 \u201cOklahoma Center, this is N1234, reporting over Enid at six-thousand, requesting seven thousand.\u201d)\u00a0 They always had a request.<\/p>\n

Successful completion of the course depended on the student\u2019s ability to memorize and use all the information presented up to that point, and to pass a complex one-hour \u201cproblem\u201d involving no less than twenty imaginary aircraft.\u00a0 Of course, they all wanted to violate every other aircraft\u2019s altitude or route or developed a sudden emergency that required the student to descend that aircraft through the route or altitude of everyone else beneath him.<\/p>\n

If the student was too good and was cruising through the problem with ease, the instructor would mischievously create a \u201cpop-up\u201d.\u00a0 That would be an aircraft which had been flying without a clearance and mysteriously popped up on the controller\u2019s radio frequency requesting a flight clearance to some airport that was on the other side of the airspace.\u00a0 Of course, he would request a route or altitude that would conflict with three or four other aircraft already on the controller\u2019s frequency.\u00a0 It was the instructor\u2019s job to shake up or destroy the trainee\u2019s \u201cpicture\u201d if he could.<\/p>\n

If a student\u2019s nerves, stamina, and mental capacity survived and he maintained the picture during the final evaluation at the end of the course, he would be certified as a developmental controller and be sent back to his home facility.\u00a0 There, everything would start all over again, this time memorizing his home facility\u2019s actual airspace and learning its particularities.\u00a0 The whole training program was structured to last four years, after which he\/she, if successful, would be promoted to \u201cFPL\u201d, or a Full Performance Level controller.\u00a0 Having started government service as a GS-7 pay level developmental, the trainee would\u2019ve gradually climbed the GS ladder to finally attain the coveted GS-13 pay level as an FPL.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve mentioned before, ATC training was the hardest thing I\u2019ve ever had to do in my entire life; and adding to the job\u2019s complexity factor would be a series of governmental changes in the program that would further complicate my training.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

On a Friday, two weeks into my training at the academy I was called out of class by one of the head instructors and asked to report to the office of the supervisor of instructors.\u00a0 Thinking that I\u2019d done something that had put me in jeopardy of getting kicked out I walked down the hallway in a state of sheer terror.<\/p>\n

I stepped into the office and was met by a female administrative assistant.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi,\u201d I said timidly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Frank DeLeon, and I\u2019ve been asked to report to this office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Mr. DeLeon.\u00a0 Have a seat and I\u2019ll announce your arrival.\u201d\u00a0 She turned and walked into another office behind her whose door was open.\u00a0 In a few seconds she stepped back out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll see you now.\u201d\u00a0 She said cordially.<\/p>\n

I stood and walked into the office.\u00a0 A middle-aged man in a nice blue suit (all the instructors wore just shirts and ties), stood and walked around a large wooden desk with his hand extended.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, I\u2019m John Robinson\u2026glad to meet you Frank.\u00a0 Have a seat.\u201d\u00a0 He gestured to a comfortable looking overstuffed chair set diagonally from his desk.<\/p>\n

I sat down, too nervous to get myself too comfortable.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst off,\u201d he started, \u201cyou\u2019ve done nothing wrong so don\u2019t be concerned about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, OK.\u201d\u00a0 I said, a little relieved.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s come to my attention that you may be able to help us out with a little problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ll try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou share an apartment with a guy named Bill\u2014is that right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, yes that\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you noticed anything strange about him?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026I\u2019m not sure what you mean.\u00a0 He\u2019s kinda quiet and stays in his bedroom most of the time when we get back from school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I mean\u2026uh\u2026hygienically.\u00a0 You know, like his personal hygiene.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh\u2026well, he doesn\u2019t change clothes every day.\u00a0 I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the best of your knowledge\u2014and since you do room with him\u2014does he shower or bathe\u2026at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

I really didn\u2019t know what to say.\u00a0 Of course, I had noticed that for two weeks the solitary bar of Dove soap had remained untouched on one corner of the tub, while I was already on my second bar of Dial.\u00a0 But, I felt uncomfortable discussing someone\u2019s hygiene problem\u2014especially a fellow student\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, to tell you the truth I haven\u2019t seen him use the shower since we moved in together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK.\u00a0 Let me ask you this.\u00a0 Do you drive in together every morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd\u2026.?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you mean does he smell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly.\u00a0 You see, I\u2019ve been receiving reports from my lead instructors about the state of Bill\u2019s body\u2026uh\u2026odor.\u00a0 It\u2019s, I guess\u2026repulsive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, yes\u2026I\u2019ve tried not to notice, but I don\u2019t think he changes clothes very often.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never seen him wear anything other than what he wears to school every day and a dirty T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops he wears in the apartment. \u00a0I try not to get too close to him.\u00a0 And when we drive in to school together I keep the car window open.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019ve not seen him take a shower, wash clothes, or wear anything else other than a yellow shirt and green pants, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, we\u2019re going to deal with this situation today because students in his class, along with the instructors, are refusing to get close to him.\u00a0 His condition is disrupting the learning environment and it\u2019s affecting morale.\u00a0 Thanks for you input, and this conversation will remain confidential.\u201d\u00a0 He stood up to shake my hand.<\/p>\n

I quickly stood up and shook his hand.\u00a0 \u201cThank you, sir.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how to deal with this situation, but I guess I\u2019ll try to talk to him today.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be great!\u00a0 Thanks again.\u201d<\/p>\n

And with that I quickly found myself back in the hallway headed back to my class.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The next day, Saturday, was the day I normally set aside to do my wash.\u00a0 I hadn\u2019t talked to Bill about my meeting, nor did I broach the issue of his hygiene, but what I did do was to knock on his bedroom door just before I left for the laundromat.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Bill!\u201d\u00a0 I said loudly while rapping at the door.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m about to go to the laundromat with my wash and was wondering if you wanted to come along with your wash.\u201d<\/p>\n

I heard some shuffling behind the door.\u00a0 \u201cOh yeah.\u00a0 Let me get my stuff together and I\u2019ll join you.\u00a0 Just a sec.\u201d<\/p>\n

I put my laundry basket down with its load of laundry, a small box of detergent and a bottle of bleach for my tidy whities.\u00a0 \u201cHurry up before the place gets crowded and there\u2019s no washers left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door opened and Bill, in his old shorts, no shirt, and flip-flops, came out carrying a large box of Tide and a small brown paper lunch bag.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d\u00a0 I asked, surprised at what he was carrying.<\/p>\n

\u201cSoap!\u00a0 Tide!\u201d\u00a0 He held up the box for me to see.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u00a0 The bag!\u00a0 What\u2019s in the bag?\u201d<\/p>\n

He peered at the small bag, looked at me with a look of surprise, shrugged his shoulders and said, \u201cMy wash.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT??\u00a0 In that little bag?\u00a0 A week\u2019s worth of wash?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t have as much as you do because I don\u2019t change my clothes every day like you like to do\u2026but yeah, this is all I have to wash.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was stunned, and just stood there for a few seconds.\u00a0 Finally, I picked up my basket and headed for the door.\u00a0 \u201cWhen we get back you and I are going to have a long talk!\u201d\u00a0 I said, walking out the door.<\/p>\n

Later that afternoon I told Bill about my visit to the supervisor\u2019s office.\u00a0 I expressed my shame and embarrassment for being asked to discuss my roommate\u2019s hygiene and threatened to move out unless he made some drastic changes.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, he took the butt chewing quite well, actually apologizing for his conduct, and promised to improve.\u00a0 He blamed everything on his wife\u2019s absence.\u00a0 \u201cYou see,\u201d he said, \u201cshe\u2019s the one who always reminds me to shower and put on deodorant.\u00a0 She wanted me to bring a lot of clothes, but I refused, just promising that I\u2019d buy new stuff down here.\u00a0 I guess I\u2019ve just gotten a bit lazy.\u00a0 But look, I\u2019ll go shopping this afternoon and buy some clothes with the money she gave me.\u00a0 OK?\u00a0 And I promise to take a shower every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

It felt weird listening to a grown man\u2014a former Naval aviator\u2014promise me that he would start practicing minimal hygiene.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Later that evening, I made my almost daily call to Kaz and was anxious to share the adventures I\u2019d been having with Bill.\u00a0 But before I got a chance to say much she broke down crying and told me suddenly that she was not getting along with my mom.<\/p>\n

It had started when she decided to lend a hand in the kitchen and attempted to defrost mom\u2019s freezer.\u00a0 According to her, mom had accused her of trying to take over the household by showing her up and doing all the housework.\u00a0 Mom had abruptly ordered Kaz out of the kitchen and told her to just stay in her room.<\/p>\n

I was brokenhearted and disappointed to learn that mom had again shown her bad side and had started treating Kaz in much the same manner as she had treated Sharon those many years ago.<\/p>\n

To be continued\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"