Sometimes , just when you think things can't get better , they do.
It was our first winter off as the deep snows had choked the loggers out of the mountains , inlets froze up and road building ceased. There was a slackening of the pace so the old 'Ho was sent to the barn for a makeover and lots of catch-up maintainence , after all she'd been ridden hard all summer and fall. Ken kept our small flyiong school busy producing eager young students that saw a future right here at our home airport.
I had to produce,
We spent enjoyable times shopping for a King Air while at the same time working the financial sorcery required for a million dollar purchase , made simpler with Walter's sound financial history. I , too , had a hand in this magic with promises of contracts to support helicopter logging operations as far away as Alaska. You see I had many friends from the old wild days who were now Operations Managers of these companies and the like.
We found a beautiful King Air 100 in Witchita the colour of which matched our stationery so we bought her.
Since she was now my new steed , I trained Ken on the old 'Ho and it soon became obvious that we required the services of a dispatcher/secretary so Walter's daughter was appointed.
It was time to piss on my own territory.
This did not meet with my approval as more family creeping into the equation meant a danger of loss of automy so I refused. However , I would be delighterd to HIRE her with clear view as to who was the lead dog. Remember , the lead dog has the best view.
So she worked for me , not her parents.
Well she sure was purty and she sure was perky.
As soon as we launched into a very busy season it became evident that Denise was super efficient and a comfortable working bond was formed fuelled by success.
The whole family was hard working , successful , honest and very generous.
In the King Air I soared higher , faster and further but I became a victim of my own success. Stress.
Even though I learned to deal with it , it stalked me nonethe less. The difficult scheduling of numerous logging companies became unwieldy but I soldiered on.
One dictatorial camp superintendant , who far too often indulged in the cups , challenged me. You would have to know how foolish it is to throw down the gauntlet in front of the Duke and he tried to change the way I do things.
So quite late on a Friday night , long after I'd hung up my spurs , I got a call from Walter on the radio phone from Taleomy River. "I want you to get in the Navajo tomorrow early in the morning with Denise , bring the flight schedules , pick me up at Taleomey and we will go to Kimsquit and sort this out."
"Piss off!" says I as I had already coaxed one petite breast from its security and had plans for the second. I had already determined that the post coital rest period extended into my next duty period.
"Tell you what Walter ," says I , "You phone me at 8am tomorrow and I will tell you if this job is worth it or not. Is it really worth the stress ... hell! I've flown my bag off ten days straight. And by the way ..I will not change anything anyhow... no way .!" I hung up.
She squirmed and giggled as the second popped free.
True to form , Walter phones me at 8 am and informs me that he understands how busy I have been but not to worry , he will have Ken fly the Navajo up with Walter, his wife , Denise and her husband and they will make a day of it since the weather was perfect.
WOW! You gotta love this company.
The phone call that jangled into my life at 3 PM that day was chilling .... chilling indeed....