A fraternity...

[vee-tail-1]

When I first flew in the RAF the married guys got more pay!
When off duty on the Cornish beaches my single mates would join me in surfing the big waves. But one by one they vanished as girl friends became wives. Later in BOAC the first topic of conversation once climbing with autopilot engaged was... "Are you on your first or second divorce? How did you hide your money? How come you escaped and are still single?... Watch out for the 'A' stewardess she's a man eater!"
Later on the Classic 747 all the stewards were gay, and all the stewardesses were feminists or married, or both. But by then I had indeed married and was in the process of divorce... which cost me dear both in money and mental health. Not surprising then that my opinion of women was of a dangerous alien species, that can be functional or decorative but never both. But then the first women pilots appeared on the 747 and my opinion of women had to change. For the first time ever I had breakfast in N York with a female pilot and we talked aviation nonstop without the slightest patronization or hidden agenda from her. Amazingly for me here was a person with the true ability and passion for flying that I had associated only with men. Not only that but she was attractive and fun to be with. This pilot and others like her have pretty well demolished my earlier misogyny, but I am a bit worried about the modern trend for young female airline pilots to show a hint of cleavage within their uniform.
There should be a notice on the flight deck door: "Please leave your emotional & sexual baggage outside"