The DC-9

By Michael J. Larkin

I wonder what happened to those pals of mine,

      Who flew in the valley of the Douglas Dash Nine?

She performed like a fighter, so agile and quick;

      I'm sure there were times we made many folks sick!

On cold winter mornings, when light on the fuel,

      She'd scream for the heavens like a reindeer at Yule;

The pilots who flew her; young, dashing and brave,

      And our lovely young ladies were truly a rave!

Six legs in one day, five days in a row

      Were considered the norm, and we never flew slow!

The weather was lousy, for most of the year;

      We seldom saw sunlight, or skies that were

clear.

You either had snow, ice, and deep slush,

      Or thunderstorms gray as a bowl full of mush;

The fog was as thick as a soup made of pea,

     And one night in KC, we invented CAT III!

Oh, what has become of those friends of mine,

     Who flew on an airplane we called DC-9?

The Super Black Frog, and Larry the Goat,

     A huge Dancing Bear, and Dave Mini-Coat?

Willard the Rat and Baby- Face Mike,

     Who seemed young enough to be riding a bike!

And old Farlie Chits, who at Indy one night,

      Lowered his nose and put out the lights.

The Tower had told him the runway was clean,

      They'd plowed all the snow; (right to the center

 of Runway 13!)

Both engines flamed out, and with no APU,

      They awaited a tug, for an hour or two!

"Man, it sure is dark and cold in here,

      An hour ago, I wanted a beer!”

Now I'd give a weeks pay for a hot cup of joe,

      “Hello Ramp, hello Ramp, hello? hello?"

Now back in the cabin our gals were so fair,

     There were none finer than them in the air!

There were Joanie and Betty, Marie and Paulette,

     All Hollywood starlets that loved this small jet.

There were Sherrie and Annie, Dianne and Kay,

     Jan, Clyde and Sean.. (who was just a tad fey)

We flew in the sixties, when flying was gay,

     On a great world class airline..... TWA!!

But now she is gone, and soon we will be,

     But we'll always cherish those times full of glee;

Oh, where have they gone, those dear friends of mine,

     Who flew in the Valley of the Douglas Dash Nine?

How I long for those days, in the Happy Valley,

     When we were all young, brave, handsome and free!

Those halcyon days, now  "Air History '',

      But will not be forgotten, by you or by me!