So Google reminds us that today would have been Alexander Calder's 113th birthday. Which reminds me of the good old days of commercial aviation. Remember when they served meals on a plane? Remember when "stewardesses" were friendly? Remember when it was common to dress nicely for air travel? Remember when you could go to the gate to meet your visiting grandparents?
As a youngster, I had the great fortune to spend days at airports around the country (and even one 3 day stint at Gatwick in London). My father worked for Texas International Airlines, which later purchased Continental. During the heyday of Texas International, based in Houston, we spent a lot of time flying around for free, and a whole lot more time sitting in airports waiting for seats to become available, as we were flying standby (as in free).
My parents dreaded the long delays, but my sister and I had a blast roaming unfettered through the concourses and terminals collecting anything that had a logo on it, spotting exotic aircraft and marveling at the vast sea of costumes and funny accents.
I had a closet full of airline timetables, ticket folders and baggage claim checks. Plastic swizzle sticks, buttons and wings. When I left home, most all of that stuff got trashed. However, I managed to save a few of those things from the good old days. Including a lithograph signed by Alexander Calder in 1976 as Dallas-based Branniff Airlines was celebrating the bicentennial with the famous artists help. I got this from a friend whose mother was a travel agent. It'd be worth maybe $100 bucks today if it was in good condition, but it's stained and the corners are full of pin holes from various placements on walls.
Flying these days is not nearly as fun as it used to be. I don't know if it's because I'm a grumpy adult now, or if it's because the fun isn't free anymore…
Happy Birthday, Alex.
Related - if you're into airports
Also Related - What happened to those airlines of yore? Very cool infographic.