A taste of freedom

Chapter 1

Travelling in style

“Craig, you’re going the wrong way. The check-in for our flight is over there. And just look at the size of the queue. It’s lucky your dad sent us Premium Economy tickets for the extra leg room. With all those people on our plane you’d have been complaining all the way to America that you were squashed.”

“No, mum, this is our check-in desk. Business Class. Hardly any queue at all. We’re going to be upgraded, I already told you on the way here.”

Craig’s mum glared at him as she shifted the weight of her carry-on bag from one shoulder to the other. “No, Craig, I’ve got the tickets right here. Premium Economy. It says so right on them. The days when people used to get upgraded by dressing smartly and smiling nicely at the ticket desk operators are long gone.”

Craig grinned. “Yes, mom, ‘Premium Economy’ might be what the tickets say, but hey were printed nearly two weeks ago. You remember Monday though, when Nat phoned to ask what time we were arriving so he could come and pick us up from the airport? He told me to upgrade our tickets. We’re going to have a business meeting with Will one day when I’m there, so he said it was a legitimate business expense. We need to show some operating costs for the company, he said. So, I’ve upgraded us online. We’re travelling business class, and our company is paying. Nat sorted the payments and Will signed it off.”

Without further explanation, Craig dragged his mom’s suitcase over to the Business Class check in and handed his passport over as his mom caught up.

“Two of us, travelling to Pittsburgh via Newark,” Craig smiled at the young lady on the desk. “I’m Craig, and this is my mom, Julie. Well, more my handler really. Tries to keep me out of trouble. We’re off to a business meeting, then a holiday. Going to meet my dad.”

The lady chuckled as Craig grinned. “Well, Mr Wright, thank you for flying with us. You too, Mrs Wright. Looking at our loading manifest, we have a couple of choices for you in terms of seating today, Club World is only about half full. I can offer you a pair of adjacent seats right up at the front, or a pair in Row 10, port side. To be honest, those are the two better seats: one is a window seat and both are close to the galley and toilets. The Boeing 777-200 is a very nice plane too.”

“Port Out, Starboard Home,” chanted Craig, “That’s perfect. “Let’s have those two, mom. I’m paying after all.”

“I’d take the window seat, Mr Wright, assuming your mum agrees,” smiled the lady. “Though you’ll be facing backwards in that seat, you get even more leg room and you look as though you’ll need it to stretch out. Besides, as it’s an overnight flight, there won’t be a lot to see out of the window over the Atlantic once it gets dark.”

Craig’s mum smiled. “Yes, you have the window seat Craig. It’ll be worth it if it gets me some peace and quiet.”

As Craig’s mum’s suitcase and his own large backpack trundled off down the conveyor belt towards baggage handling, Craig picked up his mum’s shoulder bag and swung it over his shoulder alongside his own small olive drab daypack. “Come on, mom, this way. We don’t go through the main security channel; we have our own route through via the Club World Lounge. Automatic access with our tickets, I looked it up. I’ll buy you a cup of tea and a cake once we’re in.”

“What, mum?” asked Craig as he placed a tray bearing a pot of tea, two cups and an assortment of cakes down on the small coffee table that separated his own leather armchair from the one where his mum was already seated, smiling up at him.

“I was just thinking, Craig. How fast you’re growing up. How like your father you are too when he was your age. Not just smart looking, but confident too. Strutting around as though you own this lounge.”

“I think I do,” laughed Craig, unbuttoning his jacket as he sat down, “I paid enough for it in the upgrade. The tea and cakes are free though.”

“Well, it’s rather better than the Officers’ Transit Lounge at Brize,” laughed his mum, “The tea is better too. Real loose leaf in a china pot rather than a couple of bags dunked in a mug.”

“And none of those little curled up sandwiches in brown paper bags,” added Craig with a smile. “I dread to think what they gave to the Other Rank’s kids on the trooping flights when us officers’ kids got those. Probably had to go foraging for their own blackberries and crab apples down the side of the perimeter fence.”

* * *

Craig raised his champagne flute towards his mum and smiled as she fastened her seatbelt and faced him from her adjacent reclining seat. “Cheers, mom. Bon voyage.”

There were just sixteen of the large convertible business class seats in their section of the aircraft up near the nose. Only ten of them were occupied. Behind them was a bulkhead with a couple of doors through to Premium Traveller, and then beyond that were the Premium Economy and Economy class sections. A steward smiled as he passed by and took Craig’s empty glass. “As soon as we are airborne, Sir, we’ll be closing the dividing doors and switching on the mood lighting. I’ll bring another round of drinks and hors d’oeuvres around then. For now, settle back and admire the view as we taxi out and take off. If you need anything, just press the ‘service’ button on your console.

“I don’t think they are getting champagne and smoked salmon nibbles back there,” grinned Craig.

“You won’t be having a lot more champagne either,” smiled his mum. “I know how old you are even if the stewards can’t tell, and I don’t plan on having you drunk before we land.”

Craig laughed. “I can sleep it off, mom. These seats convert to beds. Once we’ve eaten, best thing to do is recline them and get a good night’s sleep, wake up all fresh when we start to descend into New York Newark at dawn. We can ask the stewards to point out the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge and stuff like that to us. Have you seen the dinner menu for tonight? You can call it up on your screen. Looks pretty good!”

* * *

“Another glass of wine, Sir, to accompany your main course? The feather blade of beef with new potatoes and seasonal vegetables pairs very well with our Swartlands Winery Limited Release Syrah, an interesting contrast too with the Malbec you just had with the saumon en croute avec moutarde Dijon.”

Craig looked hopefully across at his mom. “Mom?”

Craig’s mom smiled indulgently and nodded to the steward, aware of how small the glasses actually were. As the steward finished pouring and stepped away to serve the passenger in the next occupied seat, she smiled. “Quite the little connoisseur, aren’t you?”

“The food’s good,” said Craig, “Way better than back in cattle class, but the portions are a bit small. I wonder if works like it did at Allegheny, where you could go back for more once everybody had been served? They always made extras of everything…”

Half an hour later, Craig was clearing the last few crumbs from his dessert of cheese and biscuits and savouring the small glass of port that he’d been allowed with it. It was only a Sandeman Ruby, but a reasonable accompaniment to the small selection of cheeses, crackers and the tiny bunch of grapes.

“Well, that’s me done for, mum,” said Craig as he tidied away his folding table. I’m going to grab my wash kit, go brush my teeth and get changed, then settle down for the night. It’s ink black outside, haven’t seen so much as a ship’s light for ages. Do you want me to get you anything while I’m up and about? They serve drinks and snacks on demand at the galley all night if you aren’t ready to sleep yet. Or you can just call a steward or stewardess to your seat.”

“I’m fine, Craig. I’ll just read a few more pages of my book then go and change once you come back.”

* * *

“If you look out the window, mom, you can see some of the bridges and rivers in the centre of Pittsburgh. I didn’t get to central Pittsburgh much when I was here, but maybe we can visit this time around. I’m sure Nat will give us a tour.”

Craig leaned back in his seat to let his mum look out beyond him as their United Airlines code-share flight from New York Newark lowered its undercarriage and swept around north of the city to begin its approach to Pittsburgh International. “Somewhere down there you might see the Country Club and golf course the Bauers’ own, it’s not far from the airport, and that river there runs by their place too. Too far to see from here, I think, but you get the general idea of directions. The College is way over there in the distance, just over that ridgeline. At least an hour out from the city centre.”

“It’s a shame the big 777 didn’t fly direct to Pittsburgh,” said Craig’s mum. “I could get used to those big business class seats and all that service. This aircraft is nice enough, but not as good as the 777.”

“You’d better get used to the luxury life, mum. We’re staying in a mansion, don’t forget. Nat’s family are real nice though. Well, maybe his sister, Elizabeth, is a bit weird, but she might not be around. I think she’s still away at university. I can’t wait to see dad. He said he’ll be waiting for us with Nat at the arrivals lounge. It’s ace that he’s got a week off too.”

* * *

“Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated as we taxi to the terminal and the Captain turns off the ‘Fasten seat belt’ signs. Once we arrive at the terminal, please be careful when opening the overhead luggage lockers in case any of their contents have shifted in flight. On behalf of United and our code share partners, I’d like to welcome you to Pittsburgh and thank you once again for flying with us. Have a nice day and hopefully we’ll see you all again on one of our aircraft soon.”

The stewardess hung the handset back in its cradle on the bulkhead alongside her and smiled at Craig and his mom in their front row seats. “Once the airbridge is connected, we’ll disembark you first as priority passengers. There will be a member of ground staff waiting to escort you down the airbridge steps directly to the tarmac rather than along the bridge and into the terminal. The limousine is already cleared and standing by at the gate to pick you up, and your luggage will be first off the aircraft the moment we power down and open the hold. Your cases will probably be in the limo before we open this cabin to the airbridge so you won’t be hanging around waiting for them.”

Craig’s mum nodded as Craig smiled. “I’ll bet Nat’s dad has arranged this, mum. VIP treatment.”

“It’s certainly unusual,” said the stewardess, who Craig had been entertaining with stories about his time at Allegheny River Military College throughout the flight. “I’ve been flying this route daily for almost three years and the only other time we’ve been met on the tarmac by a limo has been when some senior politician has been travelling with us. It happened a couple of months back: Senator Davis, if I recall correctly. He was a charmer too.”

Craig blushed at the stewardess’s comment and his mom smiled at his sudden shyness.

A few minutes later, with the aircraft parked at the gate and the airbridge connecting, Craig peered out of the window after retrieving his daypack and his mum’s shoulder bag from the overhead locker. “There’s a big black car pulling up right alongside now, mum. I think I can hear the airbridge door being opened too.”

“That’s right,” smiled the stewardess, “If you’d care to step forward my colleague on the other side will escort you down to your car. Thanks for travelling with us today.”

Craig led the way out and down the steps to where a large Cadillac STS was awaiting, a smartly dressed chauffeur holding the rear door open whilst a number of airport ground staff were loading their bags into the boot. Craig stepped to one side and allowed his mum to enter the car first before climbing in alongside her. The driver closed the door and then climbed into the front seat as the boot lid closed automatically.

“Welcome to Pittsburgh, Ma’m, Sir,” drawled the driver. “I’m Sean, with Executive Air, just popping you over to our terminal across the ramp here.  Your family are waiting for you there. It’ll only take us a couple of minutes.”

True to his word, Sean crossed the taxiway and sped over to the private air terminal, drawing up outside its plate glass doors almost before Craig had time to buckle up and start to get his bearings on the control tower and other major features. Sean leapt out, opened the rear door and aided Craig’s mum out whilst Craig bailed from the door on his side and stepped quickly round to his stand by his mum’s side.

“Here we are,” said Sean, leading the way through a glass door that swept open to allow them inside.

“Dad!” yelled Craig, dropping his bag to the ground and rushing forward to hug his dad who was waiting inside. “Mum, look who’s here!” Craig stepped back and let his mum forward, then started scanning around the lounge as his eyes adapted to the lower light levels.

“Looking for me, bud?” came Nat’s voice from over his shoulder.

“Nat! Where did you spring from?”

Nat threw an arm around Craig’s shoulder and turned to face Craig’s parents, smiling towards his mum. “Mighty pleased to see you again, Julie. Welcome to America.”

In the background, Sean nodded to Nat and then slipped outside to the car, climbed in and drove away.

“Hey, Nat, our car’s going. How are we getting to your house? I thought we were going to your house…”

Nat smiled. “We are, Craig, your bags are already on their way with Sean.”

“Er, Nat, we can’t all fit in Lemon Steroids if that’s what you’re thinking,” said Craig, somewhat alarmed. “Mum and dad wouldn’t even fit in the back seats, let alone be comfortable.”

Craig’s dad glanced across at them and smiled. “I think you’ll find that Nathan’s dad has laid on a special treat for us, Craig. Our transport is waiting outside, you passed it on the way in.”

“That’s right,” grinned Nathan, picking up Craig’s daypack. “You saw that little red MD 520 helicopter out on the ramp? Pop’s hired it for a week, starting from today. He’s got quite a bit of travelling to do, state-wide, over the next few days, so we’re killing two birds with one stone. We’re getting a sight-seeing ride in it over Pittsburgh as part of its delivery flight. Come on!”

A few minutes later, Nathan was strapping into the tiny front centre jump seat beside the pilot with Craig outboard of him on the right-hand side, and Craig’s mom and his dad in the two roomier rear seats. “It’s a bit of a squeeze, Craig, usually this is a four-seater, but I can just about fit in the centre here and I didn’t want to miss out on a flight with you, being your tour guide.”

The helicopter lifted off, gained a little height and then pirouetted around as the pilot did his visual safety check before making for the corner of the airfield as they received departure clearance from the control tower.

Nat’s voice broke over the headsets they were all wearing as the pilot thanked Air Traffic Control for their release and switched on the internal communications. “We’re going to head due east first, then do a big sweep round to the south east, follow the Ohio down to Pittsburgh centre where it splits to become the Allegheny and Monongahela at Point State – there’s a big fort down there, Craig, Fort Duquesne, I’ll point it out to you – then we’ll follow the Allegheny upriver, count us the bridges as we go, loop back over and fly over the College to show your mom where you were, then continue back round and land at home. Show Travis he’s not the only one with his own private airstrip. We’re only going slowly to get plenty of time to see all the sights, so we’ll take about 45 minutes to an hour.”

“This is nice,” said Craig’s mum, “Much smoother than I thought a helicopter would be, and quieter too.”

“That’s because you’re wearing noise cancelling headphones, mom,” laughed Craig.

“This is a pretty quiet helicopter though in its own right,” interjected the pilot. “It’s a five-blade rotor and has NOTAR, or no tail rotor system, so a fair bit quieter than most choppers.”

“You see ahead, Craig? That’s McKees Rocks Bridge. We’ll pick up the river and follow it into Pittsburgh from there.”

Craig turned his head over his shoulder and smiled at his mom. “Helicopters always follow rivers through cities, mom. It’s so if we crash the pilot has somewhere to aim at and not hit a building or important stuff on the ground.”

“I’m not sure I needed to know that, Craig.”

“These MD 520s are some of the safest helicopters there are, ma’am,” said the pilot hurriedly. “Very powerful engine and no delicate tail rotor linkages. We’re quite safe.”

“Anyway,” said Craig, “Helicopters don’t really fly. They are just so ugly compared with planes that the earth repels them.”

“This helicopter looks cute, Craig, like a big egg.”

“Sure, mum.” Craig rolled his eyes and jabbed Nat in his ribs as they swooped down into the valley and turned to follow the Ohio. “What’s that island down there?

“That’s Brunot Island. See all the transformers in that yard? Used to supply power to all the big steelworks in the old days. And that big bridge coming up? That’s West End Bridge, tallest in Pittsburgh. The city centre really starts from there on in. Just a few hundred yards upstream is State Point where the Ohio River splits and…”

Nat was drowned out for a moment as Craig flicked his ‘speak’ button and burst into song.

“Here today, built to last
In every city, in every nation
From Lake Geneva to the Finland station”

“What?” asked a bewildered Nat.

“Pet Shop Boys, Nat.  West End Girls.”

“Best song around,” smiled the pilot as he lifted up to soar over the bridge, “I grew up on it.”

“Me too,” said Craig. “Mum’s got the album, don’t you mum? I used to get played it every day… Hey! Bloody Hell! Look down there! A submarine! Tied up by the big building and park thing. You have a submarine here and never told me, Nat? Why does nobody ever tell me stuff?”

Nat grinned and pushed sideways a little against Craig. “That’s the USS Requin, Boots, moored up alongside the Carnegie Science Foundation. She’s a museum ship. We can go and visit her one day. You’d love it.  See how there are some small boats tied up too, and a few anchored out in the river? That’s where they’ll hold a regatta the day after tomorrow. There will be loads more boats. Fireworks too, and a big parade kicks off from there. Pop’ll make a speech.”

“Why, what’s the big event?”

Everyone in the helicopter burst out laughing.

“Oh, nothing worth telling you about, Craig, just July 4th. You know, the day we escaped from you and King George. Gained our freedom.”

The pilot was the first to stifle his chuckles and spoke up. “I’ll swing us round to the right and down the Monongahela at State Point, follow it down to Hot Metal Bridge then swing inland over Schenley Oval and the Botanical Gardens at Flagstaff Hill before dropping back down over Carnegie Melon University. From there I’ll turn us north west so we don’t make a disturbance over the zoo, head on up to Washington Crossing, continue north to overfly your college and then begin our swing round back west to Sewickley.”

“Great route,” said Nathan to the pilot. “You’re going to love this, Boots.”

* * *

Just after mid-day, the helicopter touched down on the neatly manicured lawn across from the gravel driveway and the turning circle in front of the Bauers’ mansion. Nat’s parents, Paul and Angela, and his sister, Elizabeth, were waiting on the steps to meet them.

“I thought your sister was still away at university, Nat,” said Craig, pulling his headset off as the turbine spooled down.

“No such luck,” grinned Nat, “She’s been back almost a week now. Can’t keep her away from a chance to meddle.” Nat turned to the pilot. “We okay to disembark?”

“Sure are, the rotors are braked and locked.”

Craig flicked the latch, tumbled out of the side door and swung round to the rear, opening the rear door for his dad to climb out. The pilot did the same on the opposite of the helicopter, helping Craig’s mum disembark.

Nat, rather more slowly, threaded himself out from behind the instrument console, easing his legs past the rudder pedals, climbed over the stick. “They’re not quite right when they say this is really a four-seater with just a jump seat for occasional use. There’s no way anybody could jump out of that centre seat quickly. Come on Craig, let me re-introduce you to pop then show you to your room. We can leave everybody else to talk until dinner, we’ve got loads of stuff to catch up on.”

Nat led the way up the steps to where Craig’s dad was already introducing Craig’s mum to Nat’s parents, ‘Paul and Angela’, with Elizabeth hovering just a step or two away.

“Pop, you remember Craig from his boxing match at Allegheny, don’t you?” said Nat.

“I sure do,” said Paul Bauer, extending his hand to Craig, “And also from earlier that morning when he was acting as Aide de Camp to the Commandant. Very professionally, I might add.”

“Pleased to meet you again, Sir,” said Craig, shaking hands, then turning to Nat’s mum. “You too, err, Angela. It’s nice to be back here.”

Angela smiled at Craig. “We’ve been looking forward to welcoming you back for a long time, haven’t we, Elizabeth?”

Craig smiled nervously at Elizabeth, then leaned forward to give her a polite kiss on the cheek and whispered quietly “No bloody cat hissing at Nat, huh, Elizabeth? Don’t want my parents thinking you’re weird…”

Elizabeth smiled. “I’m sure they’ll find out sooner or later, Craig…”

“I’m sure you’ll both want to freshen up after your long flights,” said Angela. “Nathan, can you show Craig to where he’ll be staying? Julie, if you follow me, I’ll show you to your room too. Mark already knows where it is, he arrived here last night. I’m sure he and Paul have plenty to talk about while Elizabeth and I give you a quick tour of the house, then we’ll leave you in peace for an hour or so. Everyone happy to meet again at about two o’clock for a light lunch? Perhaps by the pool. Yes, definitely on the pool terrace.”

* * *

“Just pop your bag down there, Craig, you can unpack it later. There’s plenty of spare space in that wardrobe for anything you want to hang up. If your shirts and jackets are creased just leave them on the bed for now and I’ll get them ironed for you later.”

Craig snorted. “I can do my own ironing, Nat. probably better than anyone else too.”

“No problem, I’ll have an ironing board sent up if you prefer. I just thought you might…”

Craig smiled. “Sorry, Nat. I shouldn’t have barked at you.” He paused and looked around Nat’s bedroom. “Are your parents happy with this? Me being in your room?”

“Doesn’t matter either way, Boots. I told them you were staying in here with me and that’s it.” Nat paused a moment, then added, “The room you stayed in last time, grandpop’s old study, is free if you prefer it though.”

“No, Nat, I much prefer being with you, I just didn’t want to cause you any problems.”

“My folks are relaxed about us, Craig.