Chapter 31: Going to Sweet Home Alabama

Just before Bill and Wilhelmina Sutherland ... along with Miss Megan Fox headed off to College, Dr. James J. James Ph.D. called them into the R, S and T councilors office.

"We have to go to Austin before you leave. I must admit I'm disappointed in your choice of schools but, since you're paying cash ... I suppose you can go where you like." He paused, "Austin is miffed ... it's your choice and ... well ... Good Luck, and all that rot."

Instead of using the Governor's State aircraft, they flew down in the Beech. Megan went too.

At the airport, there was a little display and pomp by 'important people' but Bill and Mina pretty much ignored it. The last little bit was performed by the Dean of History.

A parchment presentation and a photo opportunity ... insincere politicians smiling and greasy handshakes. Mina was wearing a low scooped blouse and there had to be several retakes so the newspapers wouldn't have pictures of Senators and Congressmen staring down at her nipples and drooling spit all over her chest. (Personally, I think politicians like to kiss the place where babies get started rather than kiss the baby.)

Then back to the 'Dillo and packing. Jimmy Adrian found out they held the Bonnie and Clyde loot and made an outrageous offer. He mentioned he wanted to keep it together as a single collection. But, Mina presented the argument that some of the coins and a few bills, the bag and all of the jewelry was already gone, so there wasn't any chance of keeping it together.

"Besides," she said, "It's a 'nest egg' or a hedge against more difficult times. Thanks to you, we have money, but school is going to be expensive. We originally thought we were going to finance DD in school, but it's looking like she's conjured up a life interest."

"So ... you won't sell?"

"Nope ... as much as I've enjoyed this conversation, Mr. Adrian, we have to get a move on. We have your number. If circumstances change and we need to part with the B&C loot..."

"Bill, are you going to play football?" Mina didn't really care, one way or another, but it'd be nice to know.

"I'll have to walk on and it's a little late for a chance at the team, but, yeah ... even if it's intramural, I plan on playing."

"Let's go find a house ... call Megan and see if she wants go go."

Megan did.

It's just two states away ... Texas doesn't count ... Louisiana ... Mississippi ... Alabama. But ... it's a thousand miles. Amarillo is in the NORTH panhandle and Auburn is almost in Georgia. Neither Mina or Bill were comfortable with the 200 mile buffer as far as range went.

They flew toTyler, Texas. Tyler has a nice little aircraft museum at Pounds Field, with pretty good collection of former fighters, small bombers and training aircraft so, when Mina, in the left seat and Megan getting a little instruction in the right, greased the landing in a Beechcraft wearing warpaint, they were immediately surrounded by 'lookers' and pilots.

Bill is really tall and ruggedly handsome, so when he opened the hatch and dropped the three step, everyone was congratulating him on his fine landing.

"Hey, don't look at me. I'm the stew on this flight." He hollered through the hatch, "Hey, Sutherland ... get yer butt out here. These folks want to see the pilot!"

Megan stepped out. Megan might be 16, going on 17, but she's got the poise and confidence of a 25 year old ... she's just short. And built. The gasp from the crowd was involuntary. Scoop necked tee shirts sag when you have to bend over to get out the door. She flashed the onlookers. Instant wood. OOH Yeah ... can't get any better than this!

The three blonde former slaves dropped out next ... and they were wearing bandana tops, ragged blue-jean cutoffs and heels ... and nothing else. And then Mina stood in the hatch.

"You want the pilot ... this be she!" announced Bill.

Mina was wearing two postage stamps and a cork. Not quite ... but the reaction was the same.

"Hi ... can I get a fill-up?" Instant pandemonium!

Tyler, Texas in August is HOT. Tyler is hot right up til winter ... a whole month of it, so the girls were dressed accordingly ... in their near nothings ... just like most of the younger set running the streets and pools, waiting for school to start. Tyler must be the home of the summer frock ... a nearly sheer off the shoulder dress with a flouncy knee length hem ... and a thong. Hey, it's cool ... and such a treat when the sun shines through and silhouettes the best babes in the only southern town in Texas.

However, people wanted to know about the Beech and the museum talked Bill, Mina and Megan into staying over a day so the town could come out and see the tricycle geared E18S. There were quite a few ex military pilots who trained on the Beech and, naturally, they wanted to reminisce.

In Texas, nobody brags ... they just remember.

The next day, Mina and Bill took some of the Veterans aloft and those stalwart old gentlemen showed Bill ... and Mina ... that the Beech was fully stressed for aerobatics ... something they didn't know.

The authenticity of the warpaint was discussed so Mina and Bill gave a short history lesson about the only time the plane landed in DaNang, Vietnam and got sniped.

"Not only a warbird, but a 'Combat' warbird." Mina said. That drew a laugh. Then she said, "The General managed a Bronze Star and hazardous duty pay for a whole year out of that one little bullet..." she pointed at a tiny patch on both sides of the left rudder, "That never came close to hitting anyone. They were in Japan a month before anyone even noticed the hole." And THAT drew a roar!

They left early in the morning and made Auburn well before noon. Rather than the hassle of Hertz, you have to be 25 to rent a car, they called the Import dealer and bought a new LandRover ... cash. They shopped around for housing before they went to the University Administration Building ... where they were received with less than a stellar welcome.