at the airport Jack invited us into his office. “Sit,” he said, “I need to talk with you kids.”
Allie spoke first, “Daddy, Tommy and I want-a get married.”
Jack raised his voice and said, “Absolutely not, you’re both too young; you’ll have to wait a while longer, that’s all I’m going to say.”
Allie started crying and yelling, “You promised we could in a year if we were still in love, Daddy we’re still in love.” She kept telling him he had made a promise. “Daddy you never broke a promise before.” Now she was crying hard.
“I’m sorry, baby, you can, but not now.” He got up went out, got in his car and left.
She went out, got in her car and was crying almost uncontrollable. What could I say? I got in the car and told her it wasn’t the end. “We’ll just have to wait.”
“No,” she said and started sniffing, I gave her my hanky. “We’re going to get married tonight, okay, Tommy?”
“Whoa,” I said, “How can we?”
“We’ll go to Tijuana; they have marriage chapels over there, open all night.”
I told her, “I can’t go against Jack, I need his approval.”
“Do you love me Tommy? Do you want me?”
What could I say? “You know I want you, my whole body aches for you, I need you, Allie.”
“Let’s go now, right now.” I couldn’t turn her down.
Yeah, we went to Mexico and got married, it was legal and all, I made sure of that. We spent the most wonderful night in my life. We got a room at the Coronado Hotel, the moonlight streamed into our room making Allie look like the goddess she is, I never spent a night like that again as we consummated our marriage. I was so much in love I didn’t care if Jack approved or not.
Next morning, on the way to the diner to have breakfast, I told Allie I was going to confront Jack and tell him we had gotten married.
“NO!” she said. “We’ll let him think he got his way. I’ll tell him when I think its right. He’ll be mad, but he’ll get over it when he sees how happy we are.”
“Allie, I hate to deceive him, I like your dad.”
“He likes you, too, Tommy. He’s told me that several times, he said I couldn’t make a better choice than you.” Boy, oh boy, did that ever make me feel better.
We had ordered and were being served our breakfast by the little blonde when Jack came in. He came over and stood looking at us, he looked a little mean, he had a snarl on his face.
The little blonde gal said, “Allie, you got a glow on this morning, I’ve never seen ya look better.”
Jack looked me right in the eye and said in a loud voice, “You did it, didn’t ya?”
I gave him a blank look, “What?”
“Ya slept with her, didn’t ya?”
I thought for a minute he was going to punch me, he had his right fist made. He turned on his heels and at the door he turned back, smiled at me and gave me a half-hearted salute as he went on out. Right then I knew it would be alright.
I stood and pulled Allie to me and told her, “Now, babe, you’re all mine.”
I gave her the best kiss on her ruby red lips I had ever given. I said, “I love you, Allie.” Did we get a big hand from the people there? You bet we did, even the little blonde gal was clapping. I was the happiest young guy in the whole dang world that morning, that time is etched in my brain forever.
Chapter 3
Air Shows 1937-39
The morning after the night Allie and I got married in Tijuana, Mexico, we had breakfast then ambled on over to the airport to face Jack, Allie’s daddy.
At his office, he invited the two of us to come in. “Come on in and sit down, I have to talk to you two.” He had already placed two chairs in a way that we had to face him. With legs crossed, hands folded on his stomach he began talking. “I have some serious talk for you two kids.” We both sat wanting to hear his every word.
“Kids, I’m in a whole lot of trouble.” We both looked at each other with questions in our faces. He continued, “This depression has put me in deep debt, I have this place mortgaged to the hilt, I need your help.”
Allie and I looked to each other in wonderment. He went on, “Barnstorming isn’t paying like it used to, people are tired of wing walkers and hangers. The crowds won’t come out to see that anymore. We can still get a few spectators, but nothing like the old days. We can still make a few dollars giving rides, but that’s not gonna cut it anymore. We will never be able to pay the bills; I’ve come up with this idea. I’ve just purchased two Alexander Eagle Rock biplanes; they’re the best stunt planes you can buy. One is up in LA, the other is at the factory in Colorado being refurbished.”
Allie and I were still looking at each other in wonderment at what Jack was getting at.
“I need you two kids to be the pilots.”
I was looking at him like, you’re kidding me.
“Tommy, you’re an excellent pilot, Allie is already a stunt pilot. Tommy, you can be the best if you try.”
I looked at Allie, she had a big smile on her face. She said, “Now we can get married Tommy.”
“Wait one darn minute.” Jack wasn’t going to be pushed into anything. “Later, after we get this thing going. I’m going to bill ya as the two youngest stunt pilots in the world, I’m telling ya, you two will be as famous as Earhart and Lindbergh. How ya like them apples?”
Allie was smiling all over. I could see she wanted to do this. I had reservations.
“Jack, I can’t just walk away from my Uncle Bob. He needs me.”
Jack was ready for that. “I’ve talked to your Uncle; he thinks it’s a great deal for you.”
What could I say? Looked like Jack had covered all the angles.
“Okay,” I said, “I’m ready if Allie is.”
She didn’t have to answer. I could see by her face she was ready.
Jack commenced telling what he had in mind for us. “The two biplanes are being painted to match. You two will do synchronized flying.” He showed us with his hands. “You’ll take off together. That’s after an introduction in front of the bleachers and the crowd. I want you two to stand in the cock-pit and wave, then fire-up, taxi to the runway and take off together side by side. Up you’ll go, do a loop and a bank to the right, then bank to the left, then climb, one break right the other left, do separate loops and then one will pass under the other, all the time trailing smoke. That will be a sensational stunt, the crowd will love it.”
I could see Jack was really fired up about the whole thing. He told us we would have to practice and practice to get it perfect. “We’ll only have a month to get it done, what do ya say guys?”
Allie was all ready to do it. “Tommy,” she said, “I bet we can’t miss, will you do it?”
How could I say no?
The next day I flew the Stinson home. Uncle Bob told me he would fly me up to Colorado to get the Eagle Rock. “That way you’ll get the feel of the plane on the way back.” He also told me he had a pilot coming to take over the charter flying. He said he had put some money in the air show to back Jack. “Do a good job, Tommy boy, I’m counting on ya.” He sure made me feel good about the whole thing.
Uncle Bob and I flew up and got the plane. On the way back I got the feel of her all