Lori with her retirement flowers
12/30/09
Category: CARGO’S LAST STAND Page 6 of 11
1/5/10
Hands That Loaded a Thousand Ships
Don & Kitiona ‘Muku’
Kitman’s amazing hands —
and feet too!
12/30/09
12/30/09
Blessed are the peacemakers
John, our union rep,
stands before us again,
like he has so many times before —
his last pep talk to the pre-lay-off workforce.
It was during this very talk
that John openly demonstrated his peacemaking gift
that he’s been subtly applying all along.
Thank you, John!
12/30/09
John had this made.
12/30/09
From left:
Tino, Eddie, Lolanie, Mike, Pete, James, Lori, Paul and Richard
In 2006, when we were still doing major crossloads,
Pete filmed one such operation,
which he replays here,
a few days before the major lay-off.
He-man!!!
… and those made-in-America buttons still won’t pop.
It’s Jimmy, laughing in the hallway.
[Enlargement of TV screen, below]
.
12/30/09
Pete (laid back) and others watch Pete power-flex another ESE’s* shirt
*ESE = equipment service employee
12/28/09
Zingo delights Cheryl’s children
.
“Bang!”
… and Zingo plays dead
Related:
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 10:05 am
An impromptu gathering of part of us
Back Row (from left):
Tino, Dioni, Jia, Tom, Robert, Carson, Don, Richard, Bob ‘Pineapple’
Front Row:
Cesar, Lee, Lynn, John, Steve, Kim
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:50 am
Captain Tim wagged the wings as he got further out,
which I didn’t capture, sadly.
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:50 am
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:50 am
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:50 am
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:50 am
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:50 am
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:41 am
Employees take photos as she begins her last taxi
As our bird turned the corner fairly close to me,
I knew I’d be totally safe behind the snow berm from direct jet blast,
but I didn’t expect the sudden chill of snow being sprayed up my pants’ legs.
I was lying the other direction to shield my face and of course, my G11.
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand
Honor
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand
After I took this shot, I just lost it!
The emotion hit me and I just started balling — which I really didn’t expect at all.
I forced myself back into calm so I could shoot with full concentration and steady hands..
•
••
•••
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand– 9:40 am
Captain Tim Tobin turns on the lights and releases the brakes
Related:
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand
What’s this?
During towbar disconnect and engine start
Seeing all these extended deicing truck booms, I decided the best place to get the following images was behind me.
We have often seen fire trucks shoot water over planes to honor retiring pilots, but this was new to me, and very touching!
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:31 am
Caesar stands at the nose gear,
waiting for Steve to begin the push
so we can remove the chocks
and walk this plane out.
Kim is tagging along in the passenger seat of the paymover.
A sad day.
9/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 9:10 am
Tom Shuts the Door
From left:
Cesar, Tom, Patty and a pilot
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 8:34:30 am
The door closed above me, and I turn around to see
Tino and Bob ‘Pineapple’ heading back to the barn
in the black of night,
having loaded the last NWA freighter’s lower deck.
12/28/09 – Cargo’s Last Stand – 8:33 am
Dioni, Steve, Cesar
.
That was pretty heavy —
shutting the door for the last time.
12/28/09 — Cargo’s Last Stand
From left to right:
Cargo Managers Tom and Steve; Paul V. and Paul M.
Steve remains as our cargo manager
(sorry for the blur — 6/10 second exposure)
Tom is now a manager at an oil company.
His inscription on ITS OVER reads:
“Thanks for the Great Memories!”