A VERY INTERESTING WOMAN

                                    AN INTERESTING  LADY

As we were leaving the airport employee’s cafeteria in the basement of the Vancouver International Airport we detoured upstairs through the Departures level. We always did this just to have a look at the real humans that were on board the little dots we Radar vectored all over the sky.  

Fred and I had come over from the Vancouver Area Control Centre (VR ACC) on the south side of the airfield for a bite of lunch. It was about 1982 and Fred and I were both Air Traffic Controllers in the VR ACC.  After lunch as we exited the escalator from the lower floor I noticed a young black lady sitting on a bench next to the information booth  She looked very sad, and to me, appeared frightened and confused.  On our way in I had had a fleeting glimpse of her at the same spot but really took no notice. I was on the verge of going over to ask her if there was something wrong. As I hesitated Fred said in a rather loud voice, “Come on, hurry up, or we’ll get fired.”

So we scurried through the crowded terminal and out to our car.  As we drove back a nagging vision of that sad face kept popping into my head, but by the time I got my headset adjusted and settled into the Arrival Position I had forgotten all about that lonely looking lady.  This was my fifth day on shift; I had worked 2 evening shifts (from three pm till eleven P.M.) and this was my third day shift. Unfortunately, I was scheduled to return again at eleven P.M. that night for the midnight shift, which I hated with a passion.

As so often happened, I didn’t get a chance to lay down for my sleep until about nine P.M.  Almost the moment I lay down Beth was shaking me awake.

“Wake up dear; it’s after 10, time to get ready for work.”

I had a hard time realizing it was time for me to get up, but with a great effort I finally managed to get my eyes open, and struggle into my clothes, more or less awake.

I arrived at the Area Control Centre, got my headset out of my locker, and went up to Terminal position to relieve Bob, the supervisor on duty.  Bob was one of those great guys who actually cared about his profession, and those he supervised. If a Controller on Duty in the Terminal was on a short change (coming in the next morning at 7AM), Bob often would relieve him a bit early.  He would then work until the midnight shift arrived, in this case me.

“Hi Larry how’s it going, you look like you’d  have to warm up to die.” Bob said with a laugh, “Didn’t get to bed again eh?”

“Yeah you got that right, I hate these short changes, there’re going to kill me yet.” I replied as I plugged my headset next to Bob.

“Are you awake enough to take over?” Bob asked.

“I reckon.” I replied..

Bob started giving me “The Picture” by pointing with his pen and giving me the latest instructions the traffic had received.

“OK this is what we’ve got,” Bob said.

 “That’s PW 324 about 4 miles back on final, he’s working Tower.”

“This is Air Canada 654 at 9 miles on right base,- which I had better turn.”

“ Just a sec.”

Transmitting to Air Canada.

“Air Canada 654 Terminal, turn right heading 050 to intercept the localizer; cleared straight in ILS approach runway 08, contact Tower on 118.7, good evening.”

“Roger turning 050 cleared for the approach, Good evening Sir; Air Canada 654”

“Now to continue-- this is Western 443 just north of Victoria on a vector of 340 has been cleared to 6000.”

That’s Canadian 255 on the north side downwind just cleared to 5000.”

 PW 676 is 20 east cleared to 10,000”

 United 677 is just approaching the Bellingham VOR, cleared to 8000, the rest are on the strips, got it OK?”

“Got it.”  I said, as Bob threw the switch, which cut him off the air, and put me on. 

I now had control, and another long Midnight shift was about to begin, but it would not be boring, or uneventful.

This was the way the Area Control Centre – ATC – was setup in those days. There were three controllers on midnight shift. Two were responsible for the outlying areas This encompassed everything from the United States  border –west to the Pacific Ocean , north to Prince Rupert on the north and all the rest of BC. And one Controller ran what was called the Terminal Sector, which was responsible for Victoria, Abbotsford, and Vancouver. As fate would have it, Fred also was working with me that evening.

About one A.M., there were no more aircraft estimated to arrive at Vancouver for almost two hours. It was a beautiful clear evening with visibility over thirty miles.

“Larry since you have no traffic for awhile why don’t you go over to the Terminal Building and get us a few newspapers, I’ll watch your sector in case anyone calls” Fred called over to me.

Fred had been a Terminal Controller for many years and was very qualified to handle any unexpected traffic the position might receive.

So I decided to go over to the Terminal and see if I could find a newspaper then go over to the Canadian Pacific Airlines Hanger to partake in the famous midnight breakfast meals they provided for their employees.  CPA was very gracious and allowed us to use their facility.

 I arrived at the terminal building, it was as usual very gloomy with most of the lighting turned off. I went upstairs and was looking around the deserted room when I noticed someone sitting on a bench.  I walked over to see if they were lost and to my amazement and shock, I found it was the same lady I had noticed more than twelve hours earlier. She was quite large, appeared to be about thirty years old, and athletic looking.

“Hello” I said. “Are you lost?”

“Yes I think I am. I’m waiting for my father but he hasn’t arrived yet.” She said.

“You have been here all day haven’t you?” I said.

“Yes, how did you know, are you a policeman?”

“No, actually I’m an Air Traffic Controller. I saw you here this afternoon, I’m back on midnight shift tonight.”

“Oh”

“You don’t look well, are you feeling sick?” I asked.

“I’m very hungry; I haven’t eaten since I arrived from Alaska.”

“Oh that’s terrible, when is your dad supposed to arrive?”

“He said he would meet me at the Seattle airport this afternoon.”

I suddenly had a very strange feeling, something was very very wrong here.

“Look I have an idea, what if I take you over to the cafeteria with me, get you some food, and we can talk.”

We went out to my car and started over to the CPA hangar.

“What is your name?” She asked.

Larry, what’s yours?”

“Thelma Jackson”

“Hi Thelma, nice to meet you.”

“Hi Larry me too.” And she gave me a smile.

“Well Thelma, the first thing we must get straight is that you understand you are in Canada, this is Vancouver BC.” I said as I drove the half mile to CPA.

In the gloom of the car I couldn’t see the reaction on her face when I gave her the

news.

“No I’m not in – where did you say I was?”

“Vancouver British Columbia, Canada.”

“I got off in Seattle, how did I get here?”

“I really don’t know, but don’t worry we will get to the bottom of this. Here we

are, let’s get some food into you.”

The Airline cafeteria was very small, just had about six tables all close together.

As we entered the door several pairs of eyes looked at us with a bit of curiosity, I was a little concerned that the cook may mention this was not a public eating establishment. But we got into line behind two young men in coveralls and waited our turn.

“So, that’s the menu up there, order what you would like, make sure you get enough.”

Thelma didn’t answer, just looked around at the seven or eight men eating at the tables and up at the menu.

“Yes miss, what can I get you?” Said the cook, with a big smile.

Thelma just looked at him, and did not reply.

“I was going to have bacon and eggs with hash browns and toast Thelma, would you like the same?”

She nodded.

“With Coffee?” Asked the cook.

She nodded again.

“Two coffees”

“Ok help yourself to the coffee and I will call you when you stuff is ready”

I paid and we found ourselves a table and sat down with our coffee.

“The food wont take long, how’s the coffee?”

“It’s too Hot” Thelma said in a very loud voice.

I noticed a few of the men seated look our way.

“There is cream on the table, maybe if you added some it would make it better.”

She poured as much cream as the cup could take and seemed happy with her drink.

“Why are those guys staring at me” Thelma said once again very loudly.

At this even those who were not at all interested in us had a quick startled glance in our direction.

“I don’t think they were staring, they are probably just wondering who this strange couple is wandering into their private cafeteria in the middle of the night” I said in a bit of a stage whisper.

“Two bacon and eggs” Shouted the cook in our general direction.

I got up and got both orders, placing one in front of Thelma and one at my place. I then remembered to go back and get the cutlery.

By the time I had returned Thelma had begun to eat, she was trying to scoop the soft yolk out of the sunny side up eggs with her toast.

“Here you are Thelma, a knife and fork and a couple of napkins.” I said.

She just ignored me and continued to eat the bacon with her fingers while continuing to scoop the yolk, (with very limited success I might add). She was making considerable noise and had egg yolk dripping a bit off her Chin. I was thinking the poor dear was probably starved no wonder she couldn’t wait.

“Well eat up Thelma; we can get more if you like.”

“No this is good, just like we had at work in Alaska.” She said as she decided to pick up the runny yolk with her hands.

“Oh where did you work in Alaska?”

“I worked at the mental hospital” She said even louder than before.

The two young men at the next table got up and moved over near the door.

“That must have been an interesting job.” I said with a vague uneasiness stirring.

She now starred at me with a very strange look in her eyes.

“There was only one real problem up there, it was the glass people.”

“Glass people.”

“Yeah, Glass people.”

She was almost shouting now, and looking back and forth from me to the rest of the cafeterias patrons. Both of her hands were now covered with egg, she hadn’t wiped her chin and she seemed to be getting very agitated.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand – glass people?”

“Glass people, I break Glass people. Just like you and all these other guys. I can break you all.”

Remember this was a very small area; we were all within twenty feet of each other. Thelma was now yelling. Most of the men eating now got up and left. The cook was starring at me with a look the clearly said, Should I call the cops?

“I know what Thelma, let’s leave, and I will take you to the Air Traffic Control Centre – we have a nice nurses room with a bed and you can get some rest.”

She seemed to calm right down.

We got into the car, and as we started moving she said.

“I could break you right now you know.”

It had been rattling around in the back of my mind for awhile, but now it hit me – she did not work at the mental hospital – she was a patient.

 A large and very strong patient.

I decided not to take her over to the other side of the airport with me but to take her back where I found her.

“Yes I guess you could, but you wouldn’t want to, would you?”

“I might.”

We now were at the departure gate. I pulled up.

“Why are we back here?”

I got out and went over to her side and opened her door.

“I have decided to not take you with me, you can go back inside, it is nice and warm there.”

“But what will I do.”

She suddenly seemed like a lost little girl. I had to get back to work.

“I’m sorry Thelma, but I have to get to work, here is five dollars, it’s all I have on me. Now first thing tomorrow morning you go to the information desk and tell them you need help. Tell them you are in the wrong airport. Show them your ticket from Alaska.”

“Are you going to leave me now, all alone?”

Boy did I feel like a rat.

“Yes Thelma, but just do what I tell you and you will be OK.”

I walked her to the door and saw her safe inside. As I drove back to work I was sure everything would workout for her in the morning.

I got back to work and by seven AM as I left the parking lot I could hardly able to keep my eyes open. I had completely forgotten my little incident at the cafeteria. That was Saturday evening /Sunday morning. I was now off shift for three days .With working so many strange shifts when I went to sleep I usually wouldn’t wake up unless someone or something did the job. The first sleep in the morning after a midnight shift I usually would sleep until around eleven AM. This was so I could go to bed at a normal time and then get a nice long sleep the next day – in this case Monday.

 So one might excuse me for not being too civil when Beth woke me at eight AM Monday.  She did this by putting the phone in my hand and saying “Talk.”

With my eyes still closed and the covers over my head I mumbled

 “Low”

“Is that Larry Bennett?”

“Affirmative”

“Are you a friend of Thelma Jackson?”

“Never heard of her.”

“She says she knows you.”

I was starting to wake up a bit now.

“Just who am I talking to?”

“Oh sorry, this is Bill Wilson, I’m shift supervisor for the Immigration Department at YVR hope I didn’t wake you.”

“No not at all, I’m still more or less sleeping.” 

“Well if you are sure you don’t know Thelma you might as well go back to sleep, but she is insistent that you are the only friend she has in Canada.”

“I really have no idea what you are talking about, give me a hint.”

“She is a black lady that is in detention here at the airport. A deportation hearing is scheduled for this morning.”

“Ok hold it; now I know what you’re talking about, yes I met her at the terminal the other night. But I wouldn’t say she was a friend. Incidentally I guess you are aware she has some serious mental problems?”

“No, I haven’t noticed any problems, none of my officers have made mention of anything.”

“Ok I will come in if you think I can be of any help. Just what are you expecting me to do?”

“Well it is customary to have a lawyer or some other official present as the detainee’s representative just to ensure fairness and proper procedure. Since she specifically asked for you, and you are a security checked federal employee, we thought we should ask you to be her representative.”

“That’s OK then, I will be there in about an hour.”

“Come into our office on the main floor.”

“Ok see you there.”

            After hanging up and while getting dressed, the memory of Thelma and our short time together came back very clearly, I could remember every detail. I hadn’t mentioned the little Thelma incident to Beth my wife, but was giving her the details as I had breakfast. She listened intently to the end of the story then said.

“Well if everything happened as you say, I don’t understand for the life of me how they could not notice she had some mental problems.”

            As I drove to the Airport, the fact that the officials didn’t notice that Thelma had some serious mental problems, made me wonder about their competence.

I was convinced that Thelma had been a patient in a mental facility in Alaska and had either been released of had escaped from the institution recently.

 I decided not to mention this to anyone unless necessary.

After entering the Immigration office and telling them why I was there, they took me to Bill’s office.

“Thanks for coming Larry; I know what shift work is like, sorry for waking you up. But Thelma was insistent that you were her friend and wanted you to be with her at the hearing.

“That’s OK Bill I’m glad to help her if I can, by the way what is this hearing all about? Can’t you just buy her a ticket to Seattle, and that’s that?

“Well Larry it is just a formality really, but if someone we are deporting wants a lawyer or someone else present, if we can we will go along with their request.”

“Where is she now, I guess I should spend some time with her and get some more information if I am to be of any use to her at all?”

“She‘s in a holding cell downstairs, if you want we will release her into your custody until the hearing begins. Please bring her back here at eleven a.m.”

So with that an Immigration lady took me to the “Cell” where poor Thelma was waiting. The cell was actually just a small room with a cot and a big lock on the door. The instant Thelma saw it was me, she got up from the cot, and with an anguished look on her tear stained face gave me a hug and wouldn’t let go.

“Ok, Ok, Thelma don’t worry everything will be fine, there’s nothing to be afraid of, but I can’t breathe.”

  Thelma didn’t say anything but she did loosen her hug a bit.

“Well Mr. Bennett she is all yours until the hearing, we haven’t had a word out of her since we told her you were coming, good luck.”

And with that she turned and left, leaving the door open.  

“So what do you think, should we get out of here?”

She nodded her head.

“So fine, grab your bag and your jacket, and we’ll get out of here.”

            We went upstairs and sat by a window looking out at the aircraft on the ramp. We just sat quietly for a few minutes. I was trying to decide where to begin.

“Larry I’m very hungry.”

“Oh I’m sorry Thelma. I guess you had your breakfast pretty early this morning.”

“No I haven’t eaten since you fed me. I have no money.”

I was rather amazed and a disgusted.  The Immigration department had not fed her in almost twenty-four hours. We went to the main cafeteria and we both had some lunch and a very interesting chat.

“Have you had any contact with your Father yet Thelma?

“No I can’t find him.”

“Have the Immigration people tried to get hold of him for you?”

“No, I really don’t know what has happened to him.”

“I am so glad I met you Larry, I am very mixed up, you know.”

“Yes I know Thelma but if you just trust me, I’m sure we can make sense out of everything, and get you home safe and sound with your father.”

“I do trust you.”

“Ok Thelma would you give me your wallet please.”

I wasn’t sure if she even had a wallet, but it seemed like a good place to start. She rummaged around in her shopping bag and eventually came up with an old red leather wallet. I didn’t reach for it right away and she began to show me pictures of her family. It was the normal exchange between two acquaintances, this is aunt so and so, this is uncle so and so, she didn’t have many pictures, but she enjoyed telling me all about them.

“This is my father and mother.” She said holding up a faded color photo of a very handsome black couple in front of a nice home, with a large tree in the front yard.

“My Mother has gone to heaven.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, she must have been quite young.”

Thelma just nodded and kept looking at the photo.

“May I have the wallet for a few minutes, Thelma?”

She just handed it to me, after taking out the photo of her mother and father.

As I scanned through the wallet I noticed there were many old receipts and bills but nothing very recent I found a little piece of paper – Daddy – and a long distance phone number. I didn’t recognize the long distance code, but it didn’t look like a Washington code.

 So after finishing our meal we found a pay phone and I made a call.

“Hello.” A deep man’s voice.

“Hello may I speak to Mr. Jackson please.”

“Who is this calling?”

“My Name is Larry Bennett, and I am calling reference your daughter Thelma.”

“Oh no, is she all right?”

“Yes Mr. Jackson, she is Ok, we just have a bit of a mix-up, I am in the airport Vancouver B.C. and Thelma has inadvertently got off at the wrong airport.”

“I thought she was in the hospital in Anchorage.”

“I really don’t know about any of that, but she is going to be deported to Seattle today and she is expecting you to meet her.”

“Do you realize I’m in Detroit, Michigan?”

“Well I didn’t think you were in Seattle, but Detroit is a long way from Seattle.”

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had calls like this over the years, is Thelma there with you now?”

“She‘s right here, I’ll put her on.”

Thelma and her Dad had a long (and from my end) loving talk. She was very clear and logical as she explained who I was and how she got into her present situation. She skimmed over how she left Anchorage, but all in all it was a warm and worthwhile conversation.

“Yes Daddy he is still here, bye.” She handed me the phone back.

“Mr. Jackson.”

“Yes Mr. Bennett, here is what I plan to do, I will phone my brother in Everett and have him meet Thelma. I will fly out tonight and meet her at my brother’s place.”

“Ok Mr. Jackson, I understand. I will phone you back at this number after the hearing is over, and if possible tell you which flight she will be arriving on. Oh and can you give me the name and phone number of your brother, I will make sure Thelma has it when she arrives.”

It was now about time to get to the hearing room, so we started down to the Immigration department. When we arrived Bill and the other two board members were milling around chatting waiting for us to arrive. Bill introduced the other two fellows and we all took our allotted places. The setup was as follows. The three members sat at a table at one end, we (Thelma and I) sat to their left at a separate table perpendicular to theirs. So after a few pleasantries and smiles all around – including Thelma smiling at the head table, everything looked ready to begin.

The Chairman (sitting in the middle) and looking directly at Thelma Spoke.                               “Now young lady we will begin this hearing by asking you to give your full name.”

Thelma gave no indication to have heard the question.

“Young lady did you understand the question?”

Thelma turned to me with a look that indicated confusion.

“Now remember what I told you Thelma, there is nothing to worry about, just be honest and answer the man’s questions.” I said in a whisper.

“Would you please repeat the question?” I said to the Chairman.

The chairman repeated the question.

Thelma instantly said.

“In what life?”

“I’m sorry young lady, would you say again.”

“In what life?

The board members whispered among themselves for a minute. The Chairman spoke.

“Young woman did you say ‘In what life’?”

“Yes.”

“We do not understand.”

“It is very simple, I have lived several lives, which name do you want?”

At this point the hearing was adjourned.

Thelma and I were asked to wait where we were.

“Ok Thelma those poor guys are very confused – I believe they will come back and offer to fly you to Seattle on the next flight – if we have no objections – and we have no objections – do you understand what I am saying?”

“Yes Larry I understand.”

            Well as fate had it the board members did make us an offer to fly Thelma to Seattle on the four P.M. flight. Within the hour they  handed me Thelma’s ticket and a voucher for a snack before she left. They left her in my custody (which I thought was very strange) with my assurance she would board the plane on time.

 I phoned Thelma’s father and he assured me his brother would be at Sea-Tac on time for the four o-clock flight. He also said he would be taking Thelma home to Detroit and get her the medical help she deserved. He mentioned she had two brothers and three sisters, who all loved her and wanted her home. Thelma and I had a nice long chat with our snack while we waited for her flight to depart. As an Air Traffic Controller I had security clearance everywhere in the airport so I actually walked Thelma right into the plane and helped her with her seat belt. I gave her the phone number of her uncle and told her he would be there to meet her.

“Now Thelma, if for any reason you do not meet your uncle, go to the information counter in Seattle and have them page him. If that does not work have them phone your uncles number for you. Is that clear?”

“Yes Larry, and thank you very much.”

“Good luck Thelma, all the best.” I kissed her cheek and left.

On the way out I asked one of the stewardesses to try to see that she met her uncle when they arrived. She said she would.

I have no idea what happened with Thelma and her family, but I felt at least she had a fighting chance.