The Robesonian from Lumberton, North Carolina • Page 23

Page 24The Robesonian, Lumberton. N.C., Wednesday, February 2(i, 1975 Movie Star Writes about Trip with Pilot Husband After ten years of abuse, they'll blow the whistle By Abigail Van Buren soared over the Sydney Harbor proudly wearing her new name "Excalibur VIII," and her new company name and wearing the Virgin Islands flag on her nose which she vainly and stubbornly stuck into the evening sky. Charlie always talked about my going on the trip. I never said no, but I never said, 'yes. Somehow, in spite of myself, I got caught up in the fever of the excitement and started planning not only to be on the trip, but to photograph it in 16 mm movie color and stills.

I carried my cameras and my film with me night and day, and added a notebook. Our route took us 1,750 miles and 15 flying hours to Pago Pago, American Samoa, 1,650 miles and 17 hours to Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, 2,650 miles and 1,705 hours to Long Beach, 1,200 miles and 7Vi hours to Eagle Mountain Lake, Fort Worth, 1,200 miles and 7 hours to downtown Washington, D.C., on the Potomac River, 255 miles and Vh hours by the coastal route to New York Harbor landing downtown at the Battery, 220 miles and VA hours by the coastal route to downtown Boston, and finally 1,800 miles and 10 hours to St. Croix, which included a detour by Air Traffic Control. All the way I talked with everyone, photographed everything and everybody. I have a mountain of photographs, thousands of feet of film, books full of notes, sad notes, funny notes, (EDITOR'S NOTE: Maureea O'Hara Blair, the vivacious red haired movie star, recently accompanied her pilot husband, Capt.

Charles Blair, to Australia to pick up a new seanne for his expanding Caribbean airline, Antilles Airboats. At the suggestion of Jerrv Dreyer editor of the St. Croix Avis who accompanied the Blairs on the last leg of the trip from Boston to St. Croix where the Blairs live, she wrote this account of the trip for The Associated Press.) By MAUREEN O'HARA BLAIR Written for The Associated Press CHRISTIANSTED, St. Croix, USVI (AP) The first time I ever flew in a plane was from Los Angeles to St.

Louis in 1941 in a twin engine DC3 with my mother and Lucille Ball. The trip was rough and very bumpy and I was deadly ill, in fact so ill that an emergency landing was considered. I have never forgotten it, and the memory still goes with me on every plane trip. How strange then that I should marry a pilot, and one of the most renowned pilots in the world at that. In March of 1968, I married Charles F.

Blair, Pan American World Airways. I spent two years fly too, it was a reunion. He saw the flying boats in the Sydney Harbor. We lost no time in finding our way to the flying boat base of Ansett Airlines of New South Wales at Rose Bay. With his deep love of seaplanes so obvious it did not take Charlie long to meet everyone at the base and to make friends, and to learn that only two of these four engine flying boats remained in service.

They were originally' part of a fleet that flew from Australia to many islands in the Pacific. These routes were gradually taken over by the less romantic land planes leaving only the Sydney Lord Howe Island daily service to these venerable four engine flying boats. We saw and inspected the two flying boats. They were beautiful inside and out, and maintained in the best condition. I learned that one of the flying boats had served as a patrol plane with the New Zealand Air Force and was converted into 'a passenger plane at Rose Bay in 1964.

The sec ond flying boat had served with England's Royal Air Force, coastal command, as a wartime patrol plane. It was later converted for commercial use ajid originally flew the long run between England and Sydney, Australia, via the Middle East. On the 4th of July 1968, Ansett Airline took us for a courtesy flight in the Sydney Harbor area, making several takeoffs and landings. When I saw that far away look in Charlie's eye as he climbed out of the cockpit I knew he had lost his heart again to another seaplane. Over dinner that night we heard that Ansett Airlines were planning to phase out the flying boats because of the planned construction of an airstrip on Lord Howe Island.

They expected that this would occur within two or three years, but it actually took more than six years. For days I listened to Charlie dream of buying the flying boats and bringing them to the Caribbean to join Antilles Air Boats, his busy commuter airline. All these years he has never given up that dream, and finally the dream became a fact when we took off from Rose Bay, Sydney, Australia. The sadness of the Australian people to see their beloved flying boat leave was very touching. Some refused to look; women cried openly; the men waved glumly.

The beautiful flying boat WELCOME HOME Maureen O'Hara Blair and her husband, Capt. Charles Blair, are greeted on thetr return home to St. Croix after flying a hue four engine airboat 12,700 miles there from Sydney Australia. Greeting them are Mrs. Melvin Evans' wife of the U.S.

Virgin Islands governor, and Lt. Oov. Athiel Ottley. Blair hopes to start service with two 40 seat sea planes between New York and Boston. ing all of Pan Am's routes with Charlie as pilot.

One of these trips in 1968 was to Sydney, Australia. I had spent five months in Australia in making "Kangaroo," the first Hollywood picture to be shot in that country, so it was a happy reunion for me with old friends. For Charlie, "Superstar Value' 5 workers and 1 have worked in this variety store for nearly 35 years. It's a multi million dollar Whlch is wel1 known from cst to coast. LGn we have had a manager who we think has a screw loose.

First of all, he breaks all the company rules. He should work from 8 to 5:30 but he unt.h SLe eVery at. nn and come back unul the next morn.ng. We don't know where he goes, but 0Ve7 that 'f lhere are ay Phone calls for him, we hark wJ 6 sted out for a te" and will call them Sp TV to get their names and numbers and he returns their calls the following day. in ifuS Very, those under him We have gotten together and decided that ten years of taking his abuie and covering up for him is enough, and we want to blow the whistle on him by reporting his absenteeism to the ZZ1CQ BiUt whuoshould do this? No one wants to this for years'" t0 We'V6 be6n battling US.

WUld 6ven quit but we are close to retirement and pensions we hate to do it. Answer please? WORKING STIFF DEAR STIFF: If you're telling it like it is (and I believe you are), no one person should write the letter. ALL of you should write it and sign your names. ljU returned from a meeting. It was open to the public.

A Protestant Minister offered a prayer Christ S3id' 3Sk thiS in the name 0f 0ur Lord Jesu u'aK aU fr Praver' but 1 am not of the Christian faith, and I was not the only person there who wasn't. Don't you think it time that some clergymen realize that Christianity is not the only faith in the world? I know I am not alone my feelings. I happen to live in a small town where there are many non Christian people who are devout in their own religions. don't mean any disrespect to anyone, Abby, but this may open the eyes of some clergymen who go out of their churches and into the community and thoughtlessly assume that Christianity is the only religion in the world. SMALLTOWN, MO.

DEAR SMALL TOWN: You make a good point. DEAR ABBY: Two months ago, I got full custody of my four year old son. His mother gave him up because her social life was more important. When I got custody, it was understood that all visitation rights would go to my ex wife's parents, since she didn't care if she ever saw the boy again. NOW she says maybe she will see him next month, or in six months from now she isn "sure." I called her yesterday to ask if my present wife could adopt the boy.

She said she would never consent to that because she didn't want to give up her "motherhood." Now, if you can make any sense out of that, you're a lot smarter than I think you are, and I think you're pretty smart. 1 he boy has fully accepted my wife as his "mommy" and doesn miss his former mother at all, mainly because he hardly ever saw her. I've talked to a lawyer about this and he said he didn't think my wife could adopt the boy without my ex's consent but he didn't know much about it because he had never handled a case like that before. Can you help us? PUZZLED 1 1 1 mt DELUXE! Undercounter Dishwasher DEAR PUZZLED: I am not qualified to give legal advice, and from what you tell me, neither is vour iawvpr Get lother lawyer, and let him advise you. This dishwasher is really feature packed! It has the power to remove dried and baked on soil from pots.

Dans, and cassfirnlps a rinoR hniHoiQ to precondition ishes for later washing a short wash for lightly soiled dishes. right servinq temperature. 51016. Save $40. Regular $239.76 12" DIAGONAL BLACK WHITE PORTABLE Here's a sleek new cabinet, with a G.E.

quality set inside! Has many solid state components for dependability. UHf and VHF antennas. 54460. AUTOMATIC TERMINATION DRYER This Hotpoint dryer takes the guesswork out of proper drying time. Sensi dry cycles automaticaliy stop when clothes are properly dried.

51420. PERMANENT PRESS 2 SPEED WASHER Features a perforated tub for heavy soil removal heavy duty transmission 3 water tevel selections and 5 wash temperature choices. 51224. Save $40. Reg.

$239.69 76 $199 mn Fourteen months ago, my husband and I moved from Waco to Victoria, Texas. A friend from Waco told me to call her sister who lives in Victoria, so I did ShWtTet UP far hUrS" fJrhkher vcrvLmuch wouldn't want to hurt her Shfr 5 Person but I don't call her, she calls me and asks why I didn't call her. If I tell that Sh0ppmg' she asks hy I didn't let her know that I was going shopping so she could go with me. if" sband does most of the housework and all the marketing so she left with nothing to do and thinks everyone else has nothing to do all day like her It 1 have a card game and don't invite her I pray that she dfe Ut beC3USe 5he'H get hurt and angry I'm tit li I rVfe 10 mVe Ut Victoria 10 get some peace. I feel like my life isn my own any more.

How do I get out of her clutches without hurting her feelings? SMOTHERED IN VICTORIA DEAR SMOTHERED: There is no compromising with Edp't PlC Wh make you feeI Suiltv if you don't include them every part of your life. If you want "peace," you 11 have to "hurt her feelings" by cutting her phone conversations shorter and shorter. If you haven't the courage to extricate yourself, tolerate the loss of freedom and don complain. Save $30. Save $10.

Regular $89.92 69 $199 $13976 $7992 Everyoi Enclose has a problem. What's yours? For a personal to ABBY: Box No. 69700, L.A.. Calif. 90069.

imped, self addressed envelope, please. rW 19 INCH 5W ii i Hi DIAGONAL Whirlpool 6 0 CU. FT. CHEST FREEZER COLOR PORTABLE $344.86 ft ji INCOME TM SERVICE Just 26" wide, but plenty of storage space! Has a convenient slide and store basket for accessible OPEN NIGHTS 15.7 Cu. Ft Here's a brand name everyone knows at a price everyone can afford! It features the Reliacolor chassis with many solid state components for long life and cool operation the Sensitronic Tuning System and high impact polystyrene cabinet.

54520. NO APPOINTMENT sxorage; Toamea in piace urethane insulation; a flush handle; and sealed compressor for quiet operation. 50751. NECESSARY REFRIGERATOR FREEZER AM the features you could ask for in a refrigerator freezer. 3 adjustable cantilever shelves twin slide out vegetable crispers covered butter bin portable egg tray 2 easy release ice trays.

53530. Save $60. Reg. $359.86 Save $30. Regular $219.91 PHONE 739 2901 ABBY IVFv 74 Save $50.

Regular $339.74 $289 91 189 I You Can Charge It! If you are thinking of income tax, I want your questions. I want you to question our firm's integrity, capability, service, costs, confidentially, etc. because I think they are things you need to know and I know you'll like what you hear. But don't take my word for it. Ask around, then, when you're ready to file your income tax, ask us if we can help thats our favorite question.

I VI YS "THE INCOME TAX SPECIALIST" (3 blocfcs off E. 5th at Carolina Ave.) 76 Jerome Street, Mon. Sat. 9 0.m. 9 p.m..

Ph. 739 290? UHUES cu. pjpaaHKH I 1405 GODWIN AVENUE PHONE 738 4235 lUMBERTON SHOP lOWE'S M0N. THRU FRI. 7:30 A.M.

TO 6:00 P.M. SAT. 7:30 A.M. TO 1:00 P.M..