The alarm sounds at 0605 local, and I barely register that I am alive, let alone awake. Struggling to my feet, I dress and move slowly toward the kitchen, where my mother greets me with a red-and-white 16-quart Igloo Playmate cooler, packed with all three meals I would need for the next 18 hours and snacks. I shoulder my faded black Jansport backpack, hoist my Sears Craftsman toolbox into the truck, and fight to stay awake on my early morning drive to airframe and powerplant (A&P) school.
A&P school concludes at 1500. Next, my shift starts at the ATL T Gates. As a mechanic’s helper, my duties ranged from interior cabin work to hauling Lockheed L-1011 tires and nitrogen bottles. We sometimes entered aircraft logbooks into the computer.
