About 12 of us first met in the winter of 1967 in a training class at the Greater Peoria Airport as prospective employees of Ozark Airlines. Most of us were in our late teens or barely 20. This was many years prior to photo identification cards or company badges and we all regret not being more diligent about keeping better records. Somewhere there’s likely documentation about exactly who was in that class, but even the airline is defunct so easily finding a roster of people whose seniority date was April 3, 1967 is unlikely.
We were naïve, enthusiastic, and too young and uninformed to be grateful for the wonderful opportunities our job provided. Gratitude isn’t a trademark of teenagers and we weren’t skilled in labor situations. In our own way, a way not paved with experience or worldly knowledge, we appreciated some of the perks, like the travel benefits, but took others for granted, like stellar health insurance. We learned much later about our good fortune, particularly the insurance.
We worked in a large office of predominantly young female reservation agents. The office was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which meant a variety of shifts with days off in the middle of the week. Hours were awarded by a bidding system based on seniority. Last hired received last choice. But we had trading privileges which meant we could try to get a highly coveted Saturday night off if someone would strike up a trade.
Employees came from various parts of the Midwest and beyond. Some were older and wiser, some just older, and many were very recent high school graduates. It was an interesting place to work and for some of us, me included, it was our first introduction to a “real” job. I had worked part-time jobs previously, as had many others, but this was an official ticket to adulthood.
Most of my high school friends went to college and I welcomed the opportunity to make friends with new and different people. With such an eclectic group from varied backgrounds, there were many with whom to mingle, travel, and in a sense, grow up together.
We were expert guests and planners of wedding showers and baby showers, and we learned to commiserate when true love didn’t last. We learned about grieving and starting over, and that even young people die.
Friendships are rarely based on logic. Opposites attract, and while one common interest does not necessarily make for kindred spirits, it can make a wonderful friendship. Respect for differences, an unspoken acceptance that people can have multiple close friends, and the absence of any jealousy or rivalry can lead to friendships that thrive and last a lifetime.
It’s been over 39 years since I last answered a phone call in the Ozark Airlines Reservations Office. I terminated my employment much before many of my friends and colleagues to be at home with my children. But I’m delighted to nurture many of the friendships formed in the ‘60’s. We still visit, talk, email, and sometimes vacation together with those from my training class and with others whom I shared time, tears, laughter, and life’s lessons. Ozark offered me a job with great opportunities. And I’m still reaping the rewards from the excellent benefits.