The Boxcar Blues (17 page)

After his routine, Catwalk parked in front
of the audience to see if anyone wanted a ride for a quarter. He
received a moderate applause and surprisingly, heard no racial
slurs, but no one stepped up for a ride. When he passed the hat he
collected only two dollars and twenty cents from the sparse crowd.
As he walked back to the Jenny, he heard the air show organizer
calling him, “Hey, fella’. You got a second?”

He walked over and the guy said, “You ain’t
got a bad routine, but if you really want to make the money you
gotta get a stunt man or a wing walker. People have seen all the
acrobatics, so it’s nothing new anymore. You gotta add someone to
your act.”

Catwalk thought the advice sounded good. To
that end he asked, “Where do I find a wing walker?”

“
There’s a fair going on
in Odessa. Ask over there because a stunt pilot was killed out
there. He might have had someone working with him that’s looking
for work.”

Catwalk thanked him and took off. Halfway to
Midland, the Jenny started overheating so he landed in a field and
changed the radiator hose. By the time he filled the radiator from
a nearby stream it was almost dark, so he ate two biscuits for
dinner and spread his bedroll under the wing. Before falling
asleep, he thought about Sam, wondering what she’d think about his
decision to resign from Rocky Mountain and strike out on his own.
He figured since she had been so supportive of most things he did,
she would have had nothing but positive words for him. He said his
prayers, then mumbled, “Thanks for your encouragement, Sam.” He
slept well that night

The next morning at Odessa he asked the fuel
attendant, “I’m looking for a partner to work with me as a wing
walker. Do you know of anyone that might be interested?”

“
Could be that Billy Sue
Jenkins will work with you. She was flying with Dangerous Dan
Farrell until he flew into a silo. Luckily, she wasn’t with him at
the time, but he’s dead and she’s out of work. She ain’t here right
now though. You can wait to see if she comes around later
on.”

“
Thanks, I’ll wait.”
Catwalk looked at the diner on the airport, and saw the familiar
“Whites Only” sign. He asked the guy, “Is there anywhere I can get
a cup of coffee?”

“
Well, that diner won’t
serve you, but they’ll serve me. What do you like in
it?”

Catwalk handed him a nickel and said, “Just
black coffee is fine. I appreciate it”

Catwalk moved the Jenny away from the fuel
barrels and drank his coffee in the shade of the wing. He had no
idea what kind of a routine he could dream up with a partner, but
if this woman had been flying with someone else, she must have her
own routine, so he’d just learn from her.

He’d just finished his coffee when a 1927
Ford roadster roared into the auto parking lot and a girl with
blonde curly hair jumped out and yelled, “Arnold, I need some gas
on the cuff. I’m broke for a while.”

The fuel attendant said, “So what the hell
else is new.”

“
I’ll pay you Thursday.
I’m going to start waiting tables at Millie’s.”

While the attendant serviced the car, he
talked to her and pointed toward the Jenny. The woman looked toward
the plane, then walked across the parking lot. She looked over the
aircraft and said, “This old bird’s in pretty good shape. Arnold
said you’re looking for someone to fly stunts with you.”

“
I’m Catwalk Jackson and
I’m looking for a partner. Are you interested.”

The woman held out her hand and said,
“Catwalk, I’m Billy Sue Jenkins. Does this have the hundred and
fifty horse Hisso engine or the OX-5?”

“
It’s got Hisso power and
it’s tuned like a brakeman’s watch. The engine has less than ten
hours since the last overhaul.”

She smiled, “You take care of your
equipment; I like that. When do you want me to start?”

Catwalk was feeling good about their first
meeting, but realized that some of the people who worked air show
circuits were considered to be flighty and irresponsible. He was
going to reserve judgment until they’d worked together a while.
“There’s a show here day after tomorrow. Can we work something up
by then?”

“
Yeah, as long as the
bottom skid and the king posts are sturdy, I can start walking
tomorrow. What do you pay?”

“
We split the audience
collection and the expenses, fifty-fifty. Do you have any problem
working with a Negro pilot?”

She shook her head. “Not in the least. Do
you have a problem working with a woman?”

“
Nope. I’m sleeping here
tonight. We can practice when you get here in the
morning.”

“
See ya’ then,
Catwalk.”

The next morning Billy Sue showed up an hour
after sunrise. She handed Catwalk a plate covered with a napkin and
said, “Here. I figured that diner wouldn’t serve you, so I brought
you something.”

Catwalk took the napkin off to find a plate
of grits, toast and bacon. “I appreciate this Billy Sue. I hope
everyone at your house has enough to eat.”

“
Yeah. My Mother works for
the Katy Railroad, so she’s making enough money to buy
groceries.”

They sat down and discussed their routine
while he ate. Billy Sue said, “I’ll have to bolt brackets on your
king posts so I can fasten my straps to them. I can walk in any
routine you got except snap rolls. If the wind sock is stiff, or if
it’s raining, I don’t walk. Once we get used to working together we
can work out a cable snatch routine.”

Catwalk listened and then asked her about
flying with a woman standing on top of his wing. Billy Sue
explained, “As long as you stick to your pre-arranged routine, so I
know what to expect, there’ll be little difference. You’ll get to
the point that when you fly without me, you’ll miss having me on
your wing.”

“
Great. Let’s get to work
on your gear.”

Catwalk then helped her install the brackets
on the king posts. Once they finished, he took her up and let her
go through her routine. He discovered that he had to concentrate
more on his flying, because he had a tendency to watch her while
she moved around on the wing. After a few practice sessions, she’d
flash her signals and he’d go into the maneuver as if she wasn’t
there. By the time he landed he felt comfortable flying with her on
his wing, and Billy Sue complimented him on his smooth maneuvers.
They spent that afternoon talking over improvements to their
routine.

At the air show the next day, Billy Sue
seemed to draw energy from the crowd as she waved to them from the
top of his wing. He went through the routine with no problems and
even felt like he’d improved because she relied on his flying
skill. On his final pass over the audience, he saw the crowd
applauding enthusiastically and hoped they’d respond likewise when
he passed the hat.

On the ground, Billy Sue said, “Let me work
the audience. I can talk them out of their gold fillings.”

Catwalk agreed and she blended into the
crowd. He watched as she passed the hat while talking with them
about her performance. By the time she was finished the crowd was
laughing like they were at a vaudeville show. From all appearances,
she was perfect at working the audience and Catwalk was content to
let her handle it.

When they counted up the take, they’d earned
eighteen dollars and forty cents; two weeks wages on the farm. With
her usual exuberance, Billy Sue said, “This is nothing. At a fair
in Dallas last year, Dan and I made ninety bucks for two
shows.”

They flew seven shows in the next few weeks
and made expenses plus thirty dollars. Billy Sue had made a name
for herself with her previous pilot, so the word began to spread
and crowds began to grow. Catwalk was content to let her have all
the notoriety, although she sang his praise when working the
audiences. His reputation as a skilled but safe acrobatic pilot
grew, and being accepted by the public pleased Catwalk immensely.
This, plus their increased purses improved his outlook on the
barnstorming profession, but deep down inside Catwalk wanted to fly
airliners and he wouldn’t be truly content until he was back in the
cockpit of the Boeing.

When they spent the night outside, which was
often because there weren’t many hotels that would allow blacks to
rent rooms, Billy Sue had a tent and Catwalk slept under the wing
of the Jenny. One night after a show in Abilene, Cat was laying
under the wing during a rain storm. Billy Sue stuck her head out
and yelled, “Cat, why don’t you come in here with me. It’s drier in
here.”

“
I’m fine, Billy Sue.
Thanks for the invite, but it’s not raining that hard.”

“
O.K. Suit
yourself.”

The next morning, Billy Sue asked him, “Cat,
do you like me.”

“
Sure, I like you and I
like working with you.”

“
Well, then why wouldn’t
you come in the tent last night to get out of the rain?”

“
Actually I didn’t think
it was proper, for you and me to be sleeping together.”

“
We would have been
sleeping together in the same tent, but we wouldn’t have been
sleeping together, not like married folk.” She hesitated, then
asked, “It’s because of Sam, isn’t it? You still feel like you’re
tied to her, don’t you?”

“
Yes, I kind of, do. I
know it’s silly, with her being gone, but that’s the way it
is.”

“
Well, it’s not my place
to say this, but I think you should accept the fact that she’s dead
and get on with your life. I’m sorry if that doesn’t sit well with
you, but that’s my opinion.”

Catwalk smiled, “Thanks for being honest
with me, Billy Sue.” Then he thought, that is much easier said than
done.

Ten days later, they’d just finished a show
in Albuquerque, when Catwalk said, “What would you think about
taking a few days off?”

“
Sure, I’m game. Are you
going somewhere?”

“
No, but I’ll take you
over to the farm where I live. It’s not far from here and you can
rest up. This will give me a chance to work on the Jenny too. She
needs some attention.”

As Billy Sue climbed into the rear cockpit,
she said, “That sounds great. Maybe while we’re there we can work
on a new routine.”

Catwalk landed in the familiar field an hour
and a half later. Julio waved as he spotted the Jenny and walked
over to the plane. Catwalk climbed down and introduced Billy Sue
who shook Julio’s hand, then walked over to the Boeing that was
parked outside the hangar. “Damn, this is beautiful airplane.” She
saw the name and said, “It’s her plane, Hunh?”

“
Yes, it is.”

“
What a gorgeous piece of
machinery.”

“
God damn, if it ain’t the
barnstormer!” Curly had come down from the house. He shook
Catwalk’s hand and said, ”Who is this, Cat?”

“
Curly, this is my
partner, Billy Sue Jenkins.”

She stuck out her hand and said, “Pleased to
meet you, Curly. Cat told me all about his best friend that flies
the big airliners.”

Curly blushed and said, “Aw, that ain’t
nothin’. He’s a better pilot than I’ll ever be. Hey, you guys want
a drink? We ought to celebrate your visit.”

Catwalk declined, but Billy Sue was all
smiles when she said, “Sure, Curly, I’ll have a drink. I’d like to
hear all about airline flying.”

As they walked away he heard Curly telling
her, “There was this one time, when I was landing in Denver. It was
pouring rain and I had an engine out….”

Catwalk thought of their similar demeanors
and how well suited they were for each other. He then wondered if
he’d have to look for another wing walker soon. He retired to the
shack he and Curly shared and lay down with a book. He couldn’t
concentrate on the book because Billy Sue’s words kept coming back
to him, “You should let her go and move on with your life.”

Yes, he should.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Curly and Billy Sue had gone out to the
Bearcat Tavern after dinner. Although Catwalk had wanted to talk to
Billy Sue, he welcomed the chance to stretch out and relax with a
book. At two o’clock they came stumbling into the shack—drunk and
in love.

Curly bellowed, “Hey, Cat, guesh wha’?”

Still half asleep, he answered, “What,
Curly?”

Billy Sue yelled, “We’re getting
married.”

Catwalk wanted to crawl under the covers,
but sleepily he said, “Congratulations. When did you decide
this?”

“
Tonight,” Curly
said.

“
I mean did you decide to
get married when you were sober, or after you got
drunk?”

Curly and Billy Sue were in a tight embrace,
kissing each other with unbridled passion. When they split, Curly
said, “Wha’d you say?”

Cat said, “Congratulations. I’ll sleep in
the barn, so you can have your privacy.”

Curly slurred, “Thanksh, Cat. Hey, -hic-
will you be my besht man?”

“
Curly, I’d be honored.”
With that Billy Sue gave him a big hug and said, “Cat, you’re
wonderful, and you’re the best pilot I’ve ever worked
for.”

Catwalk went to the barn with the intention
of sleeping, but the sounds of their love making came through the
thin walls of the shack for a couple of hours. When dawn broke he
walked up to the house to get a cup of coffee. He asked Julio,
“Have you heard the news?”

“
No, but I heard the two
drunks come home late last night. Christ, they were
noisy.”

“
They’re getting
married.”

“
Oh, really. You know,
Cat, I think liquor causes as many marriages as it does divorces.
I’m betting they’ll wake up this morning and call a truce; make a
more sensible arrangement.”