My first commercial flight was in 1955 in a DC-6B (four engine prop) from Seattle to Denver. Nice wide comfortable seats, snacks from time to time, and a lunch of shrimp cocktail, filet mignon, baked potato with fixin's, a veggie, and a slice of cherry pie, along with beverage of choice (including "Would you care for a cocktail before lunch?").

By 1961, the size of the seats on passenger planes had dwindled some, but I took a bus trip from Seattle to Berkeley on a Trailways bus. The seats (unlike Greyhound) were as wide as airline seats, there was an on-board rest room in the back, along with a small lounge with a table. They also had a couple of electric shavers "if any of the gentlemen would like to freshen up before arrival." The Trailways bus also featured a "stewardess" (now that you have to call them "flight attendants," what would you call a stewardess on a bus?), who passed out pillows and blankets to those who wanted them, and sandwiches and coffee periodically.   I was amazed!

In 1964, I flew down to Berkeley and back (Berkeley Folk Festival). On the way back on a 707, there were only about a dozen passengers on the plane. The stew passed out drinks to those who wanted them. Then she did it again. And again. . . .    I flew from Berkeley back to Seattle at about 39,000 feet. But the plane was at about 35,000 feet. . . .

The last time I flew, it was from Chicago to Seattle on a DC-10. The seats were almost as wide as those I had encountered on Greyhound buses, and instead of filet mignon, I had one of those little foil bags with five macadamia nuts in it. And . . . oh, yeah, a four ounce paper cup with apple juice in it.

Don Firth