This year I have the pleasure of being president of Western Writers of America. The job calls for me to fly somewhere in January for a meeting. It had been held in Albuquerque, N.M., in past years. But we wanted to look at sites for future conventions and the meeting was to be held in Denver. Let me tell you, I am a big old boy and airline seats were made for Argentine Horse jockeys, so only when I can’t drive my pickup, I fly.
First, the third weekend in January is always iffy in northwest Arkansas. I thought for a while about flying Southwest direct from Tulsa, Okla., but getting to Tulsa in winter could be tough. I settled on a flight from North Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) via American Airlines leaving on Friday and coming home Sunday. So the day came and it was zero but no snow, Pat drove me to the airport in the dark. I climbed on the plane. Flew to Dallas/Fort Worth and then to Denver. It was impressive seeing all that land blanketed in snow but we landed smoothly.
The only director who could not get to the airport because he was iced in lived in Kerrville, Texas. My other directors flew in from New Jersey, North Carolina, Santa Fe, Wyoming and South Dakota.
Denver was also host to the big Denver livestock show. Years ago I attended the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Convention there the same time. Our hotel was full of 4-H exhibitors and FFA members, plus their parents. I shook the hand of a young FFA member who had the winning market hog. It’s a real big event in youngsters’ lives and it made things almost like home with all these ranch people.
We had a pre-meeting, six-course Italian meal on Friday night. It was good and fun with all kinds of dishes. Saturday night we went to another recommended eatery. We spent the day budgeting and looking at things we do as an organization and how to change them to be better for our members. A big thanks went to an effective executive secretary, whose husband is a Wyoming cattle rancher, who did a great job of organizing the schedule for me.
So I got up Sunday morning to fly home. I twisted my right knee in late December so I looked like Hopalong Cassidy going through that giant airport. Some TSA agent must have seen me hoppling along and sent me though a speedy lane. That was great. I learned my second flight was going to be later than scheduled and I had to cross Dallas/Forth Worth Airport to catch it.
I hopped over and asked an attendant if she’d get me a wheel chair to make the plane there. She gave me a first class seat on an earlier plane and whisked me out of Denver. That was nice, those seats are spacious. I got back to XNA and no luggage. They checked on my bag and found it had been left in Dallas/Fort Worth no doubt because of my shuffle in flights. But it shocked me that in two minutes they found my bag and said they would get it in on the next flight and deliver it to my hotel or house. A man knocked on my door at 10:30 p.m., with my bag. My cowboy hat is off to American Airlines and all those neat folks who treated me so special.
May the Good Lord bless and keep you and America, Dusty Richards
