George Bunker Warriner was a seasoned veteran of the airline industry, and he often told a story that he would never forget. It was about a time when Jimmy Merriweather, a co-worker and ramp manager of his, had asked him to do something seemingly strange and mysterious.
One day, near the end of their shift, Jimmy approached George and told him to grab a Bronco, a ramp vehicle used in the airport, and to hook up a cart with half a dozen bags in it. George, curious and a little confused, followed Jimmy’s instructions and drove the Bronco down to an area near the 747 hanger.
As they got to their destination, George realized that he had no idea what was going on or why they were there. Jimmy instructed him to drop off the cart and then drive back to their starting point. George, still curious, asked Jimmy what the purpose of this was, to which Jimmy replied that there was a bomb scare and that those were the bags left unclaimed by passengers. They were leaving them out there for 24 hours to see if any of them would explode.
This news took George by surprise, and he couldn’t help but think that if there was indeed a bomb in one of those bags, it would have detonated on their way there. Despite the potential danger, George couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the absurdity of the situation.
This was a story that George would tell many times over the years, a testament to the strange and unexpected events that can happen in the aviation industry. But it was also a reminder of the camaraderie and humor that can exist even in the face of danger.
The moral of the story is that sometimes, even in high-stress and potentially dangerous situations, one can find humor and camaraderie with their co-workers, and it can provide a much-needed sense of relief. It also highlights the importance of being able to adapt to unexpected events and handle them with a level head.
