AMERICANWAY

BRIAN EVANS W R IT E R C A R LTO N S TOW E R S R E S P O N D S : Frankly, Darío, it isn't often that one finds a bona fide celebrity who seems comfortable away from the shine of bright lights. Morgan Freeman is a man clearly at home in his beloved Mississippi Delta. Much more than an Oscar-winning actor, he's a giving friend to his neighbors. GR ANDPA FLYING HIGH If you're a g r a ndpa rent t hese d ay s, you k now how ha rd it is to f ind t h ings to do t h at m a ke you r g r a ndc h i ld r en w a nt t o spend time w ith you, let a lone stay over- night. They want to go to the video arcade or T he Lego Movie for the 10th time. But thanks to the "Jump, Dive and Roll" article in the August "Itinerary," that has changed. Now i f I a sk my g ra ndson i f he wa nts to s p end t he n ig ht , he c a n't w a it . W hy ? I take him to Lil' Ninjas in Dallas, where he gets g reat exercise and learns about how to pick yourself up after you fail. Thanks for the in for mation on the exercise-a nd- entertainment center that has brought our two generations together. R.G. Garcia, Killeen, Texas GROUP EXECUTIVE EDITOR TRAVIS KINSEY RESPONDS: Happy to provide the assist, R.G. Enjoy your time with your grandson! A MELODIC ROLE MODEL As a young female violinist on my first concert tour of America, I was inspired to read about opera singer Isabel Leonard ("Itinerary") in the August issue. Balancing a career with outreach work and raising her baby son is incredible, and I can only dream that in 10 years I might be doing something similar. Laura Rickard, London, United Kingdom A SSOCIATE E DITOR CHRISTIANA NIE L SON RESPONDS: It's great that Isabel Leonard is such an inspiration for you, Laura. She is without a doubt an incredible talent and an accomplished career woman. It's easy to see why she is such a role model not only for musicians but also for anyone attempting to balance a family and a career. We wish you the best of luck in your own musical endeavors. TR AVEL MEMORIES I have been lucky enough to travel to many countries for work and for pleasure. I always enjoy the local culture, the new and exotic foods and the adventure. Part of the journey every time is reading American Way, because the articles tell you about the philosophy of the company and give you great travel tips to use on your journey. When I read the August issue, I was delighted to see a photograph of the beautiful ruins of Bolton Abbey in York- shire ("Over Hill, Over Dale"). I was born in Liverpool, and my mind was drawn back to many family visits to the beautiful dales of Yorkshire. My father took great delight in planning the journey before we set out, and he always took a different route home than we had on our outbound journey. Thank you for reminding me of such precious memories. I never imagined back then that I would have f lown to so many places. It was my father who gave me a love of travel and adventure that has truly enriched my life. Ken Roberts, Little Rock, Arkansas J.H. RESPONDS: Stories that remind us of our parents are always special, Ken. It is nice to know that we could spark that memory for you. CAT POWER I love bodegas, cats and the column ("Chas- ing Bodega Cats") by Gus Garcia-Roberts in the Aug ust issue. A nd it was great to know, even if it was smelly, that the bodega owner was providing litter and food for the cat on dut y. T hose New York Cit y Depa r t ment of Health inspectors who read the article have an opportunity to ponder whether it is time to go progressive. How silly is it to ma ke it illega l to have a cat in a bodega? There was a reason the ancient Eg y ptians revered a nd had c at s i n t he g ra na r ies — to deal with rats and vermin. A nd I think most New Yorkers prefer a cat in the store instead of rats and other vermin. Jane Hoffman, New York C O L U M N I S T G U S G A R C I A - R O B E R T S R E - SPONDS: I would march on City Hall with you on this issue, Jane. Behind us would be an army of mangy calicos from all five boroughs. Free the bodega cats! WINGLETS ROCK T h a n k you so much , A mer ican Wa y, for helping me to understand winglets. I kept seeing them on pla nes, but I never k new what they were. It 's something that kept nagging at me, but now after reading about them in the September "Gearhead" column, I feel l i ke a n ex per t . A mer ican Wa y is a ver y i n for m at ive m a ga z i ne, a nd A mer i- can on the whole has really upgraded my perception of airlines, not to mention the way you recognize and treat militar y per- sonnel. Keep up the good work — the sk y is the limit. Jensen Palacious, Nassau, Bahamas "GEARHEAD" COLUMNIST JOE PAPPALARDO RESPONDS: I've found that some of the mod- ern world's biggest mysteries are things we see right in front of us, Jensen, and sometimes every day. That certainly includes winglets. I am lucky enough to have a forum to ask and answer those questions and share what I've learned. Stay curious! DEAR ADAM PITLUK, As an exclusive American Airlines customer, I spend quite a bit of time in the sky. I always enjoy reading the "Editor's Note" and seeing the per- sonal touch that allows all of us to get to know you: the writer, the person, the son, the husband and the father. When I read your column "Stay Just a Little Bit Longer," in the September issue, by the time I was done, tears were in my eyes. The picture of you and your daughter Maddy is priceless. The way she is holding you shows the love and warmth that are obviously staples in your family. But it's the words that really touched me. I remember when my own children (a daugh- ter now 38 and a son now 34) ventured out and left my wife and me with an empty house dur- ing the day. We wondered where had the time gone? Why don't they need us like they did before? Your column reminded me I had gone through the same experience you are going through now. In many ways, it's the start of the end of the way life used to be, but in many more ways, it's the start of the beginning of the next chapters to come. My advice is to enjoy each chapter. They are fast reads and before you know it, they are gone. Eddie Rabinowitz, Roslyn, New York A.P. RESPONDS: Eddie: I am — and now my wife is — absolutely kvelling after reading your letter. And I'm rereading it again to com- mit your sound advice to memory. What a beautiful sentiment. I'm the same age as your daughter, and I can certainly say — from the child's perspective — you raised 'em right. I very much hope to meet you on a plane someday. Thank you for the kind note. Missed it in the magazine? All American Way articles are available on aa.com/americanway 1 6 N OV E M B E R 2 01 4 A A .CO M/A M E R I C A NWAY

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