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Galley Gossip: Slam clickers, Bob the singing pilot & Laughlin, Nevada
So what do slam clickers, Laughlin, Nevada, and Bob the singing pilot all have in common? Not much. But I'm determined to link them all together in order to show you a photo gallery from my husband's recent trip to Laughlin, Nevada and a funny video of Bob, the singing pilot, at a nightclub in Paris on a layover (at the end of this post). I can do this. Really I can.
A few months ago when my husband told me he wanted to ride his Harley to Laughlin for some biker thing called River Run, I said, "Okay."
"I'll be gone for four nights," he clarified, looking me intently in the eye.
"That's fine. I don't care," I said, because I didn't care. I mean what's not to love about having the entire house to myself for four days straight? "Just stay out of trouble," I added, because it seemed like an important thing to add.
"Are you sure?" he asked, still studying my face for signs of what, I don't know.
"Yes! Go! And have fun!" I demanded, and I meant it, too. I did! If he wanted to take a few days to get away, I had no problem with that. I think everybody should be able to take a few days and get away. It does a marriage good. But then I reminded him, "Just stay out of trouble!" Not that he would get into any trouble, he's not a troublemaker, but lord knows I didn't want to have to load my son into the mommy mobile and drive down there to save him.
All of this talk about getting away reminds me of a quick four-day Carnival Cruise trip I took to Mexico out of Florida with an old boyfriend many years ago. I'll never forget sitting at the dinner table surrounded by three other couples we had just met. We were all the same age - in our late twenties. When I happened to mention that I was a flight attendant, one of the wives said, "I always wanted to be a flight attendant. It sounds like a lot of fun."
Before I could tell her that it was, indeed, a lot of fun, she added, looking longingly at the man sitting beside her, "But I really can't imagine being away from my husband for more than a night. How do you do it?"
I just smiled. There was nothing else to say.
Gallery: Galley Gossip: Laughlin Nevada 2009
Flight attendants are an eccentric bunch. There's no doubt about it, we've got all kinds working for the airlines. But if there's one thing we all have in common, it's the ability to be alone - for more than a night. And the ability to enjoy being alone. As well as allowing the ones we know and love a little space and time to themselves. So when my husband jumped on his bike and roared away, I didn't resent him for doing so. Just the opposite. I was glad he could get away. He deserves to have a little fun now and then. Without me.
Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my family and my family loves spending time with me, but we also love our time alone. When I'm working, I cherish those ten hour layovers. That's me-time. It's the only time I ever get six hours of uninterrupted sleep without hearing the pitter patter of little feet at wee hours of the night. It's also the only time I don't have to watch another episode of Law and Order. That's right, it's HGTV for me, baby! All. Night. Long. And there's nothing like being able to read a good book in bed without someone ordering me to turn off the light! Which is why when I get to my hotel room, I don't ever leave. I'm what they call a slam clicker.
Urban Dictionary defines it best...
SLAM CLICK - 1. To go into a room and lock the door. 2. The noise the door makes as one shuts the door and locks themselves in. A term specifically used by (but not limited to) flight crews after finishing a trip and checking into the hotel for a layover. It indicates those members of the crew that go directly to their rooms and don't go out later with the rest of the crew. I was so exhausted that day, I slam-clicked. I'm a slam-clicker. In fact, I'm slam-clicking it tonight
I'm not the only one who slam clicks. First Officer Kent Wien of Cockpit Chronicles wrote about his Slam Click Layover.
"Slam clickers are just introverts who simply need to recharge," The Savvy Navigator said when I confessed my dirty little secret. I say dirty because no one likes a slam clicker. Including me. Which explains why I joined crew members against slam clickers a few months ago after First Officer Bob, the singing pilot, sent me the link via Facebook. I was just too embarrassed not to join, even though I had no business joining, not when I have a two year-old at home.
Now here's a video of Bob (not slam clicking) on a layover in Paris singing a song he wrote, Pilot Rest Seat Lap Dance. Enjoy
Photo (Laughlin) courtesy of Cobalt123
Filed under: Photos, North America, France, Airlines, Video, Galley Gossip
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Bob the semi-talented singing pilot May 4th 2009 5:32PM
You're one of "THEM" Heather?
A slam clicker? I had no idea. But it is understandable, as you have a little kid at home, have to commute, and have short layovers. Domestic flying.......yeeeech! Blah! ;-(
Just tell me if you picked up a Paris trip that you wouldn't slam click, OK!
The recent trip where I recorded this song had a rare 75 hour Paris layover as part of an 8 day rotation. A mini-vacation! Kinda sorta. Depends on one's outlook. Perhaps mine is warped! Most US airline's European layovers are about 24 hours. Eight day trips go junior. Good. I want them! I bid the longest international layovers I can get. But I am a DINK. If I had kids at home....I'd fly even more! Ha!
Anyway...
How not to slam click on an 8 day trip with a 75 hour Paris layover:
Day 1 - Commute to work. Sit around a few hours in crew lounge. Fly all night to Paris and..
Day 2 - Arrive mid morning. 90 minute bus ride to hotel through Paris traffic. Nap. Awake. See French things and do French stuff. Visit Sacre Couer and have a great dinner at nearby restaurant where no tourists are. Go to crew room and bid trip trades in order to try to un-screw up next month's schedule. Sleep.
Day 3 - Cafe breakfast. Walk through foggy gardens near Eiffel Tower. Fly plane back to US. Go out for a nice dinner.
Day 4 - Awake. Rent mountain bike. Ride to favorite cafe. Then bike on mountain foothill trails. Nap. Depart US in evening, fly all night, arrive Paris at 10:30am next day.
Day 5 - Get to hotel, take power nap for a few hours. Wake up, meet crew, go have a wonderful dinner at Parisian restaurant. Attempt to settle up 380 Euro bill. Go to Pont du Nuef bridge where everybody is sitting around having a party. Find local musicians and join in. Go to night club, Caveau des Oubliettes - aka The Guillotine Bar, and play an open jam session on stage.....after being triple dog dared by flight attendants and other pilot. Go back to hotel. Sleep like a corpse.
Day 6 - Awake early. Meet other crew members. Take train 1.5 hours to Champagne region. Tour Moet Cellars. Sample champagne. Take picture of Dom Perignon statue. Rent bikes. Pedal through vineyards and villages of the Champagne Valley countryside. Buy half case of champagne at mom & pop winery and attempt to fasten it to bike. Success, it didn't fall off and break! Return to Paris. Go to great restaurant again. Sleep like a zombie.
Day 7 - Take bus to Normandy and tour D-Day beaches, museum, and US cemetery. Gain great appreciation for the sacrifice and bravery of our soldiers who landed at Normandy in WWII. Eat dinner at gas station on 3 hour bus ride back to Paris. Sleep like a coma patient.
Day 8 - Awake. Go to cafe and eat breakfast on sidewalk. Stroll through gardens under Eiffel tower. Return to hotel, put on monkey suit, get "gate raped" by French TSA, spend 90 minutes setting up airplane, fly it 10 hours back to the US. Commute home on third attempt. Take week off.
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Bad Airline Mangement Theme Song:
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