This week's question and answer for "Ask Cap'n Meryl" has to do with ETOPS (Extended Twin Engine Operations) http://www.fromthecockpit.com/Engine_Failure.html   

The BURGER KING CONNECTION
 
Our computer troubles are finally over, at least for now.  Faulty wiring in the video card of Al The Web Guy's main computer, the one used to update my site, caused an overheat and the destruction of the card, which incapacitated his computer.

The repair guy has brought the wrong part three times now, and Al finally gave up and went back to Circuit City, where he had bought the computer.  They sold him a new card at a discount, and Al will return the part on order should it ever actually arrive, and receive a refund when he does.  I have my doubts, but in the meantime www.fromthecockpit.com is updated once again.  Don't forget to submit your own aviation-related questions to me at support@fromthecockpit.com and put Question in the subject line.

Be sure to visit the last uploads to the Photo Gallery here, where I've added some new friends to the Cap'n Meryl & Friends Album, and created a new album called Microsoft Simulator Screen Shots.  There are five new additions, all with August dates:
http://www.fromthecockpit.com/Gallery/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=0   You'll find my friend and fellow pilot Jim Hayward, a helicopter instructor for Army pilots, some screen shots by Microsoft's John Southmayd, a photo of my cousin Michael, whose photos appear in the Animals & Fish album, with a reef shark, and Melinda with husband Dave and Joe the llama.  Melinda is the daughter of my 1980 DC-10 United Airlines flight instructor Jerry Warnke.  You can find him in the San Diego Road Trip album on page 6, or just click here:  http://www.fromthecockpit.com/Gallery/thumbnails.php?album=36&page=6

For those of you interested in tuning in to my telephone interview with the manufacturers of the TrackIR, please note the following:
Date:  August 29th, 2006
Time:  11:00 AM Pacific Time (adjust for your own time zone)
Number to call:  1-620-782-2200  Access Code: 69728
Link to the Product with discount: http://trackir.naturalpoint.com/fromthecockpit
How to submit questions:  Submit to me at support@fromthecockpit.com and put TrackIR in the subject OR you may have a chance to ask questions during the call.  If you already know you have a question, best to do it in advance to make sure it gets covered. 

Last week I mentioned the above call would last "30 minutes to half an hour."  I just wanted to see if you were paying attention, and apparently some of you were.  The error was corrected before it went out onto my Blog at www.fromthecockpit.com/Blogg.  That's what happens when you write stuff at 3:00 AM.  The conference call will last 30 minutes to an hour.

Now, on to this week's title.  At the end of my last Update you may remember this sentence:   "Next week I'll tell you about something I consider extraordinary having to do with my friend Mryna--something that gives me hope with regard to the basic generosity of the human spirit."  If you missed that Update you can find it on my Blog (see link in the paragraph above.) 

Myrna is a very upbeat person.  She's been through the wringer twice now with cancer and is still weak from surgery from this last episode of brain cancer.   She doesn't complain much, with one exception, and that is about the deplorable food served in both the hospital and the convalescent facility she's in now. 

She'd mentioned to me that one of the hospital receptionists brought her a meal one day from Burger King consisiting of a Jr. Whopper and vanilla milk shake.  Myrna, an excellent cook (I know because she once cooked for me in her home) raved about how good it tasted and how it was the first time she hadn't felt absoltuely nauseated after eating.  She's lost at least 20 pounds during this ordeal and I think everyone can relate to cravings for certain things when one is sick.  She went on quite a bit about how delicious it tasted to her.

So I probed a little bit, found out what she likes and doesn't like, pickles or no pickles, mustard or no mustard, etc., and then proceeded to call the first of three Burger Kings I located in the area.  I asked to speak to the manager, who referred me to a second location he said was closer.

This manager referred me to a third one in the area which was even closer, and I found myself talking to a manager named Annie.  It was close to the dinner hour the day I decided to do this, which was several days after the receptionist had brought Mryna her hamburger.

As busy as this harried fast-food manager was, she listened to my story and didn't hesitate.  She said something like, "I get off in half an hour and I'll be happy to deliver it for you."  It absolutely caught me off guard because even though I felt it would be a wonderful surprise for Mryna, it was just too easy and I had been expecting an argument like, "What, are you kidding me?  This is Burger King and we DON'T deliver!"

I couldn't believe my good fortune and gave her my credit card number over the phone, forgot to ask for the milkshake until after the card had gone through, and Annie simply added it with no extra charge.  She took it right to Myrna's hospital bed and when I spoke with Myrna the next day, she was ecstatic. She swore it was the first time she'd kept anything down in days, first decent night's sleep she'd had, and on and on.  It's as if she were stranded on a desert island and all she could think about was what she'd have as soon as she was rescued.

A few days later, after having spent weeks in the hospital, she transferred to a conveslescent facility pretty much next door, and I hoped she'd report to me the food was better.  Unfortunatley, she told me it was as bad or worse.

So I once again picked up the phone and called the same Burger King again.  This time the manager on duty was Trudy, and to my surprise, as soon as I started to explain my story she said,  "Oh, is this Meryl?  Did you want another delivery?  I'll take off a little early and I'll be happy to take it over for you."

I almost fell off my chair.  Annie, the first manager, had told Trudy, another manager, all about it and they said they were both happy to do it.  It's so un-typical in this day and age I just stopped suddenly and said, "Trudy, let me ask you--WHY are you and Annie so willing to go out of your way like this?"

And she said, "Because life is short and we should do what we can to help each other, and Annie feels the same way."

After that, I sent a package to both managers at Burger King with a signed set of my books for each of them, plus a little something extra.  Trudy called me from her home with her husband on the line to thank me for the package, but it's I who am truly grateful to her and Annie for helping me out.  Not only that, but they're each going to deliver another meal or two each to Myrna while she's still laid up, but Mryna doesn't know it yet and has no Internet access for the moment.

It's such a small thing, but in Myrna's place if I had to choose between getting flowers or a hamburger, I'd take the hamburger (with cheese, of course) every time.