“PF” was an IP who worked for me when I was the Chief of Check Section in the 560th FTS (Flying Training Squadron, T-38s). He was a good IP, and I liked him well enough. But PF was a talker! Man, could that boy talk – all day, talk, talk, talk…
One afternoon I was in my office when he came in to talk. About nothing in particular as I recall but it really never mattered. Hardly anyone else could ever get a work in edgewise once he began to talk. On this day I let him ramble on for 4 or 5 minutes, then I got up and walked out of my office, saying nary a word. How could I anyway, not that it would have mattered. And sure enough, he followed along, talking continuously.
My walk took us outside and around the building, then back into my office. He just kept talking, not once asking where we were going. Then, once we got back I managed to break into the conversation and tell him I was off to fly. That got me some relief!
That Friday night, down in the Auger In I happened to run across Susie, his wife. I mentioned the above incident and asked if was always like this. “Oh yes,” she replied, “ever since I met him.
Then she proceeded to share a story of her own. Seems shortly after they were married they visited her folks in Colorado. One morning, just after breakfast, her Dad had to take his ‘morning constitution.’ He excused himself from the breakfast table where he and PF had been sitting; PF talking. Without batting an eye, PF also got up and followed mer Dad to the bathroom, taking up station just outside the door. PF was quite content to stand there, continuing his conversation while Susie’s dad took care of business! I guess he was quite ‘taken aback’ by the experience.
The next day when it once again came time for his morning constitution, he got up and grabbed a chair to take with him – so PF wouldn’t have to stand outside the doorway. Apparently PF never gave it a second thought, took his seat and continued talking. Susie told me that once finished, her dad climbed out the bathroom window and went about his way for the morning – giving his ears a much needed break!
Like I said earlier, I liked the kid; but boy, could he talk!