Missed it in themagazine?
All
AmericanWay
articlesare
availableon
Magazines.aa.com
AssociateEditorChristianaNielsonResponds:
Thank you,Nina. That was thegoal of this piece,
and I’mgladwe accomplished it.DevonAvenue
certainly is awonderfulmeltingpot.
ReadBetween theFlights
I’mnearingretirementageandhaveflown
AmericansinceIwas inhighschool, somy
familyandIhavedevelopeda lotofbrand
loyaltyover theyears. Istillflyseveral
timesayear,butImissseeing
American
Way
onaregularbasis. Iwaspleased to
openmyemail fromAmerican thisweek
andseea link to thecurrent issue.Thanks
forprovidingmeaway toread themaga-
zineevenwhenI’mnot traveling.
JimTrietsch
Abilene,Texas
SeniorArtDirectorBrianSmithResponds:
Thank for your loyalty toAmericanAirlines, Jim.
In addition toour online version, you can also find
digital editions of
AmericanWay
on your phone and
iPad at theAppleNewsstand.
AdamPitluk’sJune “Editor’sNote”on father-
hoodandHarryChapin received themost re-
sponsesof anycolumnhe’swritten in thepast
sevenyears.Responses are still pouring in.
For 40 years, I have flownonceor twice
each year for themilitary, onbusiness or for
pleasure. I havenever read anoffering from
aneditor, but I did this timebecause takeoff
was delayed. I wasn’t expecting anything as
literate, engaging anddown-to-earth as “Story
of aLife.”Winding thenarrative aroundHarry
Chapin and interviewinghis too-soon-a-widow
wifewas genius.Cheers toMr. Pitluk for teach-
ingme, like it or not, that in someway, we’ll all
be likeour parents.
PaulHarris
Austin,Texas
AdamPitlukResponds:
Better late than
never that wegot ya, Paul. Thanks somuch
for writing in and for givingour publication a
chance. I think on future flights you’ll bequite
impressedwithour commitment toquality
journalism (and the airline’s commitment
to safe, on-time travel). Thank you for your
military service.
Myquickpass through theJune issueof
Amer-
icanWay
was haltedbyAdamPitluk’s “Editor’s
Note.”Tears came tomy eyes. I am the same
vintage asAdam’s father andhave always been
aChapin fan. The reason thiswas all themore
poignant was that I was on a rescuemission
becausemy son, who is 42, had fallen into the
grips of alcoholism. Immediatelymy thoughts
drifted to “Cat’s in theCradle” as I pondered
whether I hadgivenhimenough timegrowing
up. Thepressures of establishing abusiness and
working longhours left little time andenergy
todo those things that perhaps shouldhave
takenpriority.My son’s situation is now vastly
improved, but thedeeply thought-provoking
columnhas been rereadmany times
andwill never leavemybookshelf.
RobHands
Shepparton,Victoria,Australia
A.P.Responds:
This is a verypowerful
message, Rob. Your son is lucky tohave a
father like you. I know, unfortunately, toomany
peoplewho’vebattled the sameproblem and
whohavebeenwrittenoff by their families. I’m
immenselyproud thatmywords couldhelp you
through a rough time. Becauseof your letter,
I’mgoing togo callmydad.
Adam: Your column about the lateHarry
Chapinwas bothheartwarming andheart-
breaking. I write this letter on a flight toCali-
fornia, where I will spendeight days away from
my 3-year-olddaughter. Imake it apriority to
keep traveling formyself but also to showmy
daughter that you can keepdoing the things
you love after being aparent.Mydaughter and
I will soonbe taking adventures together, but
for now, though I look forward tomy vacation, I
miss her. I keep looking forward togoinghome
and amhoping shewill run tome andhugme.
Andmaybe then aswe catchup, I can introduce
bothof us toHarryChapin.
GreciaHuesca
Pomona,NewYork
A.P.Responds:
Youhave the absolute right
idea and approach to travel,Grecia.Andbe-
cause youdo, letme forecast a littleof what lies
ahead: I try to takeeachdaughter on adaddy/
daughter weekend trip at least twice a year.
It’s away forme tohaveone-on-one timewith
eachone, and it’s away for them to compare
where I took them.Make sure you take your
daughter somewhere— just the twoof you—
at least once a year. You’ll bothbe thankful,
and you’ll try toone-up the tripeach time.And
listen toHarryChapinwhile you’reon the road.
He’ll help youdeal with thehomesickness.
CHEERSTOCHAPIN
AIRMAIL
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