Today, we ate breakfast & then Gen Yeager did 3 interviews with the press. I keep forgetting we have to educate each new person so when they asked us to please interview with each separately, I replied no, they all ask the same questions and our salaries don’t increase due to it. (Like Hollywood celebrities). We usually ask the interviewers to have read Yeager, An Autobiography first – it answers most questions.
And then if the interviewer still has a question, it is usually interesting. But this time, there wasn’t time.
When the interpreter herself had to translate the same question and same answer many times, she understood and was exhausted.
But General Yeager was a real trooper. This area of Spain is rather poor and unemployment in Spain is around 20% so the people of the region were quite honored that we came to Sort to celebrate the 63rd anniversary of breaking the sound barrier today.
The first stop was the Town Hall. We met the Mayor, the President of the region, Catalonia, some Guardia Civil, the organization to which General Yeager had surrendered when he had walked over the Pyrenees far enough into Spain to be safe. He hadn’t expected a hero’s welcome, but he sure didn’t expect to be put in a jail.
In 1944, after being shot down, helping the Maquis, evading the Germans by climbing the Pyrenees – hiking them for 4 days and nights, he came off the mountains into Sort.
We also met some other officials, and a General and a Colonel in the Spanish Air Force. Col Lopez, who had grown up in this town. These two were very handsome in their uniforms. Col Lopez had not been seen in these parts in his uniform so it was quite a thrill for the town.
Next we went to the jail, now a museum. They unveiled a plaque in General Yeager’s honor. We then went into the next room, very small, the actual jail. There is a stand up toilet there – a hole with two places near to put your feet and good luck.
I was the first one in and stood by this (no longer in use of course and quite clean) to stand out of the way of the group and the photographers. Gen Yeager was next.
I said: Do you mind? I’m busy in here.
He looked and laughed. He turned to General Gil and said, “My wife said: ‘Could we please leave, (she’s) busy.'”
The two star General, a striking, elegant looking man in uniform, looked, saw where I was, and laughed.
Next, and all this time, we were followed by many, many people, we stopped at most likely the place where General Yeager slept in a bed for the first time in a month, Hotel Pessets. The facade is the same – General Yeager said he didn’t remember the hotel, but he remembered the mermaids (naked breasts), which had the Catalonians laughing.
The hotel has moved, but this building has kept the name for its cafe – Cafe Pessets.
We met the owner’s mother, who had been there when General Yeager came through in 1944. She didn’t remember him specifically – so many came through going both ways as refugees and now she was 89 and in a wheelchair. But she looked good – beautiful – and was very gracious to me.
Next, we stopped at the police station. General Yeager made a joke, John gave an AWWWW.
Everyone laughed.
I told John: Good thing you give the sound effects signaling that Gen Yeager is kidding…..just in case.
The two star General turned to me, laughed, nodded, and said: Just in case.
Then we went to the auditorium. Several speeches were given honoring Gen Yeager. And then the Spanish Air Force gave General Yeager honorary Wings. Beautiful – ornate design.
General Yeager’s response: Where’s my airplane?
The local Spanish are not used to a quick, slightly irreverent wit from someone in the military.
General Yeager gave a short speech. Col Lopez translated with paraphrasing. Fortunately most the audience was familiar with English and Gen Yeager speaks slowly and distinctly when he’s in front of people for whom English is not their native language.
So they got his jokes.
We presented the Mayor of Sort and the head of the museum with a lithograph of General Yeager, 3 of the 361 different makes & models of airplanes he has flown, and fish, elk, deer. Great lithograph signed to the museum.
Then Divinas, a trio of dazzling Spanish woman, dressed like the Andrew Sisters sang and danced beautifully, energetically, coquettishly. One couldn’t decide which man to flirt with – on either side of me. General Yeager or the Spanish 2 star General.
Spectacular. I wanted to get up and dance but just danced in my chair. I would say did some “chair dancing” but I recently learned that means something else. I was NOT doing that something else.
The women posed for a photo with Gen Yeager. Hope someone sends it! And gave a signed copy of their CD, Chocolat, 90% swing and 10% country. Can’t wait to listen to it.
Then I’ll be doing car seat dancing. 
Hope that doesn’t mean anything more than that!
We walked to Cafe Pessets for lunch.
It was delicious. My kind of meal. A variety of tapas, including fig with parma ham, saucisson (salami), fish with roe, mushrooms (this is the season in Sort).
I told the two star General, who was seated to my left: Wait until our Deputy Air Attaché tastes the mushrooms before eating them.
The General was getting used to us and our humor by now so he laughed. But then he was reminded of a Thai family of 7 that ended up in the hospital after eating mushrooms. I told him I was only half kidding.
We had salad in a glass and a small main course of tender lamb shank. Dessert was ice cream with yogurt and a fruit puree.
I tried everything. I ate everything. It was outstanding.
I asked one of the Spanish Air Force members their opinion about Iraq and Afghanistan. Our American military that were present were stunned at how direct I was. Why not? I was that way when I found myself next to Ken Lay 7 years ago. Thought about it and jumped in with real questions. I can say: “Nice weather” to anyone but since I’m sitting there, might as well learn something.
To me, the person to whom I posed the question could certainly say they’d rather not discuss it. But he didn’t. He was quite eloquent. And diplomatic. Excellent.
We had another appointment so had to leave – no time for coffee. We said our goodbyes to the General, the Colonel, the Guardia Civil, and the police of Sort, and of Catalonia, the region.
This area was really a smuggling area – refugees, evadees, things…
So when the Germans lost the war, Germans were refugees. One of the Sort men said he traded a pack of cigarettes for a watch.
Many people came up – none remembered General Yeager – at that time he was trying to be invisible. But they were there.
And he was sleeping since he hadn’t really slept in 4 days and nights – in the hotel or eating – not getting out much.
It was a fun day!
c. GCYI