1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 2: Hey pals, we've been reminiscing with you listening to some 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 2: classic Ridiculous Crime episodes. One's chosen by the fans themselves. 4 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 2: The rude dudes were on assignment, but it looks like 5 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 2: we should be home soon. We were almost done, and 6 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 2: then I lost my favorite bracelet in the dumpster behind 7 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: the Aurora Coffee Shop in Prudo Bay, Alaska. Zaren and 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 2: I are taking turns looking for it, but it's been 9 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 2: slow going. Wish us luck. This is the fourth of 10 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,199 Speaker 2: four Classics, episode thirty six to be exact. It's the 11 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 2: story of a man with a plan to steal a 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: plane and then do it again. He even got a 13 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 2: cocktail named after him. It's none other than tree Top Flyer, 14 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 2: the high Flying Antics of Tommy Fitz See us soon. 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 3: Oh hey, Sarin, Oh hey, what are we doing here? 16 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 2: You know it's ridiculous? 17 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 3: I do actually, Okay, you ready for this one? You 18 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 3: know John who owns Garfield. 19 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, so you know the cartoon that I'm aware of him? 20 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 3: Yeah? So there is a fan theory that he killed 21 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 3: his best friend to keep his dog Odie. Yes, I know, right, 22 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 3: it's wild. John has his best friend, this dude named Lyman, right, 23 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 3: and Lyman owns Odie the dog, and this is like 24 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 3: in the eighties and eighty three. All of a sudden, 25 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 3: Lyman disappears from the comic strip. So fans start coming 26 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 3: up with this theory that he's in the basement and 27 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 3: that John has basically taken his friend put him in 28 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 3: the basement so we can have his dog. Now. The 29 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 3: cartoon show of Garfield actually decided to answer this question 30 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,919 Speaker 3: because it had become such a like whispered fan moment 31 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 3: that they determined, well, the cartoon show decides to depict 32 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 3: what happened to Lyman. They have him go down to 33 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 3: the Amazon as a natural photographer and he just disappears 34 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 3: while looking for a mythological creature. So like did cupacabre Lyman? 35 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 3: We don't know. But the whole point is is John 36 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 3: is definitely not a amongst us. Sorry line, it is 37 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 3: definitely not amongst us. 38 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: Okay, I need to have one question answered, and I'm 39 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: really serious about this. Where does Kathy come into all that? Back? 40 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 3: I would say she and John always seem like they 41 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 3: should have been dating, you know what I mean. It's 42 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 3: like you read one comic you read another like, why 43 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 3: can't these two kids just wake at work? 44 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 2: You know? 45 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 3: How do we get them together? Mary Worth? What can 46 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 3: you do about this? 47 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 2: Lu Anne? Come on in. 48 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 3: We need some teenage energy now, family circus kids can 49 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 3: get this to happen in some chaos. 50 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 2: That's ridiculous. 51 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 3: Thank you? 52 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 2: Do you win? 53 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 3: There you go? 54 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 2: You want to know what else is ridiculous? 55 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 3: Oh? 56 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 2: Do getting drunk, stealing a plane, flying said plane into 57 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: New York City, landing it on the street. Oh, and 58 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 2: doing it twice? 59 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 3: Yes? So who's my new favorite hero? 60 00:02:52,080 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 2: You find out? I'm Elizabeth Dutton and he you can 61 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 2: see him look over there. He's Aaron Burnette. You can. 62 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: And this is Ridiculous Crime A podcast about absurd and 63 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 2: outrageous capers. Heiss and cons. It's always ninety nine percent 64 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: murder free and one hundred percent ridiculous. The story I 65 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 2: have for you today's Sarin was suggested to us by 66 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 2: our Instagram pal, Sarah Reeves. 67 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 3: Oh thank you, Sarah Reeves. 68 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 2: She really came through here big thanks to Sarah Reeves. 69 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 2: She also has some cute dogs as her Instagram profile picture. 70 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 3: Nice. 71 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 2: It's very rad, very on brand for the. 72 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 3: Very definitely fan of the dogs. 73 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, rude dudes. In effect, I do have to say 74 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 2: that we get tons of crime suggestions and that's amazing. 75 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: We have what we call the Big Board here at 76 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 2: Ridiculous Crime Headquarters, and as you know, because you're there, 77 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 2: we pin up all the ridiculous crimes that we plan 78 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 2: to tell on the podcast. I got to tell you something. 79 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 2: That board is crowded right now. 80 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 3: Oh it's stacked. Yeah, it's just a bunch of madness 81 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 3: all stacked together with pins. 82 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 2: And we do. We have that team of interns. They're 83 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 2: just a bunch of dogs wearing sunglasses and tank tops. 84 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: But they're interns, confident, unpaid. They're the ones who answer 85 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 2: all the emails and the dms. Did you know that 86 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 2: I did not. I hope they're not being offensive. They're 87 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 2: always on their phones, like eating beef jerky, dancing to 88 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 2: the music of Glenn Fry. I can't get them to 89 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 2: really get any work done anyway. 90 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 3: I can't get them to listen to Joe Walsh. I'm like, 91 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,600 Speaker 3: please they go. 92 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 2: So we get a lot of crime suggestions and then, 93 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 2: like I said, this is one of them and it's fantastic. 94 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: So I want to kick this off A little question 95 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: for you, hot shot Saren. Have you ever flown a plane? 96 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 2: Do you like Gladiator movies? 97 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 3: Have you ever seen a grum Man? 98 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 2: That's have you ever flown a plane? 99 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 3: Okay, no, I have never flown a plane. Thus far, 100 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 3: people have been wise enough to keep me away from 101 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 3: the cockpit, and I would if given a chance. And 102 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 3: I've never criminally made this occur, because you know, I've 103 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 3: been tempted a couple of times. I won't lie, but 104 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 3: thus far, no, and I'm hoping to change that. 105 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 2: Okay, So you're like an aviation guy. Did you have 106 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: a flight simulator computer program when you were a kid? 107 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 3: You know, I jacket Me and my neighbor across the street, Jay, 108 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 3: We would play a lot of these types of games, 109 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 3: and so we would be a comparing flight simulator and 110 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 3: they coming up with like, oh, you got to do 111 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 3: this run, and like yeah, we were like aviation geeks 112 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 3: and my friend Ted. We would go to Air Force 113 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 3: bases to go to air shows and like crawl all 114 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 3: around the planes and imagine ourselves. So for a long time, 115 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 3: I've wanted to be up in the wild blue yonder 116 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 3: and thus far, only gravity in the law have kept 117 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 3: me from it. 118 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 2: It was like, so, yeah, you're there are a lot 119 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 2: of aviation people super into it. I don't really care 120 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: either way. The caveman part of my brain still can't 121 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 2: get with the whole flying in the air thing really well. 122 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 2: I just try not to think about it. Like I 123 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 2: can get into a big old plane, a bigin ok. 124 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 2: But the idea of why does a. 125 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 3: Big plane work? Make more sense to you. 126 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: I don't know a lot of money went into it, 127 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 2: so all right, But those little ones that they build 128 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: themselves are little scooter rounds in the air. 129 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 3: People don't build a little plan. I mean they build 130 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 3: the lighter than the air ones. 131 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 2: Cars there. Some people are all about that flight life. 132 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 2: But you know, here's the thing, Like I joke, these 133 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: people know what they're doing. Yes, so you know, just 134 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 2: to put that out there. But piloting a plane equal 135 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 2: parts technical skill and art, don't you think? 136 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 3: Yeah? I think that's a there's an art to it. 137 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 2: I want to tell you about a man who had 138 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 2: that skill and that art and artists. 139 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 3: And hommy sister. 140 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 2: He also sprinkled a good helping of ridiculousness over the 141 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 2: whole thing. Our kind of guy let's talk about Thomas 142 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: Fitzpatrick aka Tommy. 143 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 3: Fitz Tommy fitz good, good nick. 144 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: I'm not giving him that nickname. That's that's what people 145 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 2: called him. Oh, of course, I mean Tommy Fitz. 146 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 3: If your name is Tommy Fitzpatrick, I'm calling you Tommy Fish. 147 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 2: Tommy fits born in New York City, NYC, Big Apple, 148 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 2: nineteen thirty. Nice so got that down. When he was 149 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 2: like fourteen or fifteen, he lied about his age and 150 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: he enlisted to fight in w W two. 151 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 3: I like a good Irish lad. 152 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 2: He served in the Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater, 153 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 2: and not just like hanging around peel and potatoes. 154 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 3: He was in combat, awesome brutal fighting out there. 155 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 2: Can you imagine being fifteen and like in crazy combat 156 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 2: in like Guadalcanal? 157 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 3: Yes, because I was fifteen. 158 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 2: Oh that's right, you were and you were there. 159 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 3: No. But as a fifteen year old boy, we all 160 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 3: think that, oh I could totally do this. So as 161 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 3: a fifteen year old, yes, I can't imagine putting myself 162 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 3: in that situation. 163 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 2: And I think fifteen year old boys probably too. Because 164 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 2: of that inflated sense of confidence, you can get away 165 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: with a lot that's the sec need to lower the 166 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 2: enlistment age. 167 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 3: Then started merling, I don't think that's the answer. 168 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 2: So back to Tommy fitz He was honorably discharged from 169 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 2: the Marines in nineteen forty nine. Then he turned around 170 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: and he joined the army and served during the Korean War. 171 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 2: And it was there that he received a silver Star 172 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 2: and a purple heart. 173 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 3: Who wow. 174 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's a big dude. Got injured and let me 175 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 2: tell you about what he did quote I know you 176 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 2: love the question. During a strategic withdrawal, Corporal Fitzpatrick noticed 177 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: a wounded officer about one hundred yards forward of his position. 178 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: In attempting a rescue, he and a companion were seriously wounded. 179 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 2: Corporal Fitzpatrick, despite severe pain and loss of blood, made 180 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 2: it back to safety, directed a second successful rescue party, 181 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 2: organized and provided covering fire to support the rescue. So 182 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 2: he's about total bad ass kids. Nineteen fifty two, the 183 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 2: Korean thingy. 184 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 3: The conflict, Korean War, Yeah, the Korean thing. 185 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 2: As it's known in the history books. Over, he came 186 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 2: back to Jersey and he got work as a Union 187 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 2: steam fitter. Okay, good union guy. As a side gig, 188 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 2: though he worked as an airplane mechanic at Teterborough School 189 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 2: of Aeronautics, and then he also took flight lessons there. 190 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 2: So it's kind of a clever thing. He's like, he's 191 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 2: working like a hard, full time job during the day, 192 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 2: but I think he was probably getting like free lessons 193 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 2: because of the mechanics stuff he was doing. 194 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 3: I like it. 195 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, So he's lived a serious life and he's in 196 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 2: his like early mid twenties, just working hard, playing hard. 197 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 3: As one does when you're in your twenties. 198 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 2: He's a busy, on the go lifestyle. 199 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're a veteran. You want to shake off all 200 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 3: those cobwebs. 201 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 2: Of a war, let off a little steam, you know. 202 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 2: So he's living in New Jersey, but a lot of 203 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 2: times he'd go into Manhattan to hang out in Washington 204 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 2: Heights where he grew up, and he had a wild 205 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: bunch of friends there, and they like to get loose. 206 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 3: What kind of loose were talking about? 207 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 2: Loss? 208 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 3: Nice? 209 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 2: I want you to picture it. 210 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 3: Take me there, New. 211 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 2: York, New York. 212 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 3: It's a town, hell poddling town. 213 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 2: September twenty ninth, nineteen fifty six. 214 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 3: The Bronx is up and Brooklyn is down. 215 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 2: You, Sarah, and you're sitting in a bar Washington Heights 216 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,319 Speaker 2: called Joe's and it's at the corner of one hundred 217 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 2: and ninety first Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue. So picture it. Okay, 218 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 2: I'm there there, it's you. And there's like a bunch 219 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 2: of neighborhood guys drinking, shooting, pool sharing raucous stories. Now, 220 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 2: there was some sort of bachelor party earlier in the evening, 221 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:47,079 Speaker 2: and some of these guys then have like, this is 222 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 2: the after party. I suppose it's getting kind of late, 223 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 2: but these guys are a little bit bonkers. 224 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 3: Oh a bachelor party after party, Yeah, that's. 225 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 2: Going to be a loose So there's one guy who's there, 226 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 2: big husky, blonde character, and he's start claiming that he 227 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 2: can get from New Jersey to Manhattan in fifteen minutes. 228 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 3: That's okay, I don't know New York that well, yeah, 229 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 3: thinking that's impossible. 230 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: Well I kind of looked at the map and yeah, 231 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 2: I think it'd be difficult. What he's saying. That guy, 232 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 2: Tommy Fits, I was wondering. 233 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:17,199 Speaker 3: I was wonder if they're gonna be another guy like that. 234 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 3: He was the Swede and the sleet was saying, so 235 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 3: Tommy Fits, I. 236 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,719 Speaker 2: Like Tommy Fitz. Now there's another guy at the end 237 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 2: of the bar and he tells Tommy Fits, buddy, you're 238 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 2: full of it. 239 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 3: Then they say, yeah, listen, pal, I've heard that kind 240 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 3: of talk before you. 241 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 2: Get out of town. Tommy's like, wanta bet and the 242 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 2: wager was made, So we got a bar bet going on. 243 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 3: You know, I love them. 244 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 2: Tommy Fits hops in his car and drives to New Jersey. 245 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 2: Three sheets to the wind, takes to the roads. I'm 246 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 2: sure the guy's in the bar thinking he's just gonna 247 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 2: head home and pass out. He's like again, yeah, but 248 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: you know, he's just gonna drunk drive his way back 249 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 2: to Jersey. It's almost two in the morning at this point. 250 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 2: So Tommy fits, though he's got other plays, other ideas. 251 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 2: He drives to Teeterborough Airport in New Jersey and he 252 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 2: heads over to the School of Aeronautics. 253 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 3: He drives to work, drives to work drunk at he's 254 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 3: had a pilot slce, he's got a bet going go on. 255 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:15,839 Speaker 2: He's had a pilot's license for like two and a 256 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:16,439 Speaker 2: half years. 257 00:12:16,559 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 3: Okay. 258 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 2: He gets to the school and he talks to David 259 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:23,559 Speaker 2: Van Dyke Junior, who's that that's the son of one 260 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 2: of the field operators who's also a part owner of 261 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 2: a Sessna. 262 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,080 Speaker 3: I was hoping it would be like Dick Van Dyke's 263 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 3: father's brother. 264 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, well maybe let's say, okay, perhaps. 265 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 3: The Dick van Dyke's uncle does what. 266 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 2: So Tommy goes up to David Van Dyke Junior and says, hey, hey, pal, 267 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: can I borrow that Cessna one forty. That's sweet Cessna 268 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 2: one forty. You just built yourself out of tooth picks. 269 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 2: He's like, listen and I'll settle up with your pops 270 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: in the morning. Like it's cool, David. What does he say? 271 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 2: And I quote, I don't care, Like that's in all 272 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 2: the stories in the present time. 273 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 3: I don't care, Thanks, Junior. 274 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 2: Right, So, I think we should talk about the fact that, 275 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 2: you know, driving and biking, flying, all these things not 276 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 2: good when drunk. 277 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're not supposed to operate heavy or light machinery 278 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 3: when drunk. I've been told this numerous times. 279 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 2: Well you know you aren't. There restrictions on pilots about 280 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 2: like how much they can Oh yeah, I've. 281 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 3: Seen that Denzel Washington movie flight. There definitely are restrictions. 282 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 3: Otherwise they fly upside down. Bad things happen, so. 283 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 2: You can you know, you can get a b UY 284 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: biking under the influence, that's true. Have you ever gotten 285 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 2: a b U? 286 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 3: I no, no, I'm too fast. 287 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 2: I've seen people get them. 288 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 3: Yeah. I grew up in a biking town, Davis, and 289 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 3: that's that was very common. In fact, they have bike 290 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 3: cops who would chase you, and so you get pulled 291 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 3: over by a person on a bike, like yeah, that's 292 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:39,439 Speaker 3: the whole thing. 293 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 2: And then of course there's the d UY. Now the 294 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:47,439 Speaker 2: f UI. Can you get a flying under the I think, so, 295 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 2: how does that work? They pull you? 296 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 3: I think it's a p UI. It's a piloting under 297 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 3: the influence. 298 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 2: It's like your drive it. You're flying the plane and 299 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 2: then there you look in the rear view mirror on 300 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 2: the outside of your plane. There's snoopy on a the podcast. 301 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, I've seen Woodstock and he looks like Woodstock's looking 302 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 3: hard at you. Did you? 303 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 2: Yeah? Sure? 304 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 3: How high were you? 305 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 2: I got I got hit in the head. So we 306 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 2: have all these ways that you can get busted, but 307 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 2: it's bad. Don't operate machinery well, drunk. 308 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 3: Bad business, bad business, don't do that. 309 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 2: Let's go back and talk about David Van Dyke Junior. 310 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: What's he doing at the airfield in the middle of 311 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 2: the night. 312 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 3: I'm thinking he was sleeping there, because like you sleeping 313 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 3: one off. 314 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, probably. I think everyone in the story is drunk. 315 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 3: I was. I just assume any story before, like nineteen 316 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 3: fifty eight, everyone's drunk. 317 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 2: All ages are on opium. Yeah, all of the above. 318 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, especially the young ones. That one. They're smoking too. Well. 319 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 2: So he's just sitting there and all of a sudden, 320 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 2: some big boy comes in and is like, give me 321 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 2: that plane. 322 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 3: This is just where's my bottle? 323 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, so it wasn't even his plane to lend out. 324 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 2: That's his dad's plane, and his dad's only the half owner. 325 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 2: So but he won't. 326 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 3: Nice pale son. 327 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 2: So Tommy Klimb inside the Sessna, starts her up, does 328 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: David spin the propeller and then tells him to stand 329 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 2: on the biplane wing, and then off he flies. Takes 330 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 2: off in the Sessna. He goes over the Hackensack River 331 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 2: and then over Palisades Park and then over the Hudson River. 332 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 3: Nice order. 333 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 2: I wonder if he could see Hudson University from up there. 334 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 2: He flies over Washington Heights where he grew up, turns 335 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 2: around over the Harlem. 336 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 3: River, does a little wing wave. 337 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's now he's probably like fires off rockets. 338 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 3: Now. 339 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 2: It's now just before three in the morning. Okay, And 340 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 2: where in the world is this drunken aviator going? 341 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 3: Well, all I know is he had fifteen minutes, so 342 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 3: he's definitely not winning that bed. 343 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: Let's take a break to hear a whole bunch of ads, 344 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 2: and then when we come back, we're going to join 345 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 2: Tommy Fitz back up in the air. 346 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 3: Is there a flight attendant on the sessnaing? 347 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 2: Okay? Welcome back, Zaren. 348 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 3: Oh hello, what's a little bit you do during the break? 349 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 3: Oh so I popped onto d Pop and I bought 350 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 3: a brown leather bomber jacket and a scarf. This whole 351 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 3: conversation got me heated. What kidding me? Wait till you 352 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 3: see it. You're gonna be like man, That. 353 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 2: Guy like super cool cool. 354 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 3: I bet he was in an imaginary Hollywood war. 355 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 2: He looks like Tommy fits speaking of witch. Nice segue, 356 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 2: Thank you, It should work for local news. 357 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, those smoother and slit. 358 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 2: I like when they have to talk about something, either 359 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 2: go for either super happy to too sad, or vice versa. 360 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 3: I like me that when they go from the car 361 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 3: crash to the and the puppy was born at the 362 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 3: zoo today, the puppy, I don't. 363 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 2: Know the zoo aka pouse. We're going to go to 364 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 2: the zoo today. Just take them to the pound. 365 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 3: My kids, they think this is the zoo. It's the best. 366 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 2: That's the reptile enclosure. 367 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 3: No, it's not the dumpster. 368 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 2: Okay, anyway, Tommy Fits so. 369 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 4: Tommy, all right, so thank you so well, so we 370 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:44,119 Speaker 4: may oh my god, we have to keep funny. 371 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 2: Anyway. So when we left off, Tommy Fits was driving drunk, 372 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 2: which infuriates me. You know what, technically he was flying drunk, right, No, 373 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 2: he drove drunk. He drove drunk. 374 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 3: From Washington still drunk when he was flying. 375 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, but we're talking about step by steps. One drive 376 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 2: drunk from Washington Heights to New Jersey. Lame. That makes 377 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 2: me really mad. 378 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 3: Demerit one. 379 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. Then he borrows Assessa one forty and takes off okay, yeah, lame, 380 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 2: okay to loser, and then it's about seven miles from 381 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 2: Teeterborough Airport to Washington Heights as the crow flies, according 382 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 2: to the measurement tool on Google Maps. Yeah, look at me. 383 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 2: Obviously driving is going to take longer than like you know, 384 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 2: so Tommy. But so he makes a bet with the 385 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 2: guy at Joe's Bar that he can get from Jersey 386 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 2: to Washington Heights in fifteen minutes, but he doesn't tell 387 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 2: him how sure, So I'm not going to count the 388 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 2: time that it took him to get to New Jersey. 389 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 2: But like, let's say, I don't know how long does 390 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 2: it take to fly from Teeterborough to you. 391 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 3: Said to seven miles, So it couldn't take long, right. 392 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 2: He leaves the bar around too, So it's now almost 393 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 2: three and he's cruising the skies above Manhattan. Tommy surveys 394 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 2: the landscape. Okay, looks out there, he's got his like 395 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 2: silk scarf flapping in the wind. I want you to 396 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 2: keep it. 397 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 3: Where's the closest airport and I can put this scarf 398 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 3: down in I want. 399 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 2: You to keep in mind that the wingspan of this 400 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,479 Speaker 2: plane is thirty two feet feet on an airport. As 401 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 2: you were saying that a big deal. Thirty two feet 402 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,640 Speaker 2: Tommy looks down and he sees Saint Nicholas Avenue. 403 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 3: Oh tell me where the bar was? 404 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 2: Street's dark. The city that Never sleeps was totally asleep 405 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 2: right now, not much traffic. Mus did wake up everybody. 406 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 2: Tommy begins his descent. Yes, he dips down below the 407 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 2: roofline of the apartment buildings on either side of the street, 408 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:48,119 Speaker 2: brings the plane down into a smooth landing, thirty two 409 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 2: foot wingspan, sliding into a street that's sixty feet wide. 410 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 3: That's tight. I like this. 411 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 2: Touches down, pulls the plane to a stop right in 412 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 2: front of Joe's Bar. 413 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:00,439 Speaker 3: You're kidding me, are you? You're a kid? He's in 414 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 3: front of the bar. He timed it so well, He's like, 415 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 3: and cut the engines. Here we are. 416 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 2: Pops out of the Cessna, struts into the tavern, orders 417 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 2: a beer just in time for last call. Oh my, NuGen, 418 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 2: the place goes nuts. I'm going nuts, Yeah you are, 419 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 2: I'm watching goes nuts. Then the bar closes and Tommy 420 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 2: gets a ride from a friend back to Teeterborough to 421 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 2: pick up his car. 422 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,120 Speaker 3: Wait, he leaves the plane in the middle of the road. 423 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 2: Leaves the plane in the middle of the road. 424 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 3: Take that Van Dyk. 425 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 2: He runs into Donald Hulse. 426 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 3: Is that a friend of yours? 427 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, loser, you just. 428 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 3: Said it all casual. 429 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:42,479 Speaker 2: Don Donald is the other owner of the plane, and 430 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 2: he does care. I'm like, David Van Dyk Jr. Where's 431 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 2: my plane? Tommy. Tommy's like, yeah, about that Hulse outrage? 432 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 3: Do you know how to get around in Manhattan? 433 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 2: So Tommy decides, you know what, I'm just going to 434 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 2: head back to Washington Heights and see check on my 435 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 2: handiwork here. See what's up with the plane? So he 436 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 2: pulls up towards Joe and he sees that the plane 437 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 2: is still sitting in the middle of the street. 438 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 3: It hasn't been like strip, no hub caps, it's up 439 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 3: on blocks. 440 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 2: But now it's surrounded by cops in the press. Oh yeah, 441 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 2: of course it's a busy thoroughfare that he has blocked 442 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 2: off with a plane. So Tommy tells the cops that 443 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:20,959 Speaker 2: he'd come into town for a party the night before 444 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 2: and then headed back to Titeborough and then he was 445 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:27,199 Speaker 2: like struck with his sudden desire to fly. Couldn't help it. 446 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:28,400 Speaker 3: Haven't we all been there? 447 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 2: He had an urge he just had to pop in 448 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 2: borrow a plane, as he said, And then he said that, well, 449 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 2: when he was flying over Manhattan, the engine started to 450 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 2: quit on him, and then he tried to radio the 451 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 2: airport but he couldn't get a signal. He had no chance, 452 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 2: no choice but to put her down in the street. 453 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 2: But his luck would have it, he landed right in 454 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 2: front of the place he'd been partying in earlier. 455 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 3: Officer. I was just trying to save lives. You know, 456 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 3: what can I do? 457 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 2: It's a life full of weird coin. So the cops 458 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 2: checked the plane, No engine trouble, no sign of engine trouble. 459 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 2: Radio fully funked. Wait a minute, yeah, come on, tommy. 460 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 2: So Sergeant Harold Barons of the Police Aviation Bureau, Star 461 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 2: of Law and Order Aviation. He said at the time 462 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 2: that the odds against such a landing were one hundred 463 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 2: thousand and one. 464 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 3: Did he know how odds work? 465 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 2: No, okay, and that's but that's the artistry we're talking about. 466 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 2: There are no odds in artists. 467 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 3: When people come up with odds like that, oh yeah, 468 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 3: did you even work? Never mind? 469 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 2: He then he showed he pulled out a flip charts. 470 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 2: I took all the scenarios that I ran through statistics. 471 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 2: The police had to confiscate the Sessa, of course since 472 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 2: it was evidence, so they dismantled it. 473 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 3: Oh they didn't just like fly it away. They towed it. 474 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 2: Away like Tom Hals come get your No, well that's 475 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 2: what they did. They but they had to take the 476 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 2: wings off in order to toe. So they take the 477 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 2: wings off and tow it to Pier seventy three. 478 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:51,400 Speaker 3: Why didn't they just let him fly it off? 479 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 2: Because like cops, Yeah, losers, they're buzzkills. Halse Don Hols 480 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 2: and then Fan Dyke Senior had to get a release 481 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,160 Speaker 2: from the DA's office to get their plane back because 482 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 2: it's like evidence at this point of. 483 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 3: What I mean, like, honestly, what is the crime? If 484 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 3: they don't say he's. 485 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 2: Stole, you're going to find out Tommy gets arrested, there's 486 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 2: a crime. There's your ridiculous what liittering he's charged with. 487 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 2: He's charged with suspicion of grand larceny because he didn't 488 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 2: really borrow the plane. They were suspicious about his story. 489 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 2: Reckless airplane driving is one of the charges. That's not 490 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 2: a real that's going to be a charge you'll see 491 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 2: in your life at some point, improper landing is a charge. 492 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 3: Okay, I've in charge with that. 493 00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. And that's like if I fall down the stairs 494 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 2: and the cop appears, are like, girl. 495 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 3: You park a sailboat on the dock. They're like a 496 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 3: proper landing. 497 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 2: And then also flying with an outdated Civil Aeronautics Administration 498 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 2: medical certificate. Wait what I guess like he didn't get 499 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 2: his his like medical clearance to fly. He had a 500 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 2: pilot's license. 501 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 3: But have a CPR card. 502 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 2: It's it's like a it's just like an administrative bureaucratic 503 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 2: like in New. 504 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 3: York, like, oh, you need to have your cabaret card. 505 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 3: Like they just love these, like you like a smog check. Yeah, 506 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 3: oh okay the California. 507 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 2: California is the smog check. Yeah. So Felony Court Magistrate 508 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 2: Edward J. Chapman. 509 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 3: That's a serious name. 510 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, he's he's real deal, he says. The bail 511 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:20,479 Speaker 2: at five thousand dollars. 512 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 3: See I could tell right away. Serious kind of guy. 513 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 2: He says he's doing that as a deterrent to other 514 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 2: foolish young men who get drunk and fly a plane. 515 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:28,880 Speaker 3: Aren't you a killer? 516 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 2: There's so many out there and they're going to flip through, 517 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:34,919 Speaker 2: get drunk and fly a plane quarterly like, oh Tommy 518 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 2: Fitz got pinched for that. 519 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 3: Now the kids are gonna be doing this. 520 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 2: Ever here to Poughkeepsie, and the judge says, a great 521 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 2: many terrible things could have happened. 522 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, of course, a lot of people's criminal imaginations are 523 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 3: just like I don't know, I don't want to say ridiculous, 524 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 3: because that's what we do, but that's ludicrous, like, come on, judges, 525 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 3: is not gonna die. 526 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 2: But I can kind of feel like in my mind, 527 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 2: I'm also thinking like all of the absolutely hideous disasters 528 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 2: that could have gone down with this. Yeah, it could 529 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 2: have beheaded so many people. 530 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 3: That's where you go, be headed, crashed into a clothes 531 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,119 Speaker 3: line and gone into an apartment building. No, could have 532 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 3: been off. 533 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 2: It could have been a parade of like children with clowns. 534 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 2: And then he's like flying, yeah, those three am children's. 535 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 3: Per I'm gonna have to stop you right there. This 536 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 3: is dangerous criminal driving of a metaphor. 537 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 2: Thank you, So I feel relieved that I can let 538 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 2: go of that. The grand larceny charge winds up getting 539 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 2: dropped a few weeks later because Donald Hulse decides not late. Yeah, okay, 540 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 2: Tommy Fits. He's fined one hundred dollars after being found 541 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:45,679 Speaker 2: guilty of landing without a permit. 542 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 3: So it's a parking ticket, reckless operation. 543 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 2: Of a plane, and flying without a medical certificate. 544 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 3: Whatever. 545 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:56,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, So he has his pilot's license suspended for six months. 546 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,440 Speaker 2: No big. He's like, guess what, guys, I'm never flying again. 547 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 2: I don't need a license. 548 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 3: Do you think I look like a law abider? 549 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 2: So all's well, that ends well, right, No, No, let's 550 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 2: stop for commerce, and when we come back, I'll let 551 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 2: you know how Tommy continued to bring the ridiculous. So 552 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 2: we were in nineteen fifty six. Now in early October 553 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 2: of nineteen fifty eight, almost exactly two years later, Tommy 554 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 2: Fits gets drunk, steals plane, flies from Peterborough Airport, New 555 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 2: Jersey to Washington Heights in Manhattan and lands in the 556 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 2: middle of the street. 557 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 3: Did someone say, I don't believe you? And he's like, bet, 558 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 3: I'll be right back. 559 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 2: Exactly what happens. He's at a different neighborhood bar in 560 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 2: Washington Nights, not Joe's. He's drinking, it's about midnight. He's 561 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 2: totally bragging about this infamous flight. 562 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 3: Two years later, one would. 563 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,719 Speaker 2: He's become a local legend with this. People see him 564 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 2: and they're like, oh, that's Tommy Fitz. 565 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 3: You know what he did. He's amazing, lucky Tommy fits. 566 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 2: But like if you see him, get in a car, 567 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 2: go hide. 568 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 3: The Lindburg of Greenpoint. 569 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 2: Another guy in the bar, This guy from Connecticut. He 570 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:27,679 Speaker 2: apparently didn't believe Tommy. 571 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 3: Connecticut. 572 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 2: There's just no way that Tommy stole a plane. 573 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 3: He's always looking down on New York. 574 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 2: No way he flew it back. This is ridiculous. 575 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:36,360 Speaker 3: This is just you don't know how we do here, 576 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 3: go back to Connecticut. 577 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 2: Tommy didn't like that. He didn't take kindly. 578 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 3: See I'm fired up like him. 579 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 2: Wanted to prove himself one more time, just like you would. 580 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 2: So Tommy has the guy from Connecticut, who the papers 581 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 2: referred to at the time as the nutmegernut MegaR. Well, 582 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 2: isn't it like the nutmeg state? 583 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:57,239 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, of the soccer term like when you've been 584 00:27:57,240 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 3: made foolish when the ball goes between your legs, the nutmeg. 585 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:07,479 Speaker 2: Nutmeg state of mind. So the Nutmeger drives him to Teeterborough, okay, 586 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 2: And they go to the aeronautics school. 587 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 3: Just like take me to work for drunken enough. 588 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 2: So yeah, but his thing is like, oh you don't 589 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 2: believe me, drives me. I'm responsible. 590 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:19,760 Speaker 3: I don't have a license anymore to. 591 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 2: Hear the designated driver. So they go and they look 592 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 2: at Donald Holse's planes one more time. Pick one of 593 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:31,119 Speaker 2: those this time, though, he picks the Cessna one twenty 594 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 2: that has an even bigger wingspan of forty foot wingspan. 595 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 3: Good choice. 596 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 2: He's like, I'm just gonna upsize on this, Yeah, go bigger, 597 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 2: supersize it. So he jumps in the plane and he 598 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 2: takes off. 599 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 3: That does he take the Nutmeggar with him or he's 600 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 3: next day here, I'll be back. 601 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 2: I think he left the Nutmeger. The Nutmeger was all 602 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 2: like one loan tier going down his cheek as he 603 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 2: watches him fly off into the great blue yonder. So 604 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 2: he gets in the plane, takes off, doesn't notify the tower, 605 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 2: of course, doesn't put on his running legs. 606 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,959 Speaker 3: Flight plan, no lights, lights, I like it. 607 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:07,280 Speaker 2: He's run silent, run deep private Blitzkrieg. Doesn't use his radio, 608 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 2: of course, nothing, just out the window, safety, last, safety, last, 609 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 2: So this time though he's doing like serious tree top 610 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 2: flyer moves. He's skimming rooftops. It's freaking people out. Well, 611 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 2: he's got a he's got a bigger plane. This time 612 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 2: it's a little bit heavier. 613 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 3: Drinking Johnny Walker. 614 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: This time he brings the plane down for a landing 615 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:33,880 Speaker 2: at one hundred and eighty seventh Street in Amsterdam Avenue Harlem. No, 616 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:36,360 Speaker 2: it's still sort of Washington Heights ish. It's like six 617 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 2: blocks from Joe's. 618 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 3: Okay, okay word. 619 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 2: So the witness statements about his landing are amazing. 620 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 3: I can't wait. 621 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,760 Speaker 2: John Johnson, which, like I love when people do that 622 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 2: to their children. Our last name is Johnson, lists name 623 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 2: of John. 624 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 3: But that's like John the third because it's like John's John, John, John, 625 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 3: john Son of. 626 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 2: John, seventh, son of the seventh, son of John. 627 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 3: I just love that name. 628 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 2: John's cruising by and he says, quote, I saw something 629 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 2: coming down. I didn't know what to imagine. I slammed 630 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 2: on my brakes and a plane skidded over the top 631 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 2: of my car and made a perfect landing ahead of me. 632 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 2: I saw a man get out and run towards Saint 633 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 2: Nicholas Avenue, one hundred and eighty seventh Street. I think 634 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 2: Tommy was running towards Joe's. I think so little hair 635 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 2: of the dog. Then there's this bus driver. He was 636 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 2: at Amsterdam and one hundred and ninety first so just 637 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 2: up the block of it. He says. I just got 638 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 2: into my seat when all of a sudden, I heard 639 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 2: something that sounded like a large fan, he said. I 640 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 2: looked in my rear view mirror and I saw this 641 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:36,479 Speaker 2: plane coming at me. He landed alongside of me. The 642 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 2: plane hit the ground and bounced twenty feet in the air. 643 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 2: I thought he was going to take off again, and 644 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:42,959 Speaker 2: then he hit the ground again and taxi down one 645 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 2: hundred and eighty seventh. 646 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 3: Street, just imagining a drum. 647 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 2: One guy's like, oh, it's a perfect landing. Was like, Jo, 648 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 2: here's the best thing that the bus driver goes. God 649 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 2: forbid if I ever hit a plane. What could I say? 650 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 2: At the safety hearing? He's like out of like a 651 00:30:58,760 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 2: sit com? 652 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 3: Can you imagine? He is, like, I'm imagining he's married. 653 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 3: He and his wife telling a story, and that's his punchline. 654 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 2: No, yeah, clink the glasses. So the difference this time 655 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 2: is that Tommy didn't head back in for a drink somewhere. 656 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 2: He didn't run to Joe's. He just high tailed it 657 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 2: on home, took off. Witnesses all saw him running away 658 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 2: from the scene. 659 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 3: I wonder if the landing scared him, the whole bouncing thing. 660 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 2: I heard a parade in the distance. Got a little nervous. 661 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 2: So the cops arrived and they moved the plane out 662 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 2: of the way some good shape. They do what to 663 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 2: do this time, but it was way too much of 664 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 2: a coincidence for them, especially when they heard a description 665 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:44,959 Speaker 2: of the fleeing pilot, tall blonde husky. So they stopped 666 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:51,080 Speaker 2: in Joe's. So they called Tommy at home and they're like, Tommy, 667 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 2: Tommy fits when I come down to the station. He 668 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 2: gets there and he tells the press that, you know, 669 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 2: it was just in the neighborhood. And I heard the 670 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,200 Speaker 2: cops wanted to talk to me wild I think they 671 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 2: wanted an expert. I don't know what they want to 672 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 2: talk about. And it wasn't me. Whatever it was, the 673 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 2: cops tell him, look, we got witnesses, we got your fingerprints. 674 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 2: Tommy's like, all right, I did it, Like immediately came yeah, 675 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 2: so once again charged with grand larceny. Has a ton 676 00:32:18,560 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 2: of civil aeronaux violations too, so dangerous and reckless operation 677 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 2: of an aircraft landing within city limits other than in 678 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 2: emergency conditions, and flying without a license, because don't forget, 679 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 2: he was like not doing that again. So the New 680 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 2: York Daily News, which had the absolute best coverage of this. 681 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 2: Of course, they said, Thomas Fitzpatrick twenty eight local wrong 682 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 2: way corrigan who finds air landing strips where the port 683 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 2: authority never has built any admitted yesterday police say that 684 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 2: he was the hot shot pilot who landed on Amsterdam 685 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 2: Avenue near one hundred and eighty seventh Street early yesterday 686 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 2: in the small plane. 687 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,719 Speaker 3: Hot shot pilot, Come on, devil pilot, I like that. 688 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 2: So the magic at the arraignment said that he quote 689 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 2: came down like a marauder from the skies and dangering 690 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 2: the lives of hundreds of persons. 691 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,320 Speaker 3: What if there were a been a parade. 692 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 2: They set the bail at ten grand at this time. 693 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 3: Oh wow, no more airpos no. 694 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 2: More so January fifty nine. So it was October fifty 695 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 2: eighth January nineteen fifty nine. He takes a plea deal, 696 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 2: and he pleads guilty to the misdemeanor of bringing stolen 697 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 2: property into the state. They're gonna gets you one way, 698 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 2: so the judge John Mullen really lets him have it. Quote, 699 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 2: you do not know when to stop drinking. The last 700 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 2: time you paid a one hundred dollars fine. If you 701 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 2: have been seriously and properly jolted the first time, it's 702 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 2: possible this would not have occurred a second time, and 703 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:50,960 Speaker 2: maybe you wouldn't be standing here today. There is no 704 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 2: doubt in my mind that you were intoxicated and were 705 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 2: in a measure dared by a drinking companion when you 706 00:33:56,120 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 2: were in this silly semi intoxicated condition. He says, you're intoxicated, 707 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:05,600 Speaker 2: but then he calls it semi intoxicated. Judge Jackly, I'm 708 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 2: gonna overruled. So Judge Mullen does though, like he praises 709 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 2: Tommy's record. He's like, look, you're a vet, You're a 710 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:17,080 Speaker 2: good dude. He says, you're the best pilot I've ever seen. 711 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:20,279 Speaker 3: You've seen a lot of piloting. 712 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,879 Speaker 2: Halls says that the guy who's play He's like, man, 713 00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 2: that's the best pilot us the best flying I ever. 714 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,520 Speaker 3: Did love this the original launch pad mcquack. 715 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:30,399 Speaker 2: Yeah. So the judge winds up sentencing Tommy to six 716 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 2: months in the workhouse. Yeah, he gets it. He gets 717 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 2: a couple of weeks later, he's convicted on other charges 718 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 2: of drunken flying and sentenced to so he gets an 719 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,360 Speaker 2: f UI. He's sentenced to an additional two weeks on 720 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 2: top of that, and his only comment on this is quote, 721 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:52,440 Speaker 2: it's the lousy drink. Drink that's it now the best. 722 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 2: There's a column by this guy Melheimer at the time 723 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 2: that he had called my New York and he was Oh, 724 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 2: he has his great write up of Tommy fits where 725 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:03,760 Speaker 2: he expresses it, yes, you know this was a crime, 726 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:06,160 Speaker 2: but he had to give it up for Tommy as 727 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:09,360 Speaker 2: quote the last adventurous man. Let me read you the 728 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 2: closing of the column. Quote, Well, men, they have incarcerated 729 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:19,239 Speaker 2: Tom Fitzpatrick. Tell me, please, what is left in life 730 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 2: for the rest of us when the urge comes upon 731 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 2: us to go down to the sea again, to the 732 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,280 Speaker 2: lonely sea and the sky, or to close our ledgers 733 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:30,320 Speaker 2: and hunt for the abominable snowman? Will they pass a 734 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 2: law against us? Tom Fitzpatrick is a criminal, and he 735 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 2: rests like a chained cheetah in the pokey, and a 736 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 2: little bit of all of us rests with him. 737 00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 3: I like, it isn't that. 738 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:43,080 Speaker 2: Great, but it's true. 739 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:46,399 Speaker 3: I mean that adventurous spirit should be celebrated. Nobody got hurt, 740 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:48,240 Speaker 3: and this is how we get to the moon. People, 741 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 3: you need this. 742 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 2: Their ridiculous takeaway here right, you know, I'm going to 743 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,400 Speaker 2: land on. Well. What I keep thinking about is how 744 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:00,720 Speaker 2: it was such a different time, Like no one immediately terrorist. 745 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:02,719 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, this is like I kept thinking about that, 746 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 3: like pre nine to eleven New York landing a plane 747 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 3: to flying between the buildings. 748 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:08,799 Speaker 2: Everyone just like we weren't in like tactical gear. There 749 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 2: wasn't a standoff, so it was like a novelty you know. 750 00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:15,680 Speaker 2: It wasn't something terrifying. No one was injured, no. 751 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:18,440 Speaker 3: No, no, it seemed like it was you know when 752 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:21,319 Speaker 3: people talk about the American rambunctious spirit, and you know, 753 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 3: this is a good example of it. You know. And 754 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 3: also the fact that I have to believe that he 755 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 3: would not have landed this if there were people out 756 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 3: He would have you know, realized like I can't do this, bet, 757 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,479 Speaker 3: you know, I suddenly say the crowd for whatever reason, 758 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:37,480 Speaker 3: there's a fire, you know, an apartment building, and so 759 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 3: now the crowd is, you know, thronging in the streets. 760 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 3: I don't think he'd go over eight blocks and landed 761 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 3: or do whatever. I think he'd recognize. So it seemed 762 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:45,640 Speaker 3: to me he got away with it because it fit 763 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:47,759 Speaker 3: the moment and it fit that place, and so yeah, 764 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:49,279 Speaker 3: he was you know, as you put there was an 765 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 3: art to it, and art requires a reading of a 766 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 3: lot of things. 767 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:54,080 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm not a fan of him driving around 768 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:54,959 Speaker 2: on the roads drunk. 769 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:57,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's the most dangerous partly quite honest. 770 00:36:57,160 --> 00:36:59,319 Speaker 2: Don't you think this kind of highlights the amount of 771 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:00,959 Speaker 2: fear that we live under all the time. 772 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 3: Now, don't even get me started about. 773 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:05,040 Speaker 2: Because like a low flying plane now is terrifying. It's 774 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:05,720 Speaker 2: not a novelty. 775 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:08,800 Speaker 3: They cleared the White House because a plane flew over. 776 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:13,319 Speaker 2: The baseball game. Yeah, Like, so if we don't also 777 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 2: immediately think terrorists, right, like in the traditional sense, we 778 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:20,360 Speaker 2: think that something odd or like out of place like 779 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,320 Speaker 2: that could be the precursor to some mass shooter event, 780 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 2: you know, So it's not necessarily I don't. 781 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:26,640 Speaker 3: Know our cripital imagination. 782 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 2: What I'm trying to say is that we live in 783 00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:30,640 Speaker 2: a lot of fear now and it's exhausting. Yeah. Yeah, 784 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:33,799 Speaker 2: now that's why I gave it up really good at 785 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 2: that me. I dive right into it. I lean in hard. 786 00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:43,800 Speaker 2: So quick PostScript to this though, According to various Internet sources, 787 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:45,240 Speaker 2: which are always. 788 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:47,879 Speaker 3: The most reliable thing, I turned to one of. 789 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 2: Them, Dinner Party download dot org. 790 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:51,920 Speaker 3: That actually, wait, that's the NPR one. 791 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:53,480 Speaker 2: No, I don't know what it is. 792 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 3: I think my friend Derek, he loves MPR. He mentions 793 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:58,720 Speaker 3: this the diner Party down Okay. 794 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 2: And then there's also check six dot org, which is 795 00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:05,399 Speaker 2: like a flight website apparently. Anyway, they both talk about 796 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:08,080 Speaker 2: a cocktail called the Late Night Flight that was inspired 797 00:38:08,080 --> 00:38:08,920 Speaker 2: by Tommy. 798 00:38:08,600 --> 00:38:10,960 Speaker 3: Fits get out. Do you have the recipe? 799 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:12,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, and there's a huge story. Okay. So it's a 800 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 2: half ounce of kalua and that's supposed to represent it's. 801 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:18,960 Speaker 3: Dark, the dark of the sky. I love it. 802 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:19,279 Speaker 4: Yeah. 803 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,160 Speaker 2: Then one and a half ounces of vodka and that's 804 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:26,359 Speaker 2: supposed to be clear like Tommy FITs' intention. Oh oh 805 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:31,279 Speaker 2: wowt half ounce is shamboured, which is raspberries. You know, 806 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 2: so it's like the raspberries that Tommy fits blue at 807 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 2: those who doubted him. And then five blackberries, and that's 808 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:45,440 Speaker 2: to represent the cars parked on Manhattan streets. One egg white, 809 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:49,720 Speaker 2: those form the fluffy clouds, okay, and then a dash 810 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:54,400 Speaker 2: of simple syrup, sweet like victory. So it's supposed to 811 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:55,359 Speaker 2: be this layered. 812 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:59,040 Speaker 3: Representation Fasco for the fire in his heart. 813 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 2: It's like a layered representation of New York's nighttime sky. 814 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 2: So you do the kalua as a bass, and then 815 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:10,120 Speaker 2: in a separate glass, you muddle the blackberries, add shamboard 816 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,520 Speaker 2: and an ounce of vodka and then shake with ice. 817 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 2: You strain it into a layer over the kalua. Is 818 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:19,640 Speaker 2: everyone following along right down, I'm drawing a mental picture. 819 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:22,680 Speaker 2: In another mixing glass, you shake the egg white, the syrup, 820 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:26,440 Speaker 2: and the remaining half ounce of vodka. Right, You just 821 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:29,520 Speaker 2: shake it up to create an emulsion, and you layer 822 00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:33,319 Speaker 2: that foam on the top like the clouds, and then 823 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:35,480 Speaker 2: you chug one and go jump. 824 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:38,879 Speaker 3: In assessment, you steal a plane. All right, I'm gonna 825 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:39,680 Speaker 3: go get some sean board. 826 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:41,400 Speaker 2: So there you go. That's it. That's all I have 827 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:46,040 Speaker 2: for you today. Shorty. You can find us online at 828 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 2: Ridiculous Crime on both Twitter and Instagram. What did you 829 00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:52,239 Speaker 2: know that Instagram is super fun? 830 00:39:52,840 --> 00:39:54,919 Speaker 3: Just gas station bathroom. My saw written on the wall 831 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:56,919 Speaker 3: and said for a good time. Check out Ridiculous Crime 832 00:39:56,960 --> 00:39:58,080 Speaker 3: on Instagram or Twitter. 833 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:01,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, my hand work. You found it. Got a tip 834 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:03,880 Speaker 2: for us about a ridiculous crime that you'd like to 835 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 2: hear about, or if you want to confess to it 836 00:40:05,719 --> 00:40:09,839 Speaker 2: Ridiculous Crime, email us at ridiculous Crime at gmail dot com. 837 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:12,400 Speaker 2: Other than that, tune in next time, my friends. 838 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:13,480 Speaker 3: We'll be waiting for you. 839 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 2: Ridiculous Crime is hosted by Elizabeth Dutton and Zaren Burnett, 840 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:26,239 Speaker 2: produced and edited by Beautiful Skylark Dave Cousten. Research is 841 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 2: by air traffic controller Marissa Brown. The team song is 842 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:32,320 Speaker 2: by Thomas I can totally land There, Lee and Travis 843 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:36,399 Speaker 2: look Out Blue Dutton. Executive producers are Aircraft Mechanic Ben 844 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:38,920 Speaker 2: Bollen and be Fuddled Taxi driver Noel Brown. 845 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio four more podcasts 846 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:49,320 Speaker 1: my Heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 847 00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:51,120 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.