Chapter 1, "The Fledgling" Summary and Analysis

At the Windsor Hotel in Paris, the narrator admires himself in the mirror. He is a handsome young man in an airline pilot's uniform. Moments later, he receives another admiring glance from the checkout clerk who gladly cashes his Pan American World Airways paycheck for him. The young man leaves for the airport and, once there, he fills out a pink form granting him deadheading privileges on the next flight to Rome. Airport personnel address him as First Officer Frank Williams. In the cockpit, Williams is greeted by the pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer as he takes his place in the jump seat.

At 30,000 feet, the pilot cordially allows Williams to take the controls for a few minutes.

The narrator's real name is Frank Abagnale, Jr., a con artist extraordinaire. Many readers will be familiar...