Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Fly the Friendly Skies



I spent many Saturdays of my childhood in the tiny local airport in my hometown, waiting for my dad to finish giving flight lessons. I'd have at least four library books to kill the time and sat on uncomfortable orange chairs in the terminal for hours talking to an imaginary class of girls who hung on my every word. This was not the best training for real teaching, I have to say. I look just like my dad did in many ways so everyone knew who I was even if they didn't. Daddy loved people and talked to everyone, not my policy by a long shot. I spent almost all my time in the world of books, looking up from time to time to watch a plane take off or land.

My dad died while doing a short test flight from this very airport, a place I didn't see very much after I left home. But I can recall every detail about it from those long afternoons. My joy was never so great as when he was done and bought me a candy bar from the vending machine. I can only imagine how exhausted he was after working long hours all week and having to work all day Saturday as well. But he never complained and never showed any weakness. He loved to fly and teaching people after they got out of ground school. But he knew I wasn't cut out for such training -- I could barely find my way back to the truck in an almost empty parking lot. I'm one of those people destined to stay on the ground which is okay. But whenever I see a plane, I think about all the hours it took someone to learn how to fly it to be able to transport people to different worlds the way my books did in those long-ago days.

Michelle's Spell of the Day
“Facts sometimes have a strange and bizarre power that makes their inherent truth seem unbelievable.” Werner Herzog

Cocktail Hour
Drinking skincare suggestion: Bliss Oxygen Mask (works fast and like a voodoo charm!)

Benedictions and Maledictions
Happy Wednesday! Still getting around to answering e-mail and working on getting stronger. Hope everyone is having a great week!

12 comments:

laughingwolf said...

a great piece, michelle :D

...gonna write in jason's contest?

Scott said...

Hi Michelle!

Very nice. Keep getting better..hopefully soon you'll be back to full strength and health!
Take care!

jodi said...

Okay Doll, step away from those shoes and no one will get hurt. Yummy! Also, make sure Grouchie stays in his garbage can, he needs to avoid the temptation that WE can not resist. And he has already had one slip up! Peace, babe. xoxo

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the updates, Michelle!

Anonymous said...

myCajunQ
FoxlyLadyD
LongLegRockinMama
ToFlyGiveMetheWilliesNow
R2C2Shazammmmm!!!!!

Charles Gramlich said...

A very nice rememberance of your father. I liked this tale a lot.

Anonymous said...

Hey Michelle--

It would be cool if you did a pictoral of your living space...

We would all love to see it.

glad to see you in current pics...

the walking man said...

As I can't particularly relate to fond memories of my own paternal ancestry all I will say is that your Pop's book worm has emerged from the chrysalis.

Be well kiddo

Heff said...

That's ONE HELL of a liquor cabinet !

Hey, can you pass me the Maker's Mark ?

Whitenoise said...

I'm sorry about your father, I didn't know that he died in an aircraft accident. The sky is an unforgiving mistress.

Lana Gramlich said...

Reminds me of a young, Canadian friend who flew solo at the ripe old age of 18. We paid a visit to the small, local airport it was at. He walked me along the runway, explaining the checks he made to the control tower, the operation of the plane at take off, etc. Unfortunately he didn't take it seriously enough, so it didn't work out for him. Watching him watch a small plane landing later at that airport, however, I could feel his regret...

Anonymous said...

Such a lovely post, and tribute to your Dad!