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The
Beginning
Bobby's Mother
looked out the window to see her son playing with his new
neighbors. Seven 10 year
old boys in the yard, each with his own paper airplane.
The sky was full of paper airplanes, up-side-down, sideways and
tumbling through the Air to each boys delight.
Anne
finished putting the cookies on the table preparing for the post pilot
brunch. She was happy to see her son making new friends, it would
make starting a new school next week a lot easier.
The
smack of a paper airplane hitting the kitchen window startled her.
The red haired boy from next door picked up his plane and smiled
a missing tooth grin at her. "Tell
everyone that cookies are on the table" Anne hollered out as Billy
was running to the launch area. She
didn’t know if she was heard or not until the shriek of Little boy jet
engines followed by the paper aircraft landed at the kitchen table for
refueling. She served
cookies and milk, the old stand-by, but it definitely went over well.
Anne
noticed that her son didn’t seem as happy as would be expected.
Cornering Bobby before his #7
launch slot she gave him a ‘mid-day’
hug and said, “that’s a good looking paper airplane you have
their.” Bobby’s eyes
watered and a tear dove down his face.
“It doesn’t fly” Bobby announced softly.
Bobby continued, “everybody else has a plane that flies, mine
always crashes, it doesn’t go up, I wish mine would fly”.
Bobby’s eyes had already started drying up after venting his
frustration. Anne smiled
and re-hugged him. “I
have an idea” she suddenly blurted.
Leaping to her feet, almost knocking Bobby over, quickly made her
way to the trash can. Pulling
out yesterdays newspaper she yanked one section clear and refiled the
rest. “Come here Bobby”
she called out as she sat down, “I remember something that might
interest you”. Page 3
Center, Bobby tried to figure out the picture while his mother read
“on display…” “Looks
like some sort of aircraft” Bobby mused to himself.
“Hang gliding” Anne read.
Bobby couldn’t figure out what the aircraft was sitting on.
“In person” Anne was reading.
Bobby was wondering how it could fly.
Anne read the next line slowly, “worlds best paper airplane!”
“What?!” Bobby
shot back. Now ignoring the
puzzling picture Bobby started to read for himself starting from the
top.
Bobby
knew about the Air show coming up but the rest of the article was about
the Silent Flight air show team, one of the performers for the air show.
The team was at a shopping mall across town displaying the hang
gliders that they flew in the air show.
Bobby read and re-read the next line three times before he
uttered a sustained “wowwwww!!”
The line read,… “PPP-1, the worlds best paper airplane… Will show you how to make…
How to fly… Worlds
best…!” Bobby turned
his puppy dog eyes on his mother who was already smiling.
“Yes, we’ll go” she promised.
Bobby let out a loud “ya-hooooo!”
He smiled his thanks and did a double roll after take off with
the Little boy jet engine noise following him out the door.
Anne
started cleaning up the brunch debris and thought about Bobby’s real
father. Killed in the war,
a fighter pilot, an excellent husband and a better father than most, a
little boys hero. Now
tonight she and Bobby would visit the mall display without Bobby’s
step Father. He was also a
pilot, an airline captain with a varying work schedule and all the
stress you could ever have. Anne
missed them both. Don might
be home for the air show and he might not.
Anne had hoped that Don could get closer to Bobby at the air
show. Don could be a good
father, he wasn’t bad, he just worked to much.
Flying had turned into a job and vacations were hard to come by. Anne was taking the ‘be
patient’ attitude.
A double
horn honk sounded from the driveway.
Anne wondered what Don was doing home so early as she drew back
the curtains and looked out. Don
was already out of the car holding a flat, run-over paper airplane in
talking to a sad looking Bobby. Anne
watched Don hand the flat plane back to Bobby, ruffle his hair and head
hurriedly for the house.
Don came
through the front door and hollered “hello-goodbye!”
Don immediately started to retrieve his pre-packed overnight bag
he kept ready in the hall closet. Anne’s
spirits sank a little. She
knew what was happening, overtime, flying for cash.
Anne was more interested in some quality time, not the extra
money. Anne came up behind
Don, gave him a hug and asked “what happened out front?”
Don explained that he had run over Bobby’s airplane and that he
had said he was sorry. “Bobby
told me that it didn’t fly very well anyway” Anne consoled.
Don checked his overnight bag as he told Anne of his next two
week work schedule. Anne’s
spirits sank even a little lower as she learned of a “guaranteed two
days off starting a week from next Thursday”.
Anne’s thoughts flew to Bobby, then to the airshow.
She would be taking Bobby to the show alone and vowed from within
herself to make it a great day, even if Don couldn’t be there.
A quick
kiss on the cheek and Don was out the door.
“ Love-Ya and see ya soon”, he called out to no one in
particular. Bobby ran to
the car meeting his dad by the car door.
“Sorry about the plane Bob, accidents happen, right?”
“I’d make you another one but I’ve forgotten how and anyway
I don’t have time, ok?” Bobby’s
eyes fell away as he mumbled “ok”.
A quick cloud of dust and Don was on his way.
Bobby waved, not knowing when is dad would be home again.
Bobby had seen this happen before and was wearing a sad face to
prove it.
90% Brakes NOW!!!
Anne and Bobby compressed a bit into their seatbelts and screeched in
behind a lane changer . Anne
silently expressed herself as Bobby related another fact direct from his
little brain. Anne couldn’t believe a brain so young could hold so many
facts. “Did you know that
flying is safer than driving a car?”
Bobby chimed out. Anne
sighed, “yes Bobby, I can believe that.”
Anne had forgotten what the traffic was like on this side of
town. The mall display took
on a new meaning, just get there safely!
Finally
the car was parked and they were approaching the giant mall doors.
Anne stopped and got face to face with Bobby and said “let’s
have a great time, ok? ”Bobby answered with a hug then they walked in
together hand in hand. The
mall was huge and somewhere in there was the Silent Flight airshow team
with the worlds best paper airplane.
Anne and Bobby walked and talked as they cruised the mall looking
for the display. As they
were approaching a corner Bobby was surprised by a paper airplane that
just barely missed hitting him. The
plane seemed to be going at super-hyper-speed and Bobby could hear the
wings whistling as it whizzed by. “THIS
WAY!!” Bobby shouted as he pulled his mother around the corner. Once
around the corner Bobby froze in his tracks causing Anne to rear-end
him. After a brief moment
of awe they both slowly walked towards the display and stood in line.
Bobby's
eyes were fixed on the displayed tow launch vehicle.
Two beautiful custom hang gliders, one high over the cab and the
other low off the back. A
big spool of rope was attached to the front bumper and another spool was
mounted in the bed of the truck. Matching
paint and shiny chrome, it was sure a pretty set-up.
Bobby couldn't see the pilots yet but the line was moving and
those walking away were taking with them a good looking and an excellent
flying paper airplane. Bobby
was excited! Bobby's eyes scanned the room looking for signs of flight
when his gaze fell upon a Silent Flight poster.
Both hang gliders were shown flying off the truck at the same
time attached to the spools of rope and trailing colored smoke coming
from the wing tips. Bobby
knew he liked these people already!
"Hi, who are you?"
Bobby snapped back to reality and turned to meet Dave.
Bobby knew it was Dave because the flight suit had his name on
it. Bobby stuttered out his
name and reached out to shake hands.
Bobby had a billion questions but it was time to get down to
business and make the world's best paper airplane.
Bobby followed along as Dave showed how to fold the PPP-1 and
they talked about how to fly it. The
PPP-1 had rudders , elevators and flaperons, this plane could do
anything and Bobby was in a different world.
Instead
of saying thank-you for the paper airplane and walking
away like everyone else Bobby stepped to the side and watched as Dave
helped make paper planes for everyone who wanted one.
Dave noticed that Bobby was very interested and asked Bobby if he
wanted to move to the other side of the table and help some kids his own
age make their very first PPP-1. Dave
gave Bobby an airshow hat and not only taught newcomers how to make the
PPP-1 but he also helped Bobby learn how to teach the art of folding the
world's best paper airplane. Bobby
lost track of time. He was
having so much fun he never wanted it to end.
Bobby looked up to greet his next PPP-1 builder and was surprised
to see his mother standing in front of him.
"Hello you paper pilot" Anne cooed, "I think that
the time has come to say good-by to your new friends, the mall is
closing". Bobby looked
to Dave hoping that some how his mother was wrong about the mall
closing. "She's right
Bobby, the mall is closing and we need to pack up and get ready for the
airshow tomorrow. You are
coming to see us fly aren't you?" Bobby looked at his mother.
She smiled and nodded. Bobby
turned back to Dave and said "YOU BET!" Dave reached into a box and pulled out one of the Silent
Flight posters and handed it to Bobby.
"Thanks for your help Bobby, we were pretty busy and needed
all the help we could get. You
sure did make some good planes. Your
help is welcome anytime." Bobby
was beaming with pride at that complement and Anne was wearing a smile
that looked permanent. As
Anne and Bobby were walking away Dave called out after them,
"Bobby, you want to fly with me in the airshow tomorrow?"
Bobby almost flew through the roof without wings when he heard
that and responded with a definite "YES!!"
long before Anne had a chance to respond.
Dave looked to Anne; she appeared apprehensive yet somewhat
excited. "It'll be
ok" he said. He
continued, "Bobby really helped out tonight and I'd like to treat
him to something special." Anne
looked over at the two gliders still perched on the tow unit, the poster
showing the launch, and then down to those puppy dog eyes that Bobby
knew how to wear so well. Anne sighed, "you guys are going to be careful,
right??" Bobby and
Dave looked at each other, smiled, then turned to Anne and said in
unison, "OF COURSE!" "All
right", Anne relented, "but you have to promise to wave to
me." "You got a
deal!" Bobby said.
He then turned back to Dave for a victory high-five.
Dave
reached back into the box he had pulled the poster from and this time
pulled out two wrist bands. He
handed the Green VIP wrist band to Anne and gave the Red performers
wrist band to Bobby. "Be
sure to wear these or security won't let you in."
Dave explained. He also told them that early the next morning he would be
doing a hot-air balloon drop over the city then landing at the airport.
Anne and Bobby were advised to get to the airport early to beat
the traffic and crowds. Bobby
was even invited to help set-up the display.
Bobby
climbed into the car and buckled his seatbelt .
His paper airplane and poster on his lap, his Red performer wrist
band already on his wrist
and his mind was in overdrive looking forward to the next day.
Life couldn't be better, not only was he going to go to an
airshow, he was going to fly in it,
Wow!
Chapter
Two
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