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I've always wanted to fly





Ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to fly. Being able to spread my wings and soar up there with the eagles and blue jays. Wow, that would be cool I thought! My dad was always working on Saturdays, that freed me up to use his tools, our empty single car garage, and my mom would allow me to convince her I could do anything, any brilliant, imaginative five-year old boy could do. She would just say, "Okay honey be careful!" I would assure her I had everything under control!

One day I decided to build my own airplane. I employed my two-year old little brother to help me. We got very busy. I found an empty wooden peach crate, a mop handle from the pantry, a couple old boards and some cardboard, and that's all we needed to build our airplane. I found a rope - probably had something to do with a clothesline. I theorized I could wrap the rope around my propellor shaft, pull it real fast and the prop would spin. All we had to do next was pull it up into the big oak tree in the front yard, get it up real high! I could then get in my airplane and shove off from the big branches, and I would be airborne! I would of course need to keep spinning the prop shaft with my bare hands. 

We tried every which a way to dislodge my plane with me in it from the tree limbs, but it was stuck and wouldn't budge. The lady who lived next door came over and asked we what we were doing. I didn't want to lie, so I told her we were about to fly. She called my mom and the two of them got my dad's ladder and lifted me out of my airplane (wooden peach crate.) Later that evening, my dad was able to bring my airplane down out of the tree. He gave my mom back her mop and hid his tools in the attic.

Over my lifetime, I have flown many, many hours with friends who owned their own planes. I took flying lessons, but never got my pilot's license, but didn't stop me from flying with friends. Now retired, my thrill of flying is fulfilled by registering my drones with the FAA and legally flying as a UAV hobbyist. I have been flying now for almost three years. 

Looking back now, I am thankful the good Lord prevented me from taking flight as a too naïve little boy! I lived to tell this story.


 

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