Author: Francis Meyrick
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Cops & Robbers (8B) “Spotlights and Bullets (Part 2) “
Spotlights and Bullets Part TWO On the ground, there was now what sounded like complete chaos. Everybody was talking at once, but with half sentences, unintelligible instructions, warnings, and frantic counter orders. With bullets flying, tall mountains around, steel aerials, and a large bull’s eye painted on the bottom of my helicopter, I wondered once…
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Cops & Robbers (8A) “Spotlights and Bullets “
Spotlights and bullets I’m probably a little bit of an adrenaline junkie. No, make that a big bit. It’s all genetics. Maybe. The bottom line is that I would have made a lousy librarian. I just know I would have messed up any book shelf. I just like to feel I’m alive. I respect risk,…
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Cops & Robbers (7B) “A Deadly Search (Part 2) “
A Deadly Search (Part 2) A Hidden Killer Preoccupied as I was with what had happened, my mind was full of questions and self doubts. Could I have done better? Should I, could I, might I…? I was dumbfounded in a way, my usual bouncy confidence in the ability of the helicopter to work miracles…
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Cops & Robbers (7A) “A Deadly Search “
A Deadly Search If you ever spend any time in Search and Rescue, or any type of First Responder involvement, you will experience tragedy. The unnecessary tragic. Needless death. The pointless waste of human life, talent, ability and potential. I had already seen good men stuffed into disinterested, uncaring body bags, and neatly zipped up.…
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The Burning Soldier (5) “Silent Warrior “
with thanks to Enigma ” Silent Warrior “ The Burning Soldier Part 5: “SILENT WARRIOR “ I lie awake, and stare at the ceiling. The fan turns slowly, brushing soft air soothingly over my aching mind. In the early morning silence, I can hear my heart beat. I think of the Past, the Present, the…
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Cops & Robbers (6) “About to fall off a Mountain “
About to fall off a mountain It was the end of a hot sticky, day, and I was on the short drive home. I’d put the Sheriff’s helicopter back in the hangar, locked up, and departed for the day. Or so I thought. I was idly listening to Dispatch, when a strange call to the…
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A Blip on the Radar (Part 29C) Hotel Excelsior
A Blip on the Radar Part 29(C) “Hotel Excelsior ” Hotel Excelsior, Manilla, Philippines June 1997 For once I was a passenger. Flying back to the Tuna Fields, via scheduled airline to Fiji and Papua New Guinea. With a layover for one night at Manilla. On the approach, gazing down from my comfortable seat…
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A Blip on the Radar (Part 29B) An Old Sailor’s Poem
Photo: Advocates for Human Rights A Blip on the Radar Part 29B: An Old Sailor’s Poem I remember reading a poem, written by an old seaman. An old tuna fishing captain. In it, he reminisced. About the old days, when Yellow Fin tuna were so large, that the sailors working the nets below the nets…
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A Blip on the Radar (part 29A) The Hookers are coming
Photo: Jorge A Blip on the Radar Part 29(A) “The Hookers are coming “ I remember one night, in port, in Guam. I was standing quietly alone, away up on the helideck, above it all, just taking in Nature. The dark sky, the lights of Guam, the hustle and bustle on the working decks below,…
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The Oystercatcher, who silently cried out for help
with thanks to KT Silvershark The Oystercatcher, who silently cried out for help (For Joanne) Back in the early nineties’ I went through one of Life’s rough patches. As happens, often enough, with all rough patches is that you think your world has ended. Finito La Musica. Nothing will ever be right again. It’s all…