Category: Auto-biographical
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Hitting the Vertical
Hitting the Vertical I love(d) aerobatic flying. Give me an aerobatic fixed winger, preferably a biplane, a full tank of gas, a quiet sky, and I’m in Heaven. Mind, it won’t be quiet much longer. The propeller tips, reaching almost supersonic speeds in a screaming, balls out dive, combined with the vibrant hum of wind…
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The Little Bird off Slea Head (Part 2)
I once wrote a story called “The Little Bird off Slea Head “. There is a certain allegory involved, a symbolism, but I’ll let you decide how and where. If you haven’t already read Part 1, I would recommend doing that now, or this second part will not make sense… The Little Bird off Slea…
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One Midnight in the Departure Hall
One Midnight in the Departure Hall Luanda Airport, Angola Some stories are better left untold. I’ve been telling myself that about this story for years. However, it’s like a bed bug. It keeps reminding you that it’s around. You can pretend all you like, but it’s there, and it likes biting you. So I wrote…
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On the Back of the Drag Curve
On the Back of the Drag Curve Up in the mountains. Colorado. Summer. High and hot. I was doing my Con-Air Air Taxi thing. Cessna Turbo 210. Retractable, fast, three bladed constant speed prop. Serious tool. Sheriff’s Office. Picking up two prisoners. Along with the Corrections Officer flying along, that made four of us returning…
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Our New Dog
Sinner, 13 years later, on the right. Recent arrival Madame ‘Lucy’ on the left. OUR NEW DOG Brenda and I were living in Guam back in the nineties’ when a new dog came unexpectedly into our lives. As it turned out, he was kind of “the price of peace”. The alternative… wasn’t good. War. Mama…
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Of Helicopters and Humans (12) “African Near Miss “
Of Helicopters and Humans Part 12: African Near-Miss Flying in Africa, in my case, in Angola and the Congo, was… interesting. Of the many experiences, several spring back vividly to mind. One of these, involved my imperturbable Buddhist friend Phuk. Known as Phuky-baby to most of us. Phuk hailed from Vietnam originally, and is long…
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Bad Decisions
Photo: Francis Meyrick Bad Decisions People make bad decisions. Even good people have bad days. Or just one bad moment. Unfortunately, sometimes these split second decisions have life changing, long term consequences. Mix the human spirit, in all its volatility and occasional dark confusion, with helicopters, and you get the possibility of unutterably tragic consequences.…
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African Odyssey
I have been blessed beyond most men, in that I found my soulmate early in life. I have now been married to my darling bride for over four decades. As in all relationships there have been ups and downs, good times and bad, but after 41 years together, she has chosen to not murder me…
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Cops and Robbers (9) “High Noon at the Butler Corral “
Cops and Robbers (Part 9) High Noon at the Butler Corral Often, I read about members of the public complaining bitterly about Police brutality. It’s an emotional, inflammatory subject. Sure, it happens. Cops are human too. They are not perfect. Hello? Is anybody? But I wish the complaining public could see sometimes the other side…
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Mr. Willard’s Going Home – Part I
Some stories just stick in your head. They might not seem like real stories at the time, just things you know you want to remember, because although they don’t all ‘come together’ in meaning for you at that point in life, you know they’re important enough to remember, that somehow there is a lesson to…