Up, Up & Away!

     Kids nowadays aren't the same as when we grew up. We didn't care about playing video games and staying in the house all day watching TV. That's what you did when you couldn't go outside (rain or punishment). For us going outside was all we wanted to do and a lot of times got our butts beat for not being back in the house once street lights came on.
 
      To be outside on the weekend was like a new adventure waiting to happen. In our neighborhood at this time there were about 11 kids (7 neighbor kids and 4 of us). At the time we lived up on the lake. We always had many things to do and get into. So, this one morning the sky was blue, sun shinning bright and we needed a plan for the day. We are all outside sitting in the driveway thinking of what we could do today. Then it hits me! We had just bought a refrigerator and had this huge box laying outside. Right beside this box was an old baby doll stroller from my step sister. As if a light bulb went off in my head, BING! Hang glider!

       So as I gathered up some rope, the cardboard box, a clothes hanger, the stroller, and a few other key parts, I started to build. Everyone around started asking, what I was doing. I only told them "don't worry, I am about to be looking down at you chumps". This stirred their curiosity even more. The closer I got to finishing my flying machine the more I talked about how high I would be flying, "I can probably see the whole lake when I am up there", where I would be going, "I'm flying to the store and get me a bag of watermelon jolly ranchers". This started to make the others feel left out. I could start to see that they too wanted to take part in my dreams of flight. But with only one hang glider and 11 kids, there could only be one to fly it.

        Finally my work was finished. It looked amazing! With the stroller fastened and wings spread out wide, everyone could see I was on my way. When I did my test flight (running and jumping off 3 steps) the kids were pumped seeing my very short glide! But....I did notice one big thing. The wings sure seemed a little flimsy on the ends. I started to do the math, maybe cardboard box wont support my weight (you think). So I secure it best I can and now its time for the big flight.

      We had a place up the street that had a steep drop off and at the bottom was very soft red dirt. We called it the Chips Ahoy. You know kids come up with some crazy names for stuff. We would jump off this and yell Chips Ahoy, landing into the soft red dirt. This was ideal for a test flight with a huge open field and no trees around to fly into. I grab the hang glider and we start walking. As we are walking up and the neighborhood kids adding on more and more with each house we passed,  my brother had really started to become envious. "I want to fly it too, let me try it", bugging me to death. "No way man, this is my hang glider I am going to fly over you and look down on you ants", I responded. As I was walking I could still see the ends of my glider flopping like a dead man's hand. I knew my flight might not work. I needed an escape route.

       My brother! He was gullible but wasn't no dummy. He sat there with a look in his eyes like he was already flying it by the way I kept telling him what I would be doing. But, I knew if I offered first flight to him, he would know something was wrong. So I had to really flip it on him. The more I talked about what I would be doing and that he wouldn't be able to, the more he wanted to do it. I waited until the time was just right (when he started to blackmail me, "if you don't let me do it, Imma tell on you about this or that"). Perfect! So since I couldn't have him snitching on me. I had no choice. "OK, man damn, you can fly it first but I have to give you some pointers on how to do it." So as I give him a make shift tutorial he starts to look around at the other kids like, YEAH BUDDY! Its me, that's right! He was the man.

     So finally we arrive at the launching site. The wind was slightly blowing, clear skies and a go for take off. We get back from the edge as far as we can to get max speed for flight. I give the hang glider to my brother and a look of determination came into his eyes. He was focused. Listening to my every instruction along with my "don't spit on us when you up there and don't fly too high" he was ready for take off. All the kids are on both sides making a beautiful runway and excited to see the first flight. I take position and tell my brother to run as fast as he can and make sure he pushes up on the bar once he jumps so that the wind can get under the wings. He takes a long look at the runway in front of him, going over in his head everything I told him to do. With a deep breath he takes off!

      He is now running full steam. As he is running, I see the wings edges waving as to say "Bonn Voyage". The kids are falling in behind him as he passes each one. He eyes getting wider and wider the closer he gets to the edge. With one last step he leaps into the air. Now stop!!

       (Have you have ever seen a Bugs Bunny cartoon and watched the Coyote and Roadrunner. You know how the Coyote always has that pause before he plummets to the ground?)

      With one last step he leaps into the air! With that trademark Coyote fashion he pauses, the wings fold in like hands clapping, and he nose dives straight down! All the kids rush to the edge to look down at the wreckage. My brother laying, face covered in red dirt, tangled in the metal of the baby doll stroller, breath knocked out of him, could only mummer 4 words. "I'm telling on you!" It was worth every butt beating!