“Beep, Beep, Beep.” That was my alarm click going off. Man I didn't want to get up, but I had to. It took me a minute to convince myself to get out of bed, then I trudged to the bathroom to get ready for the day. I had to stretch to reach the sink on account of my 4 ft. 5 in. frame, even though I was thirty five years old. I splashed water on my face to wake myself up, then I bushed my wet brown hair out of my hazel eyes and looked at myself in the mirror. “Morning,” Now that my brain had a chance to wake up, I stepped back into my room and proceeded to don my usual attire: some blue cargo jeans, a t-shirt, and a light hoodie. Satisfied, I proceeded into the kitchen and made myself some pancakes. After a quick blessing on the food, I ate my breakfast while I watched the sunrise outside. I loved the sunrise, it was so full of color and everything was so peaceful. The radio said the weather was good today, seventy degrees and sunny with a scattering of clouds. Perfect day for a run. Done with breakfast, I pulled on my shoes and got ready to go.
I liked running to work, it was peaceful, the brisk air, the sun low in the horizon and no one in sight for miles. I decided to push myself today and ran faster that I usually do for most of the five miles to work. I slowed to a jog for the last mile or so. As I turned the last corner into the parking lot, I noticed that I had shaved three minutes off my normal time. Nice. I also noticed a car in the parking lot, and a man I vaguely recognized.  He was facing away from me, so I couldn't quite see who it was. That was strange, I had seen no one the entire run and no one was ever at this parking lot, any time of day. As I approached, the man turned and I recognized him immediately. “Hi Ted” I called out. “Charles my boy, how are you!” I don’t know why he calls me “boy,” we’re the same age. But with Ted, you learn to let him have his way. I had met Ted about two years ago at a marathon, he and his wife were there and he bet me that whichever of us finished last, would buy the other dinner. It was a nice meal, good conversation and I got to eat for free. During the dinner, he learned about my project, which at the time, I was doing in my backyard, but he offered to let me use his shop for half price if I wanted. It was a little expensive even still, but I took him up on the offer. “Doing fine, what can I help you with?”
“Oh I just wanted to talk to you, see how you were doing.” I nodded that I was doing fine then unlocked the door and proceeded into the mess. I listened absently as Ted chattered about this and that while I turned on the lights and checked around to see if anything had been disturbed. Satisfied, I picked up a bottle of glue and started working on the project laying the table.
“Whatcha’ working on?” jumping out of my skin, I turned to see Ted looking over my shoulder, how had I not heard him approaching? “I’m just fixing my wing,”
“Looks like you dented it pretty badly.” That was an understatement, I was building a human powered airplane, but when running a test just outside of town yesterday, and I hit a pothole that sent me into a tree. Busted up the leading edge of my left wing pretty bad too. Ted drifted away again, and I went back to work. After ten more minutes I asked him, “By the way Ted, you said you needed to talk to me?”
“Ah yes, you see, the kids are about to head off to college and so we are needing some more money, so we are selling the shop next month, I figured with your competition in two weeks, you would have plenty of time to move out of here.”
“Yes, the timing should work out fine, thanks for the heads-up Ted.” Just then, Ted’s phone buzzed and he paused see what the message was.
“Looks like the kids need me to take them to school so I’ll get out of your hair. See you in two weeks.”
“Bye Ted, take care.”
After Ted left, I went back to the plane. This new development could be a problem. The last time I had tested my plane, I had busted my left wing and she didn't seem to be very close to taking off either. I had also used up way to much runway so I wasn't planning on competing this competition but waiting for the next one in six months. Looks like I won’t have time for that now. I liked Ted which is why I hadn't pushed for the extra time, but I would need to move fast if I had any chance of competing.
“CRASH!” I jumped as I was woken from the state of half daydream I had been in just moments before. I quickly surveyed the table and floor to see what was dropped. It was the glue container. That’s okay, that was the empty jar anyway, and one of many that sat on the workbench. Man my knees are killing me. How long have I been standing here, three hours? Four? I guess I lost track of time after Ted left. It was time for a break. What should I do? I could go get some more glue. Okay I’ll do that, and if I took a side trip, I could get a good run in on the way, it’s so beautiful outside, and it would be a shame to not go for another one. It was decided, I untangled myself from the miles of balsa wood and plastic that surrounded me and made my way to the door. One last survey of the shop, and I headed outside. A quick run would do me good. I was building a human powered airplane, I needed to keep myself in tip-top shape in order to fly it. To prepare for that, I had developed a love of running and biking. My side trip was a quick, five mile run around the park in the center of town. As I started running, I let my thoughts wonder aimlessly. My thoughts continued to drift while I ran the five mile jog. At the end of the five miles, I stopped for a breather and took a seat on an old park bench. While resting, I took the opportunity study the sky. As I did, my thoughts drifted to her. She always loved the sky, that’s part of what drew me to her. She loved the wind and the clouds. She loved to stare at them for long hours and dream of being up there with them. She longed to fly like the birds, high over the trees and between the clouds. To drift on the wind and have not a care in the world, that was her dream. That’s why we had started the human powered airplane, to fly under our own power like the birds. As I daydreamed about the past, I watched a jet soar by, passing majestically above the clouds. I watched two birds as they played together, dipping and diving in a game of tag. Then suddenly, I saw something, and to this day I don’t know why it struck me so.  While the two birds were playing, a feather came loose and drifted in the wind like a piece of the wind itself. The way it drifted so easily gave me an idea. Feathers are so delicate and yet, so light weight. Maybe I could do the same to my plane. If I removed some of the supports from the ridged wings and let them flop, I would reduce weight and get airborne more easily. Now that idea might just work! Time to go get that glue so I could get started!
* * * * *
“Now to the starting line is contestant number 27, a small town builder from right here in the northwest, please welcome Charlie!” That’s my cue. I take a deep breath and walk out onto the launch platform. I watch as Sarah is brought into launch position. I am nervous, so nervous that I might shake the plane apart. But now is not the time. I need to get my head in the game, I’m about to throw myself and a lifetime of work off a ramp that is twenty feet over the water and hope it flies. It’s also very windy by the look of the clouds, which can be good for take-off but bad for control afterwards.  Stay calm. Yea right! Still shaking, I walk over to the plane and climb into the small cockpit. Sometimes its handy being short. Looking around me, I saw that the launch helpers are standing by ready. Two at each wing and one holding up the tail. Looking forward again, I see the launch master come out with two flags and start waving them about. The flag patterns symbolize different letters and together, form a Morris code of sorts. I have no clue what those flag patterns are, but I know that he is asking if I am ready. One last look around and I give a thumbs up that I am. I tense, like a spring, ready to start pedaling as fast as I can. The flag falls and I throw all my energy into pedaling the modified bike that propels my contraption forward. Suddenly my foot slips off the pedal and I stumble to recover. Despite the bad start, I am determined to fly. Back in my rhythm, I hear the propeller spin faster and faster behind me, I feel the launch hands start running to keep me stable, then they fall away one by one as I become fast enough to taxi on my own. About half way down the runway, I pull up slightly to see if I can take off and I do slightly, just not enough. I look forward and see the end of the runway approaching fast. I try again, and again I fly a little longer. Knowing I need more speed I pedal faster and look forward anxiously as the end of the runway is just in front of me. “Whoosh” my wheel leaves the end of the runway and, just for a second, I hang there suspended midair like a majestic seagull. Then I start falling--slowly, as though Sarah is still struggling to fly, refusing to admit that we are failing. As I look around, I know we are falling. I look back. I see the faces of the launch hands as they peer over the end of the runway. I see my propeller spinning rapidly behind me. I see the tight, stretched plastic on my wings flap in the wind, and I see the structural cords vibrating slightly. The clouds blow slowly across the sky and by looking at the trees beside me, I can tell that I am angled down. I look down to try to see how high I am and guess that I am about ten feet up. That means that I have fallen ten feet already. Panicking, I pedal as fast as I can to try to speed up so I will climb. I note that the rate I am falling decreases, but not enough. Cautiously, I pull up and ever so slowly level out. Looking down I see the waves probably two feet below me. Tossing churning waves that blow in the wind and threaten to hit me. One wave reaches up to kiss the cockpit and the paper that covered it dissolves and falls into the water. That sight drives an already stressed me into temporary insanity. I pedal faster than I have ever pedaled before in my life and pull up hard at the same time. The plane rises about three feet and I think I was am going to make it, but then Sarah stalls and sinks again. Barely retaining my sanity, I push the nose down and recover, closer to the water this time. Another wave hits the plane and another chunk of paper falls, this time bigger. Careful not to stall again, I pull up slightly and am relieved to rise away from those murderous waves. Sweat stings my eyes and drips off my chin as I level off an uncomfortable five feet from the water, but at least I am safe from those waves. Looking back, I see the cheering launch hands as they watch me fly. I see the propeller as a blur and the wings thankfully dry.  I look up to see clouds racing across the sky. I see the birds playing in the wind. Looking forward, I see the shore fast approaching. But I am flying, just like Sarah wanted!