A young copilot with goggles
…..
Chapter XI: About volcanoes and their ashes
La Antigua, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala
That morning Grandfather arrived from a trip and paid me a visit. In his own peculiar way, he told me the story behind the business lunch with the German farmers. He began to tell me a story to distract me with that brilliant sense of humor and engaging gift for telling his stories, or as Grandmother liked to call them – his tall tales.
So, on that day, he told me his version of how he shared lunch with these German gentlemen. We both laughed until we cried and still laughed a bit more! He made me laugh so much, I utterly forgot I was sick and suddenly felt fine! After days of running a fever, in just a few laughs, and with just that right amount of loving and care, he actually made the sickness disappear. That’s the magic Grandfather wrought in my life.
So it happened that Grandfather began to fly more often, as he dusted the huge cotton plantations, and went about his business all around Nicaragua and its neighboring countries. Whenever possible he took me with him. He enjoyed showing me around, as we shared the beautiful landscapes from the heights of our flight. He’d settle me in, all the way in front of the cockpit. I even had my copilot’s seat – an extremely used and old wooden crate, which he fitted between his legs! I loved to place my hands on the helm and help steer the plane. Naturally, for I was his copilot, or was I not? Before takeoff, I would promptly put on my flier’s leather helmet (the kind the Second World War aces used to wear) and of course, my nifty flier’s goggles.
In the land of volcanoes’ Chapters Purchase the book