Fear of Flying

My mother grew up in an age basically without airplanes. Although they were around they were not nearly as prevalent as they are today.   Her best friend Grace Snapp’s first husband was a barnstorming pilot, whom she ran away to marry, probably sometime in the 1920’s,  and who was soon after their marriage killed in a plane crash. When I was a child, my Nan-nan (Aunt Ann) had a gentlemen friend, Mr. Ed Hewitt, who owned a small plane, probably a Piper of some kind, and he often took her up with him.  She loved it!  Mother had a dream for much of my childhood about a plane coming over our house at Brown’s and falling from the sky, she being able to nothing to help.  That only added to her fear.  Believe it or not, at one time I wanted to be an airline hostess, when I was about twelve and there was a series about it on some television show I watched.  I don’t remember what happened to that idea, but evidently it died a’borning.  As most of you know, I’ve never flown on an airplane.  I love to watch them fly, take off and land, and to tour them on the ground, but I just can’t get myself on one.  Major panic attack time.  I’ve thought about getting drunk and getting on one, like Richard Burton had to, but that would ruin the image everyone has of me! 😉

Whenever Jeff flies and I know it, I always wonder what my mother would think of it.  Sure, she’d fuss, but since it’s Jeff….but then again, maybe not.  She would, however, at least know that there was nothing she could do to stop it, so she might as well be quiet.  Once she convinced herself of that she would be okay.  Maybe she’s watching him anyway, since he’s so close to her at those times.  I like to think she’s watching over us all, no matter what we are doing.