- The very airplane that I own today was the one that carried me
home on the last leg of the longest, most difficult journey of my life.
As I sat waiting at San Francisco International Airport for my dad and
wife to pick me up I pondered that just a few short days before I was in
Vietnam. I was very anxious for them to arrive but exhaustion caught up
with me and I fell sound asleep, sitting on a curb.
- I have no idea how long I slept but the next thing I know I'm hugging
my wife and then motoring down a crazy freeway in a rental car. Dad
couldn't land his light-plane at San Francisco International so he landed
at nearby Santa Clara and rented a car for the remainder of the trip.
Fine with me as long as we get home.
- When I first spotted dad's trusty old Tri-pacer sitting out on the
ramp it seemed smaller than I remembered even though it had only been a
year since I last saw it. It didn't take long to load up as I only had a duffle bag to
deal with and it was only half full. Soon we're airborne and heading down
the Salinas valley towards home. In spite of my best efforts I dozed off
several times during the flight. Still, I do remember recognizing the
landscape as it passed beneath our wings. I kept straining to catch the
first glimpse of the familiar, final ridge-line between us and home.
Finally, it slowly but surely came into view. God, what a
beautiful sight! Suddenly, the little city I had grown up in came into
view. It was something I had wanted to see for so long that my brain
almost couldn't accept the fact that it was really there in front of me.
I riveted my gaze on every possible detail my eyes could focus on. From
the air it appeared that life in our quiet little town had gone on,
oblivious to the rest of the world.
- By now I'm feeling a little more awake and I watch as dad skillfully
handles the airplane. I imagine that at the moment he probably feels
like he did when he first brought me home from the hospital 22 years ago.
It was a perfect flight.
- As we taxied up to the hangar I spot mom standing next to their car.
The beaming smile on her face says it all; joy, relief, pride. And
on this day, the humble Piper Tri-pacer is the most beautiful airplane in
the world. God, it's good to be home.
Copyright © 1995 David C. Stafford
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