SHORT STORY - The air show

Harriett Clarke, Contributor

So, it was off to the air show. It was a holiday, after all, and I needed the break. My blood pressure had risen to a deadly 140/90 and I was not about to drop dead before I experienced the big 4-0.

My son, Floyd, was excited, and that was catching. So, here I was, bobbing to the beat of Michael Jackson's Black and White on my car stereo as I weaved my way through the traffic, speeding towards my cousin, Richie's, house to pick him up. After all, a sick woman needed a good chauffeur. Richie was at the gate as we drove up, and once he got in and took the wheels, we were off to the air show.

Two hours and 15 minutes later, we drove into a rugged and bumpy road which appeared as if it had never seen the black of asphalt. Dropping into several potholes - more like volcanic craters - dust particles found their way up my nostrils, causing me to choke back a cough as tears flowed from my eyes, now filled with dust. I tried to see beyond the fog of white dust which covered every green bush and plant layered with spooky-looking cobwebs, giving the distinct impression of artificial life. The long expanse of dirt road in front of us seemed like forever, and then we heard it.

They say that light travels faster than sound, but today, everything was in reverse and warp speed. As the planes appeared, we saw that it was a green and yellow double engine glistening majestic as it whizzed past the parking lot into which we were turning.

Eager to see

Floyd, who had been snoozing in the back of the car, immediately jumped up and looked up through the window, trying to catch a glance as the plane roared off up and over a cloud shaped like a spaceship. It had been so close that I felt its rumble in my collar bones.

"Wow!" came the amazed, excited exclamation from Floyd. Being at that age where nothing impressed it, seemed as if his skeptic mode was turned off. "Did you see that?" He tried to shout above the roar as another plane came into view with the same loud noises, almost blocking out all other sounds except the pulsating roar of its engines.

"Yup!" replied Richie, who also seemed astonished at the rapturous moment.

"Let's go, mommy," shouted Floyd,"We are missing all the fun."

By this time, Richie had managed to park the car and we jumped out unceremoniously and headed towards the buzz of activity.

The James Bond Beach had been transformed into a wave of bustling activity with food stalls and tents put up for the purpose of shading its patrons from the smouldering sun. There was the voice over the PA system with a thick North American accent coming from the far end of the beach which housed an elevated platform decorated with the glitter and glamour of neon yellows, pinks and greens.

I was soon distracted as one of the planes took a nose dive, freely falling to the ground and then instantly turning for the better and seemingly regaining control as the wind blew dust into my eyes.

Disaster about to happen

Blinded for a second, I heard the American accent again, but this time, the voice sounded a bit unnerving as I registered panic: "Oh no! I believe that plane has lost control!" I blinked as I looked up and tried to focus beyond the glare. The air was suddenly charged with anticipation as everyone around me held their breath. The plane was spinning out of control!

I heard someone scream, "It's going to crash!" Floyd was pulling at my sleeves now, "Mommy, is this part of the show?" As he said this, the plane, as if on instruction from an unknown entity, began an upward assent, hovering in mid air for what seemed like eternity. Everyone watched hypnotically as the plane began to fly horizontally.

"Now, that was close," came the voice from the PA system, and I could see from the corner of my eye people nodding in response while others just looked on in wide-eyed disbelief.