Yes, her dad was right. She had to have friends, for without them what did she have? Not
much. Strange, this is all she had thought she wanted; to be able to solo, so she could
take up the Cessna anytime that she wanted too. But she got awful lonesome, flying all
by herself. It wasn’t fun anymore. She now wondered, how would it be when she did get
her Private License? Would it change anything when she could take anybody flying she
wanted to? She wondered. would this be enough? Would she get bored and then want
something more? Well, she had a whole month to think about this. She wasn’t allowed to
fly her airplane, why she couldn’t even go to the airport to even see the Cessna. How
could she bear this?
After school the next day, Angela was talking on the telephone to Mitzy, one of her girl
friends, whom she had known since her grade school days. They were reminiscing about
the past; when Angela was the star pitcher on her baseball team, and Mitzy was one of
her supporters, yelling and screaming in the stands, with such encouraging words, like,
lets get this guy out Angie, he couldn’t hit the side of a barn, and such phrases along with
the Tigers supporters. “Angie,” said Mitzy, “do you miss those days?” “I sure do,” replied
Angela, “I used to think then that I couldn’t wait to grow up so I wouldn’t have all these
problems. Now that I’m grown up, or nearly grown up, I seem to have more problems
than I had then. I look back and think, gee, I never had it so good. I had just about
everything I could ask for, I was into sports, why I was the only girl who could make the
baseball team. I could go flying with my Dad just about any time I wanted to. It isn’t the
same any more.”
“Angie, I think that you’re in a rut.” replied Mitzy, “You’ve had flying on your brain for
a long time, and now that you can’t do that for a while, you don’t know what to do.”
“What you mean, I don’t know what to do,” replied Angela. “I mean what I said, you
know Angie, I wouldn’t say to this to anyone, but you’re about my best friend, and I want
to be honest with you. All the gang feels that you don’t want to have anything to do with
them anymore. All they say is that you only think of flying, and that’s all you do is go
flying.” Angela didn’t answer Mitzy right away. Mitzy was right she thought. She had
about given up everything, even her friends for her obsession with flying. Yes that’s what
it was, an obsession. She had let this obsession take over her life. Mitzy continued,
“Angie, can’t you have both? Can’t you have your flying, and your friends, too, why
should either interfere with each other?” Angela was surprised at Mitzy’s honesty. She
had never know her friend to be so outspoken. In fact, she was more or less very quiet.
and sort of laid back, seldom expressing her opinion like this. “Oh, my gosh, Mitzy, do
you really think I’ve been so terrible? I know that I’ve neglected all of you.....” But
before Angela could continue, Mitzy interrupted her with, “No, No, Angela, you haven’t
been terrible, it’s just that we’ve all missed you, and want you back with us again. I don’t
know if you know it or not Angie, but you have lots of us kids who care for you, and
want the best for you, and they don’t think that you’re doing the right thing by the way
you’re acting.” Angela was deeply touched at this. Sure her dad had at times spoken to
her this way, and so did her Mom at times, but never did any of her friends speak to her
this way. Yes she was touched, and some what surprised. Although she was real friendly
with all her friends, both boys and girls, she never had any idea that they felt this deeply
for her. “And you know, Angie, It’s not that they want to interfere with your life, your
flying. They know that you want to be the best pilot in the world. But they don’t want you
to be just a pilot. They feel that you’re capable of a lot more.”
Angela , for a moment didn’t know what to say, then, “ Oh, my gosh, Mitzy, I never knew
that all of you felt this way about me. I sure could kick myself in the......for being a
jack...... What can I do to make up for all of this? Yes, why can’t I have my friends and
my flying too, and you are right, they shouldn’t interfere with each other.” “Well Angie,”
Mitzy replied, “you can’t go the airport for a while now, so why don’t you come down to
the hangout this Friday after school, most of the kids will be there, and maybe we can do
something. How’s that sound? “Sounds good to me.”
“Oh Angie by the way,” said Mitzy, “ have you given any thought about college? I know
its a bit early, but my Mom and dad says now is the time to start thinking about it, after
all we’re nearly seventeen years old? “Yes, I’ve given a little thought to it.” How about
you? “Well you know that I’ve always wanted to be a teacher and they have a good
normal school here, so this is where I’ll probably go,” replied Mitzy. How about you?
“My Mom and Dad would like to see me go to college here, but it’s not what I want. The
schools here don’t have the courses that I want, so when the time comes, I’ll have to
convince them that I have to attend a college out of town.” Do you have a college in
mind?” asked Mitzy. “Sure do,” replied Angela. “Well don’t keep me in suspense,
where? “Where else, but New York City, is there any other place? See you Friday Night
Mitzy, and thanks a lot for caring.
To be Continued
