NOVEMBER 16, 2019 – (Cont.)
A few miles further—and a few tunes later on ‘Kool 108,’ the radio station that features hits from the 60s and 70s—the announcer said, “Good morning everyone, to the sound of Kool 108, where all day long, we play all the songs you remember from the 60s and 70s.” An open invitation for more fun, I thought.
“Byron, hear that? They play all the songs you remember’? In 10 years, it’ll be, ‘Hey, all you surviving baby boomers out there, we play the songs that many of you can still remember,’ and in 20 years . . .” I mimicked the announcer further, but in the voice of a toothless 95-year old. ‘And now, all you baby boomers out there—‘baby’?! They still call us ‘baby’?!! That’s a laugh, isn’t it? Heh, heh!—well, anyway, for all you baby boomers out there, we’re going to play songs you can’t remember. You’ll just have to take my word for it . . . they are songs you knew then but can’t remember now. And for all of you in the ‘home,’ let me repeat that. We’re going to play the songs you can’t remember. You’ll just have to take my word for it . . .”
By this time, we were rounding the final curve to the entrance to the “Academy.” I put my fist to my mouth and radioed non-chalantly to the tower. “This is N456Niner asking for permission to land, over. kschsch.”
“Roger, N456Niner, you’re in line. Follow the Beamer in. He’s got a Volvo heavy in front of him, over. kschsch”
“Roger, got it, over, kschsch.”
The drive into the parking lot sloped gently, and as we floated down, I pulled back on our airspeed. Suddenly, the Volvo encountered traffic and came to a stop.
“Tower, this is N456Niner—did you know the Volvo heavy is stalled? Do you want us to do a go-around? Over, kchsch.”
“Roger, N456Niner, no, just honk, over, kchsch.”
Whereupon Byron exclaimed, “Dad no, don’t honk!”
Just then the Volvo started up again. “Tower, N456Niner, never mind. She’s pulling out of her stall.” Then to Byron: “Flaps ready? We’re puttin’ her down.” I hit the brakes. “We’re on the ground folks.” I pulled slowly toward a parking space as Byron unbuckled his seatbelt. I took to the intercom. “Please, we ask all passengers to remain seated until the aircraft is all the way to the gate.” Byron laughed heartily as he got out of the car.
“Have a nice day, Dad.”
“You too, Byron.”
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© 2019 Eric Nilsson
