An impotent wind sock hung on the roof of the old barn. Jake scowled at it. Pete on the MadDog and Larry radio show’s said today was the perfect day for flying, slight wind from the east, no chance of precipitation, mild temperature. Carrying his soldiering gun, Jake walked into his garage not remembering what he had come out outside to get. Jake started filling his weather balloons with helium.

The sun had moved from behind the clouds. Jake smiled into the rising . His homemade basket was securely tethered. Silvery saucers, his custom balloons floated over his basket. Jake had dreamt of his flying machine since he was eight years old. All of his notebooks were covered in squiggles of planes, choppers, and balloons. Martha had listened to his dreams when they were young and holding hands in the park. But once she was pregnant with Maggie, Jake took his flying dreams to the garage. Martha was gone now but the drawings of flying machines remained.

A car door slammed. Jake paused listening for sounds of who had arrived. I suspected it was Maggie with her husband Ron come to talk sense into him. He returned to loading his survival gear: flashlight, granola, water, BB gun, radio, and parachute. Debbie was supposed to bring him a hearty farewell, help untethering his craft from the earth, and a steaming thermos of black coffee. Debbie was—he never knew what to call her as they were both too old to have a girlfriends and boyfriends anymore—his biggest supporter until she wasn’t. Jake wasn’t much of a coffee drinker but he wanted help and felt a thermos of hot coffee was very, “Only Angels Have Wings.” Debbie, no it was Martha who loved Cary Grant movies. Jake looked for his coffee and looked away.

Voices were raised from the house. Maggie and Debbie were going at each other. Jake climbed into his basket. Fastening down his belongings and reviewing his pre-flight checklist, Jake swayed. His basket was ready to lift off. Jake looked up at the wind sock blowing in the wind.

“Whatcha doing, Grandpa?” Tyler said.

Jake instructed Tyler how to release the cords that held his flying machine to the ground. Tyler waved bye-bye as his grandfather’s dreams came true.