When I board a plane I go to sleep immediately because I hate taking off(I'm okay with the in between but I also hate landing)...so this will be quite an adventure. At least I don't have to worry about the landing this time...
When I decided to do this I told all my folks. Here are a few of the responses:
MinDog: I'm going with you. You know I'm NOT jumping but I'll be on the ground to support you. I'm ride or dive, do or dive(we bust out laughing after she makes that statement)...after you do this you are going to be fearless, you are going to be so fearless...
I can always count on MinDog to pump me up.
My Mom: You are young and you should have fun. Just make sure you pray.
This was a surprise. I thought my mom was going to flip out and ask me: Do you think that's a good idea? When did you decide to do this? Why do you want to do this? Is it safe? Have you read all about it? Who are you going with? When are you going? Where do you do this type of thing and are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to do this? Where did you get this idea? Is Amina going with you? Do you have to take classes first? Why, why why?
I was armed with answers to all of those questions. I was even ready to answer them five hundred times since my mom can't ask a question once. I was ready for all of it but she didn't ask one question. She didn't tell me that it's "a cockamamie idea." That's her favorite thing to say about my bright ideas. It was as if I was telling her I was going to major in theatre and be an actor all over again. I was ready for the worst but received the best. Support.
In the moment my mouth definitely dropped. I was shocked by her simple response. " You are young and you should have fun. Just make sure you pray." All I could say was, "I'll be sure to pray Mommy." Yes, I still call my mother Mommy. Sometimes I call her Mother or Alicia(that's not her name, it's just what I call her...she told me I could never call her by her name so I started calling her Alicia because it's not her name).
Shel: ...use the bathroom several times before y'all go up! Have fun. I want to see the tape.
Classic Shel.
The Sister: Mmmm. Okay.
I told her while we were on the phone and I imagine her shaking her head as she sighed deeply. Wanting me to do it and wanting me not to do it. Mostly, wanting me to do it.
The Brother: You better land in one piece.
At once a command and a prayer.
Yusef: Great! Let fall the things you do not need.
Another prayer!
My Niece: Why Aunty? You have things to do...make sure you call me before you get on the plane.
Since she's like her mother I know she was shaking her head too. After saying that she proceeded to tell me about her friend who has a bruised vagina and rug burns on her knees from being pulled out of the plane while crawling...I immediately called T-Bone who is diving with me so she could hear the story directly from the source...we laughed about it but as I type this I'm thinking maybe it's not so funny...whatever...
I'm young, I should have fun and be fearless...I will definitely pray...I'm praying right now.
Does this count as living out front or stupidity or both?
Video and pictures of the skydiving adventure to come...
*I have recently posted a video of me taking the plunge.
RIDE OR DIVE , DO OR DIVE!
1 comment:
I want to do that, too, you know!
Post a Comment