saying taxiing.”
“Mom says she couldn’t be president without people like sergeants doing their jobs,” Sarah added. “They know that and are proud of what they do.”
“Your mom knows what she’s talking about,” Bender said.
“Is that why you try to remember everyone’s name?” Brian asked.
“Yeah. I guess that’s why.”
“What’s it like to fly a fighter?” Brian asked.
He shot a quick smile at Sarah. “Oh, boy”—she returned his smile—“it’s hard to describe. Without a doubt it is the most fun thing I have ever done in my life. But it is also the hardest thing. You have to stay in shape, study all the time, and memorize stuff.”
“What do you have to memorize?” Brian asked.
“Emergency procedures.”
“I won’t have any emergencies when I fly.”
Rather than laugh, Bender grew very serious. “The business of a fighter is combat. In combat, the bad guys shoot at you, and sooner or later, they will hit your aircraft. We call that taking battle damage and that causes emergencies, probably three or four at the same time. If you’re good at handling emergency procedures, you’ll live to tellabout it. Otherwise—” He shrugged, not ending the thought. “It’s all part of the challenge.”
Brian turned to the photograph. “I’m going to the Air Force Academy and fly fighters.”
“So I’ve heard. But it’s a challenge just to get into the Academy and—”
“My mom can get me in,” Brian said, interrupting him.
“Don’t interrupt,” Sarah scolded. “It’s impolite.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Like all teenagers, he had to explain himself. “Sometimes I get excited and forget.” He studied the photograph on the wall. “But I really want to go to the Air Force Academy.”
Bender nodded, understanding. He could remember when he had said the same words. These were good kids, well mannered and respectful. And they definitely had minds of their own. “Your mother can get you an appointment to a service academy,” he explained, “if you’ve got the grades. Once there, you’re on your own, and if you can’t cut it, you’re out. But remember, not every cadet qualifies for pilot training. Then once you make it to pilot training, the selection process starts all over again and only the top students get an assignment to fighters. It’s a tough program from beginning to end and nobody gives you a thing.”
Brian turned to the photograph and touched it, wanting to be part of it. “I can do it.”
“Tell you what,” Bender said. “I’ll bring in an old F-16 Dash One, that’s the basic flight manual for an airplane. It will give you an idea of what you’ve got to study.”
“Yeah,” Brian said, “I’d like that.”
“Mom doesn’t like stuff like that,” Sarah said.
Brian stood up. “Ah, she knows I read stuff like that all the time.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Thanks. I gotta go—homework. Grams won’t let me do anything until I get it done.”
The two kids left his office. “See,” Sarah said, her voice echoing down the hall, “I told you he’d talk to you.”
Sanford stood in his doorway, speaking into the whisper mike under his sleeve. “Merlin and Magic Two are on their way upstairs.”
“The names fit,” Bender said.
Sanford nodded. “Do they come down here often?”
“It’s the first time I’ve met Brian. Sarah is down here about every other day. We talk a lot.” A rueful look crossed his face as he remembered how he and Laurie used to talk.
“General, we heard how you went to the mat with Shaw. You saved our butts. Thanks.”
“I was the one who caused the problem,” Bender said. “The Secret Service is not a praetorian guard isolating a Roman emperor from his subjects.”
“It’s too bad Shaw doesn’t know that. Watch your backside, General. Thanks again.” He disappeared down the hall.
Turner was in the small study off her bedroom nestled down for the evening and surrounded by work.
“Mom says she couldn’t be president without people like sergeants doing their jobs,” Sarah added. “They know that and are proud of what they do.”
“Your mom knows what she’s talking about,” Bender said.
“Is that why you try to remember everyone’s name?” Brian asked.
“Yeah. I guess that’s why.”
“What’s it like to fly a fighter?” Brian asked.
He shot a quick smile at Sarah. “Oh, boy”—she returned his smile—“it’s hard to describe. Without a doubt it is the most fun thing I have ever done in my life. But it is also the hardest thing. You have to stay in shape, study all the time, and memorize stuff.”
“What do you have to memorize?” Brian asked.
“Emergency procedures.”
“I won’t have any emergencies when I fly.”
Rather than laugh, Bender grew very serious. “The business of a fighter is combat. In combat, the bad guys shoot at you, and sooner or later, they will hit your aircraft. We call that taking battle damage and that causes emergencies, probably three or four at the same time. If you’re good at handling emergency procedures, you’ll live to tellabout it. Otherwise—” He shrugged, not ending the thought. “It’s all part of the challenge.”
Brian turned to the photograph. “I’m going to the Air Force Academy and fly fighters.”
“So I’ve heard. But it’s a challenge just to get into the Academy and—”
“My mom can get me in,” Brian said, interrupting him.
“Don’t interrupt,” Sarah scolded. “It’s impolite.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” Like all teenagers, he had to explain himself. “Sometimes I get excited and forget.” He studied the photograph on the wall. “But I really want to go to the Air Force Academy.”
Bender nodded, understanding. He could remember when he had said the same words. These were good kids, well mannered and respectful. And they definitely had minds of their own. “Your mother can get you an appointment to a service academy,” he explained, “if you’ve got the grades. Once there, you’re on your own, and if you can’t cut it, you’re out. But remember, not every cadet qualifies for pilot training. Then once you make it to pilot training, the selection process starts all over again and only the top students get an assignment to fighters. It’s a tough program from beginning to end and nobody gives you a thing.”
Brian turned to the photograph and touched it, wanting to be part of it. “I can do it.”
“Tell you what,” Bender said. “I’ll bring in an old F-16 Dash One, that’s the basic flight manual for an airplane. It will give you an idea of what you’ve got to study.”
“Yeah,” Brian said, “I’d like that.”
“Mom doesn’t like stuff like that,” Sarah said.
Brian stood up. “Ah, she knows I read stuff like that all the time.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Thanks. I gotta go—homework. Grams won’t let me do anything until I get it done.”
The two kids left his office. “See,” Sarah said, her voice echoing down the hall, “I told you he’d talk to you.”
Sanford stood in his doorway, speaking into the whisper mike under his sleeve. “Merlin and Magic Two are on their way upstairs.”
“The names fit,” Bender said.
Sanford nodded. “Do they come down here often?”
“It’s the first time I’ve met Brian. Sarah is down here about every other day. We talk a lot.” A rueful look crossed his face as he remembered how he and Laurie used to talk.
“General, we heard how you went to the mat with Shaw. You saved our butts. Thanks.”
“I was the one who caused the problem,” Bender said. “The Secret Service is not a praetorian guard isolating a Roman emperor from his subjects.”
“It’s too bad Shaw doesn’t know that. Watch your backside, General. Thanks again.” He disappeared down the hall.
Turner was in the small study off her bedroom nestled down for the evening and surrounded by work.
Similar Books
