I come from a long line of failures. Yep. My family and I always make the wrong decisions when it comes to life. All the time. No kidding.
Take for example, Grandpa Mark. He made the mistake of marrying my Grandma, Madison. And no, it wasn't a love marriage. Or an arranged one for that matter. It was simply because both their names began with the letter M, so they took it as a sign from God. I guess they should have also taken the sign from God when a rat happened to be in their wedding cake. Or when weeks after they got married they found out they were distant cousins. Or at that time when the mirror broke and my Grandma fell from the ladder on top of Grandpa and they both almost died.
But let's forget about them. They're old now. Pushing 80. They don't have much time left. Which is a good thing. It means that they have lived through all their mistakes and they won't make any more. Well maybe they won't make as many or as big a mistake as me.
I'm Peter by the way. I'm 23. And I have made the biggest mistake in the most important part of my life. My career. I chose to become a pilot. And right now, as co-pilot I am flying an airplane for the first time. And I've learnt something very important. I'm afraid of heights.
"I can't do this Sam! It's way to high!" I rock back and forth on my bottom, my hands hugging my legs.
"But we've just started! And there's still two more hours to go Pete!"
"That's two hours too long! Can't we just have an emergency landing?" I question hopefully.
"No! Now get your arse off the floor and help me! I can't man this airplane on my own. That's why you are the co-pilot!
"Ok. Ok." I take in rapid deep breathes. "I'm coming." I say getting up. A bright blue sky meets my eyes. I sit back down again. "We're above the clouds?" I squeak out.
"I can't deal with this now Peter Thomas Henderson! Why did you become a pilot if you're afraid of heights?"
"Never flown on a-" My mouth suddenly fills up with bile.
"Don't you do it here." Sam warns.
"Bleegh!" my cheeks give way and all the contents spill out. Breakfast lunch and tea.
"Oh God!" the old man pinches his nose with his index finger and thumb. "Get a flight attendant here now! I can't work in this mess."
"Right." I mumble and tumble out of the cockpit room.
"Is something the matter Pete?" Robin asks.
"There's some sort of mess in the cockpit. Can you clean it up?"
"What sort of mess?" he quires.
"Oh nothing big!" I beam. "Just can you go in and clean it up? 'Cause Sam's complaining that he can't fly with the mess."
"Of course." Robin gets a broom from the tiny cleaners closet and goes inside; only to hurry back out again.
"That's not small Peter! What did you do?"
"Is something the matter boys?" An elderly man questions, worry laced in his voice.
"I gotta go to the bathroom Robin." I say hurriedly and rush in and lock the door in one fluid motion.
I gotta keep in together. I have studied for four years to become what I am today.
I know what you guys are thinking. Why choose something like this if you're afraid of something like that?! Well how was I supposed to know? I've never needed to fly in a plane before and I haven't until now. And my lectures should have told me that flying the real thing and pretending to fly the real thing via flight simulator was not the same. I emphasize on the not.
