Almost Heaven?

Classic Rock on the radio.

MEK gently wafting through my central nervous system on it's way to my liver.

A 7X rivet gun thundering in my ears.

My knuckles battered and bruised.

Heaven?

Naw. It's just 0530 in the hangar!

"back in black
been too long
I'm glad to be back!"

We all have lousy things befall us from time to time. Sometimes they come one at a time. It's said that bad things come in threes. Sometimes they come in waves.

When the waves are pounding you it's very difficult to believe the storm will pass. It will. Sooner or later.

Just keep kicking and keep your nose above water as much as you can.

2007 brought a helluva storm to the Nada.

I quit kicking for a while there. I quit caring.

What changed?

I have no idea. There was no epiphany, no rescue boat, no bolt from the blue.

The just storm passed.

I was still scared to death. I was scared right up until I shoved my hand (arm) into that fuel tank and thing started to go RIGHT. Right away things started to come together. Literally and metaphorically.

"I can do this. I can actually do this!"

Damn Skippy I can. I AM an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic.

I am an A&P first and foremost. Before I can be anything else I must be an A&P.

Now, Ive been in those fuel tanks for a week now. Enough already!

In the break room one of the guys asked me what I'd been doing all day.

I replied, "Trying to put a puzzle together."

"Sump tanks?!"

"Yup."

"The guy that designed that s**t ought to be stuffed into one!"

I concur. He should go in head first!

I can hear you now, "Aw hell. He's only back a week and he's already bitching!"

Yeah. Ain't it a lot like heaven?