Random Synapse's

You know the type. The ones that seem to come from nowhere.

This didn't really qualify for the "True Tales" series. It comes from A&P School.

Everyone had a nickname. It was un-taught basic training.

Whether you know it or not EVERYONE on every hangar deck everywhere has a nickname. If you don't know what your nickname is, you probably don't want to know.

I WILL NOT list all of mine.

My favorites were; my call sign, "Comanche" because I picked it. (Safer that way!), "Mad Max", for my deft right hand/ third world driving skills and "Largee".

My best friends in A&P school were; Dodge, Attitude, Fast Talkin' Slow Walkin', Walta, Sharkey, Blastweld, Doxi-Dan, Bubba, Docta Ro, etc.

I was just thinking about a time when Attitude, Dodge and I were all in the cab of a small four speed pick-up.

(Does a nickname like Attitude really need to be explained? Dodge became Dodge due to the enormous 4 door, 4 wheel drive, 440 cubic inch Dodge pick-up he drove.)

In the little truck I sat left seat, operated the 'yoke' and the pedals, and cleared traffic from the Port side. Attitude sat 'bitch' (which didn't help his attitude) and manned the gear shift (which didn't help his attitude). Dodge sat left seat, cleared traffic on the Starboard side and poked fun at Attitude for sitting 'bitch'. (Hey, if you don't have a thick hide you don't belong on a hangar deck or in the cab of a truck with two A&P's!)

We successfully navigated around Dallas and had a great time.

I have no idea what made me think about it but it got me to thinking about friends I have not seen for years.

Almost all of those guys were married when we started school.

School was 7 and 1/2 hours a night, five nights a week for 14 months.

Attitude was one of the upstanding family men. Clean cut, pressed shirt, corporate job, etc.

I of course was among the few as yet undomesticated (and still not house-broke) single guys and lived with similar animals.

Occasionally Attitude would ask, "Where's the party?" That meant that the Wife and Kids were out of town. Yeehaw!!!

[Holy Smokes, I just remembered Attitude, Sharkey and I and the After-Hours Club! I've got the giggles...]

Attitude was the first victim of A.I.D.S I ever knew.

For those that don't know, AIDS is an affliction that attacks air crew of all sorts, 'AVIATION INDUCED DIVORCE SYNDROME'. There is an inversion syndrome, S.I.C.K., 'Spouse Induced Career Killer'.

If you are air crew and have avoided this (these) Syndrome you still know plenty of people that have fallen prey to it (them).

It began in A&P school. The long hours getting through school took a toll. Attitude wasn't the only one to fall. I can think of FOUR guys in the list above that were divorced during or shortly after A&P School.

Dodge and his family came to Alabama and participated in my first wedding. His Wife even stood in as the 'Bride' at the rehearsal. There were some that felt she and I put too much enthusiasm into the rehearsal kiss. Mostly Dodge and my Fiance'. It was just a peck.

The last time I saw Dodge was here in San Antonio several years ago. It turned into a tale not worthy of retelling. Suffice to say it was the last time 4 of us (from School) were in the same room. Dodge, Sharkey, Me and Jose Cuervo.

Never mind.

The last time I saw Attitude was in the airport in San Francisco.

I was on my way to Korea for the first time and had a layover.

Attitude was a no show.

Several weeks later he called the Homestead. He'd been in a motorcycle wreck. 'Holy Crap?!'

Wait a minute...???... Attitude? Motorcycle?

We reset the visit for my return trip.

I had not seen Attitude since school, four or five years I guess.

In the airport, I was headed down a long, steep flight of stairs (or escalator?), looked up and saw an individual in the requisite airline mechanic uniform.

But, his hair was down below his shoulders and... is that... an ear ring?!?!?!

Attitude?

The individual was behind glass and too far away speak or even shout to so...

I shot him the bird.

He fired back and grinned.

We met up in a bar near my gate, I bought a round and we began to tell our tales.

I finished my beer and ordered another, "Attitude, you ready for another?"

"No, I don't need another DUI?"

Attitude?! DUI?! My, how the worm had turned.

Just to throw this in, I don't condone or encourage drunk driving (nor do I get coffee in the drive thru on amateur night).

One stray thought lead to a lot of other stray thoughts that loosely became a post. With any luck, I'm just warming up!!! [Apologies to B.B., I actually warmed up with an email to P'cola this afternoon. But, hey, since they lack a newspaper there maybe they need some entertainment.]

The Whole Lotta Nada

Both a play on "The Whole Enchilada" and a truth of sorts.
(Sub-titled, He has completely lost it and what's up with the parenthesis's?)

It's a Whole Lotta Nada because I don't really have a topic. I'm not currently doing anything interesting. That doesn't mean I wont go on and on about something!

Those that I've met and those that have had the 'misfortune' of meeting me know that I CAN Ramble, Babble, Repeat myself and generally go on for ever. More than once I've been admonished, "David, Please land the airplane." And, That's the truth. (I think there is supposed to be a raspberry at the end of that line.)

I only very recently stumbled off into this Blogosphere. (Is that the correct term? Did I spell it right? I need all the help I can get here.) It's all due to a fascination with Honduras and a sweet lady there that has been very gracious and tolerant of me. (Yes L.G. Blatant sucking up! I do want to thank you for your kindness though. That goes for you too B.B. Just as well get ya both at the same time and I doubt either will object to the company.)

If I haven't lost you completely already I should introduce myself. (I know that glazed look when I see it.)

My name is David. Currently a resident of San Antonio, TX. Actually, between Elmendorf and Floresville for you aficionado's of the Republic. I consider myself Natch-erlized. That may offend you Natives. My Mother and my oldest child were born here. Had documented kin at the Alamo. I've lived in Texas off and on since escaping (gasp) Oklahoma in 1984. BOOMER SOONER!!! While I'm upsetting Natives! Hey, Ya'll know I mean that in the best of rival ways! I decided a long time ago that I wanted to be in San Antonio if I couldn't be somewhere tropical. I LOVE it here. Food, folks, music. I have a brother here and my parents are right down the road.

I am an A&P mechanic. No, not the grocery A&P. An Airframe and Powerplant mechanic. I spend my work days bending, twisting, bruising, bleeding, contorting within various airplanes to inspect, repair and modify them. Enjoy the flight? Thank a mechanic! Yes, yes YES! Those guys in the front seat with the shiny suits are the best friggin' bus drivers in the world. (OK, Insert provisos here.) I do give them their due. The really good ones can, A. take a joke and B. acknowledge the disparities in prestige and salary. (You guys can have ALL the prestige just gimme the money!!! ;-) Who Me Bitter? No. Not at all. I had the grades and the opportunities to go that direction but as usual I made a short term sorta decision.

Being a wrench has afforded me opportunities that I couldn't have foreseen in Lawton, OK. I've been as far East as Mombasa, Kenya ("Roland aimed his Thompson gun, he didn't say a word" WZ) and as far West as Korea. Lotta points in between. Including three years in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, ("I was gambling in Havana, I took a little risk" WZ) thus the fascination with going back to Honduras.

With the exception of my two children the greatest thing in my life is my Fiance'. (Yes, I said, 'thing'. I do not think of women as things or possession's or chattel. So don't start. Just didn't have a better way to phrase it at the moment.) Anyway. We dated in high school and you can imagine how that worked out. 20 something years later I sent her an apologetic email. (Yeah the break-up was my fault! You didn't guess that already?) Asked her to pass my apology on to her parents as well. HALF AN HOUR LATER! I got a reply. It's been wide open ever since. WFO, as we say.

It is, I'm at a total loss, it's SOOOOOooooo great to be with a woman that grew up in the same town at the same time the same high school, etc, etc, et al! Something comes up, we have similiar perspectives. Not that we see everything exactly the same way. I guess being grounded in the same red clay helps. When I'm wrong, she'll say so. I generally defer. She's way smarter than me. (Better long term decisions. I.E. Bachelors, Master and Associates Degrees. In that order and that, to me is kinda funny for various reasons.) And, she puts up with me! She's the best "Glazer-Over" going! She does it with a smile. Even when I crank up the Zevon, or the Ely, or the Clapton, or the what the hell ever. If it bugs her, she wont hesitate to say so and I defer, see above. I've got a huge Warren Zevon poster hanging in the living room and she helped me find the right spot to hang it. Have I got it GREAT or what?!?! (It is tasteful and B&W and framed.)

Joe Ely, "Live at the Liberty Lunch" on the changer at the moment. If you're still here.

I promise, I'll pick topics and have something to say in the future. May even have some news someday. Let's write this one off to getting acquainted. Ya know, just between the two of us!

"donde esta mi amor... una noche como oy... y si ella lo vi lo mismo cielo que yo" JE

David

The Whole Lotta Nada

I just put several things in the "Labels" line. In the process something hit me. There is something of a family mystery surrounding one relative. ("Too Many Secrets" but one real mystery.) A certain Edwin Henry Riggs, born at FT Sam Houston in about 1914. I told ya I had roots here. Just a thought. It is the www after all.