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    Once Upon A Time At 30,000 Feet
    Once Upon A Time At 30,000 Feet
    Once Upon A Time At 30,000 Feet
    Ebook37 pages25 minutes

    Once Upon A Time At 30,000 Feet

    By J.T. Evergreen

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    About this ebook

    American Flight 1071 lifted off at 7:05 a.m. as scheduled with me tucked into first class seat 5A next to a window. As always, I give the stewardess a fresh flower to give to the captain with a verbal thank you for his ability in taking us from point A to point B in comfort and safety. I fell asleep thinking that would be the end of it. It wasn't.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJ.T. Evergreen
    Release dateFeb 17, 2019
    ISBN9781370911820
    Once Upon A Time At 30,000 Feet
    Author

    J.T. Evergreen

    OCCUPATION - Retired from the grind. Reflecting on successes, failures, and regrets. Exploring new aspects of self, writing that book which will get me an Oscar, staying out of trouble - well, small amounts of trouble are ok. Bringing joy into people's lives with random acts of kindness - the ones who aren't expecting it are the best. Cheering up check-out clerks at WalMart.ABOUT ME - Alone in blessed singleness. Wicked sense of humor, enjoy my own company, glad I'm not young any longer. I do miss the intimacy of being in love. A good catch . . . at least I think so. Enjoy the possibilities of every moment, an imagination that won't quite, a master weaver - give away everything I make, excellent portrait painter, a national treasure - though no one agrees with me, a good listener, intuitive, a good conversationalist, avoid boredom and boring people at all costs - that's a career all by itself.INTERESTS - Intelligent conversation: hard to come by these days, metaphysics, mysticism, my pups - Charlie, Max, and Bailey, seeing the funny side of life, going to Macy's at Christmas time - kicking Santa and punching an Elf. If I had a singing voice, which I don't, I would sing all of the time, wherever I was - even in WalMart. Wouldn't that be enchanting? When I receive the Oscar for the book I'm writing, I will have some baritone sing On A Clear Day, and I will lip sync his voice. It will wow the audience.PUBLICATIONS – Short Stories to celebrate the NEW YEAR - 23 delightful short stories; Alone at the Beach 25 short stories to keep you company, Home Alone, 8 Great Stories to keep you company, Born in the Twilight, Injun Summer, This’nThat, Short Stories for a Summer’s Day. Holiday Short Stories, With All My Love, Father Frederick Monahan, Shangri la, Stepping Stones to God, I’m Gay Mother – Get Over it, The Olde Book Shoppe, Naked Before God, The Italian Call Boy, The Silence of Healing, Death of a Pope, The Best Short Stories Ever, and My Love Affair with Father Tomas McTavish, working on a new character, Father Gibbon with Sister Mary Magda in TheAdventure of Father Gibbon with Sister M. Magda - it's about murder. I get choked up when I re-read some of my sentimental stories. I’m told that’s a sign of being a good writer.LOVES - Color and lots of it, strawberry jam, hiking up Yosemite Falls, Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, sourdough bread, only made in San Francisco. Hearst Castle, Big Sur, sea air, Adams peanut butter, chocolate milk, rainy days, canaries singing, chocolate chip cookies my mother made, Greek yogurt with honey - oh, yum. Laughter. I make it a point of doing this many times a day.HATES - Stupidity, insensitivity, bad table manners - come on, how difficult is it to hold a fork properly - it's not a shovel for God's sake. Snow, ice, slush, freeway traffic, lima beans - what was God thinking, sleepless nights, people who are late, texting - it's a cop-out, tobacco, alcohol, red meat,FAVORITE BOOKS - The Spiritual Journey of Joel S. Goldsmith, How to Win Friends and Influence People - I collect this book and give them to people I hate - there's a waiting list.FAVORITE MUSIC – Let's Talk Dirty to the Animals – Gilda Radner - funny lady;; Joplin’s Peachrine, Ahmad Jamal - Country Tour - the absolute best jazz - never tire of it. Someone Waits for You – Carly Simons, Helen Kane singing Button Up Your Overcoat and I Want to Be Bad – I relate to the lyrics. And the Tenor who sang Springtime for Hitler in the Zero Mostel version of The Producers. No one seems to know who he is. What a voice.FAVORITE FILMS – The Celluloid Closet, Witness for the Prosecution, It Could Happen to You, Maltese Falcon, Inherit the Wind, 12 Angry Men, Harold and Maude, Murder on the Orient Express, Hope and Glory, Sorry Wrong Number, Speed, Practical Magic, Apollo 13, Where the Red Fern Grows, The original Producers - touch me, hold me - Estelle was terrific, and Zero - what can I say.FAVORITE TV SHOWS - I don't watch TV any more, but when I did . . . 2-1/2 men - when it was good. Everybody loves Raymond - some great writers; best sight gagsFAVORITE QUOTES – The poetry in writing is the illusion it creates: by me. Lord Chesterfield: “Sex: the pleasure is momentary, the position ridiculous, and the expense damnable.” The saddest words of tongue or pen are these - It might have been - indeed they are. If you want to make a success out of old age, you better start now: my mother when I was 15. On a clear day, you really can see forever - you just have to look. I may be rancid butter, but I'm on your side of the bread. Inherit the Wind.FAMILY – A father who was emotionally absent, a mother who provided all the necessities of life and nothing more. An older brother who is a classic socio-psychopath and made my childhood a misery. I hide from everything just to survive. My right of passage came when I was 18 and joined the Naval Air Reserves. In boot camp I hide in the back row the first day, and guess whose name they called to be the Company Commander – me. But it was the best thing that could have happened and I bless that moment. I had to lead those 50 plus men and boys for 90 days. The night of graduation we drilled in front of the audience and it was perfect. The guys carried me from the hangar in triumph. I came out of the shadows that summer and never went back. I'm a louse when it comes to cleaning house, too many other more enjoyable things to do.“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor WitShall lure it back to cancel half a Line,Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”Omar Khayyam

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      Book preview

      Once Upon A Time At 30,000 Feet - J.T. Evergreen

      Part One

      As told by Brian Benson

      I’m not a frequent flyer but when I do fly, I go first-class, and I always give the stewardess a fresh flower to give to the captain with a verbal thank you for his ability in taking us from point A to point B in comfort and safety. The word gets around about my gift and the crew seems happier than usual. It’s a tough thankless job, the flower is the least I can do to show appreciation.

      Several months ago, something unexpected happened which would eventually change my life forever. I was flying from Chicago to West Palm Beach for a few days of peace, quiet, and sun. Winter weather in Chicago can be daunting at times. The question of why I continue to live there has dogged me for years.

      American Flight 1071 lifted off at 7:05 a.m. as scheduled with me tucked into first class seat 5A next to a window. The thrust of the plane as the captain applies power is always exhilarating and then the wobbly sensation as tons of aircraft lift off of the runway and become airborne.

      I waited until the cabin crew completed their routines and things began to settle down before I pressed the attendant button. A young, beautiful stewardess, with a name tag identifying her as Chandra, approached with a warm smile.

      Yes, sir?

      Good morning, Chandra. Would you be good enough to give this to the Captain with my compliments for our flight this morning? I could tell she was somewhat taken aback as she responded.

      Yes … of course. Thank you. A genuine smile flooded her face as she took the rose and departed for the cockpit.

      I released the reclining back of my seat and closed my eyes, hoping the three hours would go quickly if I dozed off. I barely heard the warning announcement of turbulence ahead as I fell asleep. Consciousness returned slowly as the body of the plane shook. My eyes were slightly open when I noticed someone entering from the galley. They walked slowly to where I was sitting, paused a second, then moved on. The glimpse I caught of the uniform told me it wasn’t a passenger or a stewardess and I did not remember seeing a steward on board so I assumed it was either the captain or co-pilot. It seemed odd that he paused. I looked at my watch. It was only 8:15, I closed my eyes and drifted in and out

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