Mechanical things rarely interest me much. A car is four tires, a trunk, a passenger compartment, and, I hope, an engine that goes. A toaster is a heating element and a switch that usually toasts the bread, and with luck, does not burn it. But a plane is different. Planes are fun to watch.

Some people, particularly some boys I know, could tell you the differences between all sorts of planes. As near as I can tell there are jets, propeller planes, and those weird jets with propellers. The category of jets can, of course, be broken down into big jets and small jets but further differentiation requires a little boy or a pilot.

No, I don't watch planes from a love of the taxonomy of them. I like the way they move when they take off. One moment the front wheels are on the ground and the body is perpendicular to the ground. The next moment the front wheels are off the ground and the body is at a 45 degree angle. I like to see if I can predict the exact moment of this change when the trip goes from potential to real. What about the people in the plane? Are they off for business, for fun, for a funeral, or for a wedding? Are they returning home to start anew? What are they thinking both those bored businessmen and the excited little chldren? What exactly is beginning---or perhaps, ending? Planes taking off seem so full of possibilities, so hopeful. They seem a physical embodiment of a new year, a new day, or a new start. I love the idea of plane travel although I don't love being in the little seats on the plane. a few minutes to takeoff and I CAN'T WAIT!

|