When a wide-eyed, urgent Gleek ran to me shouting “Mommy! You have to come and see!” I wasn’t very impressed. Usually this behavior means that she wants to show me a mushroom or how she can jump off the swing. But then she announced that a big brown helicopter had landed in the church parking lot only two blocks from our house.
She was so urgent and insistent, that I took her to go and see. Sure enough, an apache helicopter was sitting in the parking lot at our church. It had already acquired a crowd of curious onlookers and a police cruiser to help manage the onlookers. Apparently the apache was on its way to be part of a parade when some tell-tales told the pilot to land NOW. When I arrived they were waiting for a mechanic to show up. While they waited the two pilots were happily letting kids climb on the chopper and explaining how everything works. Gleek was in heaven. She chattered with the pilots and climbed up on the chopper. In no time at all, she was an expert on everything.
I stood back and watched Gleek as she explored the chopper. The juxtaposition of petite little girl in a pink nightgown and blonde ponytail perched up on that olive drab military chopper was very interesting. Several times her antics made some kind adult reach up and lift her down. I guess she was making others nervous. I wasn’t nervous. I’ve seen her do much more daring things a million times before. She really is a strong little monkey.
When the mechanic arrived, all the spectators were asked to step back. He changed out a few parts then they fired up the engines and ran the blades for a bit. Then they changed out a couple more parts. Eventually they fixed the problem sufficiently that the chopper could take off. As I saw the huge machine take to the sky I marveled at the wonders of modern engineering. The chopper was huge with millions of working parts. It may be odd of me, but for a moment I was glad that we have a military so that we can support such beautiful and amazing machines. I think it was even more beautiful for the fact that no effort was made to make it shiny or pretty. That apache was a work machine, built to do a job. I get some of this same feel whenever I watch construction machines at work.
The apache lifted off, blowing a cloud of dust at everyone. Then it roared off into the sunset. Literally. I lost sight of it because the setting sun was in my eyes. Then in the cool evening Gleek and I walked home together. I’m so glad I took the hour to go and see what Gleek was excited about.