It Does Not Spin

Hello,

This post is about how a black tie dinner impresses Sagar.

Meera

It Does Not Spin

Awac = Airborne early warning and control 

Hawkeye = A Surveillance plane

One evening, sixteen year old, Sagar was going through his dad's closet. His sister, who was four years younger, came in there.

"Sapna, help me find a tie."

"Why?"

"I am going to a dinner this evening, it's a jacket and tie affair."

Eight year old twins, Suchi and Soori overheard the conversation. Suchi asked, "Don't you wear pants, just a tie and a jacket?"

"No, silly, it's a formal dinner and he'll wear a tie, a jacket, pants and shoes, however no tennis shoes."

"Why is he going to this special dinner?"

"I have a friend whose dad is a big shot in the navy and he booked a table for ten of us at this dinner, it's a fund raising for students who want to join the Navy."

"Are you joining the Navy? Will you tell us how many boats you see there?"

"No Navy for me. But I'll tell you about the boats, now you eat your dinner, do the homework, take a shower and go to sleep. Mom-dad will be home soon and tomorrow is a school day."

"Okay, Bhaiya, but promise to tell us what you saw at this tie-jacket dinner, okay? Good night, didi, good night, bhaiya." The twins left.

Soon their parents were home; dad whistled when he saw Sagar in a formal attire, "Someone's looking awfully smart, a date?" 

Mom said, "This afternoon he got a last minute invitation to this party." She told dad about the dinner.

A friend of Sagar's picked him up and he left.

When Sagar returned home at nine, Sapna asked, "How was it?"

"Awesome! First of all, we walked under a swords-arch to the party hall, these navy men stood with their swords making an arch for us!"

"That's a special honor!"

"Yeah, a real cool honor. Then I saw an at least 20' wide radar disc mounted on top of a cool plane that sits five; two, two and one at the back, he's the commander."

"What does this plane do?"

"It's a reconnaissance plane that goes in advance of the other planes to see if the enemy on the ground is making a move, and where."

"Wow!"

"And Sapna, get this, there is bathroom of sorts on that plane, but you can only pee, and it goes straight out."

"Straight out?"

"I guess, it means it evaporates in the air."

"How gross!"

"Ha, where do you think the birds go? Remember once a bird pooped on one of us?"

"You."

"I don't remember, but guess what, when the commander retires his name goes on the side of the plane, and the plane's name is also there."

"The plane must be full of all these names."

"No, to write the new name, they paint over the old name and then write the next name. And get this, they paint the whole plane at that time."

"Wow, and how do you know all this? Did you ask someone?"

"Nooooooo. There was this old lady asking these silly questions, me and a friend of mine just stood aside, eating cheese and crackers and listening. It was funny. The guy, the captain or the commander was just answering her questions, politely, without a hint of a smile, just dead serious, but with lots of pride and enthusiasm."

"And then?"

"Well, she thanked the guy and when he left, she touched the plane's propellers upfront and whispered, "It doesn't spin."

"Did she push the fan, the propeller with all her might?"

"I couldn't tell, but guess what, I also tried to give it a push with one hand, it didn't even budge, it felt so heavy."

"What other planes did you see?"

"A really, really cool one -- a bomber! It has only one pilot, no fan and can take off to bomb the heck out of enemies. The pilot alone handles all the computer systems and off he goes. The third plane I saw was from WWII, it looked so small and not at all powerful, painted yellow, it was sitting in the dinning area."

"It flew in there?"

"Nooooooo. I am sure they drove it or towed it there. It's propeller also did not spin."

"What will you tell the twins about the boats that you didn't see?"

"I'll tell them that I saw airplanes that the Naval officers fly and sometimes they take off from a ship but not tonight."

"Hmm...Bhaiya, I don't know about you but I am going to dream about flying one of those cool airplanes, good night."

"Good night, Sapna."


The End


© 2014, Meera Desai Shah