1

The earth looks completely different upside down. I love the wind in my face and I love the freedom that it brings. I know that I am just in a dust cropper but this is exactly where I want to be, in the air and free. I turn the plane upright again because I am almost close to the fields that I need to fertilize.

I have been doing this now for a few months since my dismissal from the Navy. The farmers in my town really need someone that can fly a plane. I volunteered without even knowing that I did. If I recall her words correctly it was my mother that kind of force me into doing "something with my life."

I know that I can not carry on the way that I do but I loved flying for the Navy and that is all that I ever wanted to do. Now, I am stuck back home, fertilizing fields. This is not the life that I have imagined for myself.

I am just about to go back to the farm when I see a military convoy on the dusty roads. I can not stop myself when I immediately fly in their direction. Then lower my plane upside down to see who is in this convoy. I hover above the car just long enough to see someone that looks like an Admiral. I make sure to fly low enough to give him a good wave.

The word shock is not exactly what I would use for the expression on the Admiral's face. I always enjoy surprising people or do things they never expect. Then I make my landing and taxi back into the hangar. I get out of the plane and see that the convoy is coming my way. I open the engine of the plane and start to work a little bit on it. I am sure I can make this thing fly faster.

I wonder what the military wants with a mentally unstable Captain like myself. I dust myself off as if to look more presentable and then they walk straight up to me. Under normal circumstances, I will salute him but since I was discharged...I really feel like doing it.

"Captain Smith...Captain Brian Smith?"

I turn around to look him in his eyes and then I say.

"Yes, that's me?"

"I am Admiral Johnson"

I stick out my hand and then he looks at me as if I am giving him a slap through his face. He keeps his hands behind his back and then he says.

"I guess they were right when they said that you do not do well with authority?"

I start to walk away while wiping the grease from my hands, heading to find the right spanner in the toolbox.

"Did they also tell you that I am mentally unstable?"

"Not in so many words but that is not why I am here"

I walk back to the engine of the plane and start to work on it.

"...and why are you here, Admiral?"

"We need your help"

I drop the spanner into the engine out of pure shock at his words.

"Fuck!"

I try to get out the spanner but it seems to be stuck inside. I give up and then I turn to him and say.

"I am sorry. I must be hearing things. Can you repeat what you just said?"

The Admiral does not give me any emotion on his face as he says.

"We would like to reinstate you as Captain. We are in need of the best pilot and we are sorry to admit that you are the best"

I can not stop myself from smiling and all of a sudden, I find new energy to look for the spanner.

"You say the best, huh? You know that hearing I was talking about and how I'm hearing things? Please, could you repeat that?"

I hear the Admiral sigh loudly and he is clearly highly irritated with me.

"You are the best Naval Aviation pilot that we have and your country needs you"

I start to laugh as I turn around and look at him again.

"My country? You say my country needs me? I am almost positively sure that it is you that needs me not my country. But why would I say yes? You dismissed me as being mentally unstable. How can I now be stable all of a sudden?"

"This is not a matter of you being stable or unstable. We do not have time to care about that right now. We need your help because there is a war going on and you are the only one capable to lead the squadron into battle and have a favorable outcome"

I wanted to join the Navy because I wanted to make a difference in this world. This world has brought me a lot of drama as a child and I just wanted to make a difference. Finally, the Navy also showed me that they do not need me and let me down. Now, they stand here and ask me to come back. It's almost as if they are begging me by sending an Admiral to get me. It does not take much convincing to get me back there.

"Okay, I will come back but on my conditions"

"What are your conditions?"

I look up at the sky as if I am thinking about what it should be but I know exactly what I want.

"I do not want any psych evaluations..."

I can see that the Admiral is struggling with what I am requesting but then he says.

"Okay, what else?"

"I want the freedom to come and go on the base as I please"

"We can arrange that"

"Then, you have yourself a deal, Admiral. When do I start?"

He turns around and walks back to his car while he says.

"Right now, Captain. Right now"

He opens the door and then he looks back at me as if he is waiting for me to get into the car. I stand and stare at him for a moment or two. I wipe the grease from my hands and walk to the other side of the car, getting in.

Then the car pulls away and I stare out of the window saying goodbye to my hometown. I start to smile because there is a joy residing in my heart. The thought that I am going back to flying my jet, is enough for me. No more dust cropping. No more fertilizing. Just me and the machine between my legs flying at speeds that break the sound barrier.