T Minus None

The suit actually feels good
Sitting against my silken undergarments
A little stiff
A little crisp
Like leather that’s not quite broken in
The helmet sitting next to me
Reflecting the rising sun
The gold foil lining sparkling

Dog sitting next to me
His tongue hanging out
It was going to be another hot one today
It usually is without a doubt

My Lear Special sits ready to go
Oxygen tanks installed and filled
Nitrogen tanks the same
Hydrogen peroxide and kerosene topped up
Just enough Jet A to get me started on this ride

I scratch Dog behind his ears
This leads eventually to him lying on his side
So I can more easily scratch and rub his belly
I love him
And I know he loves me

After one more pat on the head
I kiss him between the ears
He licks me on my face
I stand up and walk over to the truck
Putting a thick legal envelope under the wiper blade
In thick black Sharpie I wrote on it

“Read Me”

Inside are documents and papers
Explaining the situation
Everything I currently own is now the property of the Mormon family
Along with my wish for them to keep and love Dog
As well as a letter telling them what they have meant to me
With an attempt to explain what I’ve done

I open the truck door and have Dog hop up inside
As if he’s going for a ride
I clip a short leash to his harness
I’ve been getting him used to wearing this
With many rides over the last few weeks
It’s long enough to let him reach either side of the interior
But not long enough to jump out

I close the door
I tell him goodbye
I walk away and don’t look back
Because I can’t

I wouldn’t be able to leave if I did

As I walk
I have an accompaniment
ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching
In time with every step
A shiny titanium spur glinting
Small sharp star spinning
Little letters proclaiming them as Lucky One, and Too

Walking around the Lear one last time
Running my fingers along as I do
Flight controls are as they should be
Engines look fine too
The two larger rocket motors secure in their mounts
One just above and inboard of each factory motor
The third motor just protruding from the tail cone
I wiggle it’s nozzle lightly
Decreeing it ready to go

Climbing inside I step over the clutter
Of all my installed periphery
Extra lines running to and fro
Turning on the oxygen and nitrogen bottles on my way by

In the cockpit
Squeezing myself in
The extra bulk of the suit making it tight
But snug and feeling quite right
Spurs jingling lightly as I jostle myself into place

The start ritual goes without a hiccup
I read each checkpoint out loud
Just as if this were an official mission
Mission control would have been proud

I close my eyes for a minute
As the engines warm up
I have one last earthly chore to attend to
Eyes opening
Fingers retrieving my cel phone from my zippered breast pocket

After a few tense seconds the call is answered
I’d been wondering what I’d do if nobody picked up
But they did

The Mormon family father came on the line
I asked of him a favor
I needed him to pick up Dog
I had to go and needed a babysitter
After a short confusion
He readily agreed
Telling me he’d be here in fifteen minutes

I had to ask him to promise
He asked me why
I told him he just had to
He’d understand when he arrived

So he did
And my heart was at peace
I knew he’d never break a promise
Even one to me

Cel phone stowed once again
Helmet secured over my head
I put my feet on the rudder pedals
Parking brake released
Left hand on the yoke
Right hand on the throttles

I take a deep breath