A List of Best Intentions

There was something on my list that was pretty average. Something you’d find on anyone’s bucket list.

Number ten: Go Skydiving.

I was pretty sure most people would wanna jump out of a plane with a parachute before they die; that included me, too. It sounded fun. And it’d be safe, right? Yeah. So I was justified in wanting to do that stuff.

I didn’t wanna be skydiving alone, though. And Cody comin’ along with me was totally outta the question – I didn’t even bother to ask him, ‘cause I knew he’d say no. So I turned to someone I wanted to get to know a little better – Stephanie.

It was a weird question to ask, really. “You wanna go skydivin’ with me?” It sounded random. Still, I had to do it, and I did, during school the Monday after Keisha’s second breakout show.

Steph laughed, raised an eyebrow, and leaned against the lockers. “What?”

“I don’t wanna go alone,” I reasoned, shrugging.

“Are we gonna get lessons or something?” she asked. My hopes weren’t high.

I waved my hand. “Aw, I’m sure they’ll teach us.”

She gave me a crooked smile. “Okay, I’ll do it…maybe it’ll be fun.”

“Aw, it’ll be a blast.”

And I was sure of it.

~~~~~

“Mom, Dad, it’s not like I’m gonna die!”

“Absolutely not, Kevin. It’s too dangerous,” Dad blocked.

I should’ve known. Why didn’t I just lie to them? I knew they wouldn’t let me go.

“But I’m going with a girl,” I pleaded. “I can’t just bail on her.”

Mom smirked like the simple fact changed everything. “A girl?”

“Kevin, you don’t have to lie to us,” Dad chuckled.

They thought I was making it up?! “I like her, though. And I wanna do this with her!”

“If you’re going with Cody, just tell us you’re going with Cody!” Mom urged.

“But I’m not! If I…Cody wouldn’t even wanna go!”

Dad sighed. “A skydiving date…hm.”

I smiled and tried to look cute. I was getting good at that, and heck, it kept my parents’ minds off of the fact that my ISS session was the next Tuesday.

Dad caved first. “Whatever…”

“But be safe,” Mom warned nonetheless.

Parents. Gotta love ‘em.

~~~~

First things first – I actually had to find a place where people could skydive. So I took matters to the phonebook and found this place in Dawsonville – Take it to the Skies Academy. I called ‘em and told ‘em I wanted a spot for two. Some dude on the other line who spoke like a surfer said it’d be alright.

I was kind scared at first, ‘cause, I mean, who the hell likes heights? It was nerve-wracking, thinkin’ about that. In my heart, I knew I was in good hands – both me and Steph would have an instructor with us.

That Saturday, Stephanie’s mom (Steph was a mama’s girl) drove us out to Dawsonville and dropped us off. The entire drive, her mom was laughing and overall being real friendly. It was almost like she didn’t even realize her daughter was about to jump out of a plane.

Still, when we got to Take it to the Skies – a little building in the middle of a huge-ass field – Stephanie’s smile made it all worthwhile. She seemed more excited about this than I did.

We stood outside of it for a moment while her mom drove away.

“I can’t wait,” she grinned, grabbing my hand. “Let’s go!”

When we went inside, all there was were a few chairs, a couple of body suits, a table, and parachute backpacks everywhere. Not kidding. You’d think they’d be training an army here.

“Sweet,” Steph whispered, beaming.

She didn’t see it, but I was smiling at her.

A door opened amongst the pile of backpacks, and in walked a really tall, skinny guy with wavy hair that came to his shoulders. He saw us standing and grinned. “Oh, hey! Are you the dudes that’re diving today?”

I nodded. “You our instructor?”

He grabbed 3 pairs of goggles from the desk and threw two of them to us. “Yeah, but we gotta go through some safety crap before we go up. I’m Rusty.”

Stephanie stared at the eyewear in her hands. “Are you going with us?”

Rusty flipped his dirty blond hair over his shoulder. “Sh’yeah, sister. I ain’t letting no squids out there alone.”

I cocked my head. Did…did he just call…us…squids?

“But…just you, or…” she trailed off.

“Just me,” he grinned. “Which one of you wants me strapped to ya?”

“Hold the phone. I thought newbies had to have someone strapped to them…” I said. “And we’re both new…”

Rusty looked kind of stupid with that smirk on his face and that glazed-over look in his eye. “Yeah?”

“Could we both get mentors?” Stephanie asked.

“Come on, it’s not like…um…” he paused. Staring at the ceiling, he caused a silence. “I’m the only one working today, too.”

Steph and I kinda looked helplessly at each other.

Rusty stepped closer and smiled real big. (I think he was high. Just sayin’.) Then he put his hands on our shoulders; the Pearl Jam logo on his shirt was right in my face.

And he assured us, “Let’s go, dude. And dudette.”

~~~~

I guess I had the world to be scared of, but things turned out alright. Even looking back and remembering how that Rusty guy was probably fried out of his mind, we got out alive.

I had a reason to be a little cautious. (I was fifteen. Come on.) Rusty said it wouldn’t matter. And if he was wrong, hell, we could sue and get some cash.

Steph ended up having Rusty strapped to her. At first I thought it was kinda sleazy for a twenty-something guy to be on a fifteen-year-old girl’s back, but he was certified. Well, he said he was. And plus it wasn’t like the whole thing was sexual, so thinkin’ of it like that was weird in itself.

We rode in one of those little military planes. Apparently the pilot was some Vietnam vet who was a friend of Rusty’s. I don’t remember meeting anybody else who worked there, if anybody else even worked there at all.

When we were suited up and had our parachutes on, we climbed into the plane and were airborne. At one point, I looked out the window and saw miles of Georgia whooshing below, and my heart skipped a beat.

Below us were plains of grass and farms, looking like tiny playsets from up there. I was enchanted. I’d never seen anything like it, and I didn’t think I’d be seeing it again.

“Hell of a view, innit?” Rusty laughed from my left. “Looks even better in midair.”

“Ohhh my God,” Stephanie giggled. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail. “Can we jump yet?”

Rusty stood up and looked out the plane; then, with a content smile across his face, he nodded. “Get ready, dudes.”

My stomach knotted up real bad, though I still couldn’t stop a grin from surfacing.

Steph and Rusty strapped up and we three stood at the edge of the door of the plane, looking down. My backpack seemed to suffocate me even further. All of the things that could possibly go wrong…

“One, two, three!” Rusty yelled. On three, he – with Stephanie strapped to his chest, might I add – jumped out. And when he did, I don’t think I ever heard Steph scream any louder.

I followed. Before I could think about it, I was airborne and hurtling toward the ground at speeds I could hardly comprehend, terrified for my life and regretting such a life-threatening goal.

Stephanie was still screaming blood-curdling shrieks, but Rusty was laughing his stoned ass off. And once I was on their level, I had to laugh too. Not just ‘cause it was funny, but ‘cause Rusty was right – the view was even better on the way down.

We were right above the field the academy was in, but you could still see Tanglewood in the distance – the small clusters of stores and restaurants and neighborhoods. It all looked so small, and I felt so huge. I felt omnipotent. It was awesome, having that kind of view and I knew it wouldn’t last – that’s what made it special.

Pretty soon, Rusty told us to pull the parachute cord and we were officially gliding. The wind stopped trying to stretch my cheeks into balloons. Stephanie stopped screaming, and death didn’t seem so eerily near.

“Oh my God. Oh…my God,” I gasped, gripping the strings for dear life. “This is so freakin’ dope!”

“Whooo!” Rusty yelled.

Stephanie whimpered.

“Y’okay?” I laughed.

She nodded weakly, bright red in the face.

“Hey, the worst is over,” Rusty assured. “Look around you. It’s beautiful.”

He was right. He was sleazy as hell and kinda creepy, but he was right.

The sky was clear and blue and the air, rushing softly past us and keeping us from splatting to the ground, was cool. The weather was perfect. The view was gorgeous.

And all of a sudden, I understood why so many people, myself included, wanted to go skydiving before they kicked the bucket. After we landed safely, not a broken bone in our bodies and our nerves calmed down, I knew I could cross it off with confidence and a good feeling that it was worth it. Even if I was doing these things to avoid dying unhappily, sometimes it was a painful reminder of the reason behind my list in the first place. Still, I couldn’t really be sad when I was doing the things I had always dreamed of doing.