Chapter 45

The next week was boring. Nothing special was happening around the country and life in the house became a little less frantic and very peaceful. Brandy was an every night visitor, with her four friends over for supper, drinks, or exercise almost every night. Marie and Dennis were becoming more intense with each other and Jan had met a man at the dojo that sparked her interest. She went from two nights a week working out with her new friend to going almost daily, then she began not coming home nights.

When the girls teased Jan about her intense interest in martial arts, she blushed a lot and occasionally broke down in giggles.

Angie had a date. A young man from her community college asked her out for coffee after school. By the third coffee date, he, Modelle, was bringing her home. She brought him in to enjoy her home and friends. At first, he was reluctant to be comfortable, but was soon relaxed and enjoying all of our company. Tiani helped a lot as she was often sitting on my lap talking to me as if we were lovers. Brandy was always sitting next to me, but Tiani was like a pet that sat on your lap, waiting to be petted. She still didn't want anything to do with me other than being the closest of friends.

I received my instrument rating and had flown a few flights in the right seat with John and Lisa. John was busily teaching me all about the Lear, planning on having me attend the school that the park was holding. Considering that I could get a lot more hours flying second seat in the Lear, I figured the school would be a good investment.

Two weeks after our trip to the Keys, Brandy asked me, "Would you come with me for breakfast Saturday. My folks want to meet you and my dad is dying to meet another airplane nut."

"Why breakfast on a Saturday morning?"

"Dad says people are their friendliest when they eat breakfast with others. He also says that he loves to sit around the table after a good breakfast and shoot the bull."

"I was going on a trip with John, but I'm sure I can cancel. He really doesn't need me to go with him."

"Dad will be pleased that you gave up flying to meet him. You'll love my mother, too. She's so loveable and so much what a mother should be. My bratty sister and brother will be there, but I'm sure they will have other things to do. They are both in high school and have loads of activities."

Breakfast at the Carter's was something. First of all the house was a real surprise. The driveway is a right of way between two fences of two different subdivisions. It's so deceptive as you don't expect anything back there. The first building you see is a mobile home that sits outside a large electric gate. After entering the gate, you are confronted with acres of lush lawn with white fences surrounding a beautiful red, with white trim, barn.

You make a circle past a line of trees and 'Oh shit, ' there is a huge two-story country house with a big porch all the way around the front. When you park in an area where someone made a fortune laying pavers, you feel like there was more to uncover.

Brandy didn't take me through the front door or the side door; she led me around back to look out over more lush grass and fenced in areas with horses grazing. Near the house was an Olympic sized pool, complete with diving boards and a high platform. On the far side of the pool was a low cabana that could have been considered a home in some areas.

The back porch was magnificent. There were umbrella tables scattered about, but not under the roof of the porch. Under the porch roof was a large table, overflowing with food. Two teens had large plates full of pancakes and sausage, while a nice looking guy with graying hair was sitting reading a newspaper.

"Daddy, I'm here."

The man put down the paper and stood, approaching us as we stepped onto the porch. We shook hands as he said, "Dan Carter, you must be Chuck Johnson."

I smiled and said "Guilty."

He pointed to the two teens and said, "These are the infamous twins Donna and Don. Thank God they don't look alike, but they sure do act alike. They are twins in the truest way. They don't do everything together, but almost. At least they both have some of their own friends."

A very attractive lady came from the house, carrying a platter of cut up melons and other fruit. She put the platter down, wiped her hands on her apron and smiled. Brandy said, "Mom, this is Chuck Johnson, the man I've told you about and, Chuck, this is my mother, Jane Carter."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson. Please sit down and have some breakfast. The food is all on warming trays, so please sit. Can I get you coffee, juice, some milk?"

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Carter, juice and coffee would be good."

I turned to Mr. Carter, "Nice to meet you too, Sir, you have a beautiful place."

"Thank you, Chuck. The only thing I don't have is my own runway and hangar right here. There really isn't enough room but I'm thinking of buying a helicopter to get between here and the airport so I don't have to drive. I think that would be fun."

Mrs. Carter was being busy talking quietly with Brandy who was pouring me orange juice and coffee.

"Brandy tells me you've recently obtained an instrument license and are building hours to obtain a commercial ticket. Are you planning on becoming a commercial pilot?"

"No Sir," I said, taking a sip of coffee to test how hot it was. "My real goal is to become an instructor pilot to assist a friend of mine. He's invested quite a bit in me to learn so I'm doing my best to become a help to him and his company."

"What company is that?"

"S&S Air Charter and School, you may know them."

"I know them well, and I know Steve Sharp well, too. He is a real dynamo. Everything he puts his interest in becomes successful. How do you know him?"

"We met when he and his wife piloted a charter for me a couple of times. When he was by himself, he had me assist him and I became interested in flying. He is very friendly and welcomes everyone he meets to be a part of his family. I really do enjoy him and his family."

Mrs. Carter asked, "Do you know his wife Sue very well? And that Mercy, she is so uncanny the way she knows what you're thinking. I really like Kathy and Juanita too, but they are more home bodies than Sue and Mercy."

Dan said, "Steve is a little unusual in the way he has more than one woman. I don't think I could do that. Jane is more than enough for me."

Brandy spoke up, "I want a man who's vital enough to have more than one woman. If he can handle two, three or four, he can handle me."

Mrs. Carter said, "Oh Brandy, you're always talking strange. You'll give your young man the wrong idea."

"Mom, he's the guy we girls took to the Hard Rock that time a couple of years ago. He handled the five of us just fine."

"Ah hum, ah Brandy, don't give the kids the wrong idea."

"Oh Daddy, you know what I mean. He gave us all attention that night. He danced with every one of us over and over. He paid attention to all of us."

Mrs. Carter said, "I'm sure you would rather Chuck just pay attention to you, wouldn't you?"

"I love it when I'm the only one, but Tiani wanted him first and now she's like his little sister. They are best buds. Frieda says that Chuck is the man for her, but I got him first. The other two want him too, but I have him. I'll share, but I get him most of the time."

Donna said, "You sure are a crazy lady, Sis. You talk some weird stuff. If I get a guy, I'm not sharing him with anybody. I'll keep him locked up away from all temptation."

Brandy was smiling but said, "I don't own Chuck and we're not committed. We are enjoying going out and having fun together right now. Like I said, if he can be a friend to all of my friends, he's my kind of guy."

We ate and chatted about a little of everything. Brandy bragged about our trip to Key West, saying we were treated royally the whole time we were there. Dan made the comment, "Your mother and I have been thinking of getting a condo down there. We really enjoy how relaxing it is."

I asked, "Mrs. Carter, would you please pass me those scrambled eggs? I think I'll have a little more."

She said, "Would you please call us Jane and Dan? All this formality is too much for me. I'm sure you don't want to be called Mr. Johnson or Charles."

"Okay, Jane, may I have some of those eggs?"

We ate and were drinking coffee when Dan asked, "Brandy said you had a small Cessna, do you have an old 150? Perhaps a 172?"

"I was lucky a while back and was able to buy a 206 that was a government confiscation. It's in really good condition and it's making me some money right now being rented out. I can't fly it every day so the charter company rents it out and charters it for short in-state flights."

"Is that what you flew down to the keys?"

"No, they had my plane rented out so they let me use one of their B200s. I really like that plane as it's fast and large enough to carry more people."

"So you're checked out in several planes now?"

"Yes Sir. I'm being trained right now in the Lear and hope to be able to fly left seat in that soon."

"You are becoming an accomplished pilot. I have to agree with you, it is fun."

When we were about talked out, Brandy suggested that we had some places to go. As we drove out the driveway, she said, "Let's go flying, anywhere in any kind of airplane. I just want to go up for a while."

When we got to the air park, we found Star and John busy with rentals and lessons. John frowned at me, but asked, "You're not looking for a lesson today, are you?"

"No Sir, just looking for any kind of airplane to go up in for a while."

John looked over the inventory of airplanes, then thought a second. He asked, "Do you have your tail dragger endorsement?"

"No Sir."

He looked at Brandy and asked, "Can you wait about thirty minutes while I get Chuck checked out in a neat plane."

Brandy smiled and nodded.

"Come on, let's get this done real quick. I have another lesson coming up."

We went out to Steve's red bi-plane and pushed it out of the hangar. We went over the airplane and quickly did the preflight inspection. He had me sit in the front seat and said, "It's easier to fly from the back seat, but I want you to land this thing from up there first. We'll switch after the first time."

We put on our headphones, started the engine, and let it warm up. John was telling me about the plane and that it had plenty of power even though it was considered a sport plane.

There were not many gauges or controls, but there were the basics. When we were cleared for takeoff, John said, "Just take off from here. We don't need much runway."

We didn't use but about four hundred feet. My takeoff wasn't all that pretty as when I lifted off I had jerked the stick back then countered that by moving it forward a little then back again. Thank goodness I was at almost full power doing that dip. We circled around getting clearance and came in fairly normally. If you've been flying tricycle gear you want to lean it forward after touching down, but you let this airplane slow until the tail drops to the runway. You don't want to use your rudder pedals hardly at all on the ground as you can do a ground loop too easily.

We were given permission to turn around and go back down the runway to quickly takeoff again. John and I switched seats and when I lifted off this time, I didn't jerk anything around. When we were up about two thousand feet, John went through trimming the aircraft and the correct throttle settings and how to lean the fuel mixture.

We came around and came into the glide path. I kept looking for the glide slope indicator but there wasn't one. This was real flying, just the airplane and the pilot. The landing was easy if you just let the tail drop on its own instead of forcing it to the ground.

We taxied up to the hangar and after I shut down, John said, "Check the fuel as Steve flies this thing all the time. Do the whole preflight including the oil as this is a smaller engine."

The fuel was near full and the oil level was where it should be so I went for Brandy. She was excited about riding in her first bi-plane. I knew how she felt as it had not been that long ago Steve gave me my first ride.

I was about to climb into the plane when John came out with my logbook. "I've put your endorsement in your logbook and will file it Monday. I just wanted you to see you've notched your gun again."

Since Brandy was a licensed pilot, we had a great time. We flew over to the Clearwater beach and flew just off the coast checking out the people on the beach. When we ran out of beach down in St. Petersburg, we turned and headed back up the coast. We made a few passes over S&S boat charter services at the big Dunedin yacht club. There were two big sailboats in and a couple of large fishing boats. I thought it would be cool to try to get a ride on one of the boats soon.

I noticed the time and that we were nearing the point where we were going to be on the last half hour of fuel so we turned for home. We flew by Brandy's parent's home and wagged the wings. We were waved at by the people out by the pool.

The landing at the air park was nice and gentle. We were slowed down enough to turn into the charter service when we got there. I made sure to move the fuel truck to the little bi-plane and fill it up. I checked the oil again before Brandy and I pushed the plane back into the hangar.

Pointing at an airplane, Brandy said, "Isn't that your plane?"

"It sure is. It must have just gotten back."

"Can we go back up? How about we go somewhere for a late lunch or early supper?"

"Let me check with the office."

John was back and looked beat. I asked about the plane and he said it was free and had been refueled. I told him we were thinking of going somewhere for an early supper. John looked up, "Let's go to Melbourne. They are opening a new restaurant there this weekend. If you don't mind, I'll ride along. Hey, Star, want to come with us to eat?"