Flying HIgh

                      "He would look up at me with those
                    big brown eyes and I would just melt"
         That was what my Mom would say when referring
           to my brother.  As she called him, "Little Mal"

Obviously, the sun rose and set on him.  He could do nothing wrong.  Matter-of-fact, everything he did was amazing! This was not just her thinking but to everyone I knew.   I remember having a new friend when I was in 7th grade and her mother asking me about my brother.  She had heard that everything he touched would turn to gold.  I had no idea what she was talking about.  He was just my fascinating big brother,  eighteen years older than me, with lots of children near my age, and lots of animals. I knew he loved flying planes and was involved in the airline business, I knew he loved animals and had brought home from a trip to Mexico,  100 Mexican burros 

If his children wanted a monkey, they would have it.  He owned a sheep ranch, and campgrounds, a Chinese junk, a hotel,  a Caribbean island home, a house at the shore, and a farm in Pennsylvania. His motto was 'family recreation is the key to happiness'.  And, I was included in this wonderful life! 

                        But his true thrill was in the air.

Being so much younger than Mal, I have no idea what led him to the life of adventure he chose.  I do know that 2 months after he was born,  Charles Lindbergh made the first crossing of the Atlantic in an airplane and Lindbergh was in the news through most of my brother's early years.  Visiting faraway places through air travel was new and I'm sure he wanted to be a part of this cutting edge lifestyle.   

I also know that he was a pole vaulter in high school and college and competed in national championships.  Could that short spurt of flying through the air have had an impact? I don't know..

 I remember when I was seven and at a friend's house.  A commercial came on her radio saying in a sing song tune 
                                  " Fly, Sky Coach!"

This was my brother's business and I can still hear the tune.  

My sisters, my uncle and my cousin all were involved in those beginning days.  

                             Then his business took off! 

Whether it was helping to make sandwiches for the passengers, or flying in one of his planes, I was part of his adventurous lifestyle. 
     Mal, what a great life we had.  But, you left too soon!
                               
                        Happy Birthday!