breaking news

Monday 10 September 2012

day fifty-on and what normally would have been a thrill (going in the cockpit)




Ron went to the open door of the Airship Mini and looked out, but there was no sign of the mysterious birdlady! 
“Who was that?” he asked the stewardess who was standing at the door. 
“I don’t know, sir. I thought she was with you.” she said.
The stewardess pulled a piece of paper from her pocket.
“This is the flight manifest,” she said, “Crew: 3. Passengers: 2: Mr. Ron Stork & Friend.”
“That’s “Fred”, not “Friend”!” said Ron.
“Ooops!” said the stewardess. “So who is Fred?”
“This is Fred!” said Ron, pointing to Fred, who was sitting on his shoulder.
“Aaargh!” The stewardess screamed and ran into the cockpit.
Ron opened the overhead luggage compartment to get his parcel. He was in a hurry to get off and see who this birdlady was and why she had come to the Soup Shack, but then the stewardess called out, “Before you disembark, sir, the captain would like to speak to you in the cockpit.”

“Thank you for travelling with us and we hope we will have the pleasure of serving you again soon,” said Captain Peters Cookie, when Ron entered the cockpit. “And also a personal thank you for saving us all last time. I’d like, on behalf of Imperial Airlines, to present you with this V.I.P. badge. You can travel with us for free anytime (conditions apply) and definitely no need to panic at all.”
“Don’t mention it!” said Ron.
“This is my co-pilot, Lieutenant Wings Norbert.” said Cookie.
“This is the throttle,” said the co-pilot, ”and this is the brake. Automatic gearbox. Indicators, left - “tick-tick-tick”, right - “tock-tock-tock”, altimeter, speedometer, gas meter, windscreen wipers - “shwip-shwip-shwipp”. This is the jolly joystick, power-assisted steering, of course, air-conditioning, radio, cigar-lighter, glove compartment containing a map, some sweets, petrol receipts, some pebbles, a glove etc, rearview mirror, sun-visors, a thing to put a bottle of water or soft drink in....”
“Thanks! Got to go!”said Ron, exiting the cockpit, He got his parcel and jumped off the Airship Mini. There was no sign of the birdlady - she had vanished.
“Flapping flippers, Fred!” exclaimed Ron. “Where could she have gone?!”
“Who?” replied Fred.
“The mysterious birdlady who was sitting just behind us.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I was asleep for the whole journey,” said Fred, yawning and rubbing his four eyes.

© David Severn 2012

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