the man who rides in first class

My oldest son was born in a Denver hospital in 1970 and, at 11 and a half pounds ,created quite a stir.The measuring bassinet was 24 inches long and his feet hung over.Three student nurses came to watch the natural childbirth and we all cried together at the miracle that he was.He still is.

Mike was born with fluid in his lungs and his skin was a light shade of blue so they whisked him away from me to a children's hospital and I mourned.He was fine and a few days later I had him all to myself.Happy Momma.He is now six feet tall, with auburn hair, green eyes and all the women glance his way.

After high school, my son got a job at American Airlines doing baggage work and occasionally a free pass would put him in first class.His young eyes would look around at the business men who surrounded him and he would think,"I want to be like them,really in first class, and doing important work."

His next job was climbing cell towers.I have a picture that scares me no end as he is hanging at the top of one doing repair work.He spent some time doing that hard work and then thought,"I can do better than this" and soon he was in management.He has changed companies often ,gaining experience and moving up.He is now Director of Field Operations for a company that has contracts all over the United States.He did this on his own because he believed in himself.

But this is not why I am telling the story of this handsome,good man.He now always flies first class and as he boards he asks the stewardesses if there are any service men on board.If there are, he gives them his seat and sits in the back.Last week he did this and the whole plane applauded him as I do now.