"Got it." I repeated.
"Good. I don't know about you, but I need some air." I looked down as he opened the door. The wind stole my breath. I struggled not to hyperventilate. The jumpmaster leaned over my right shoulder and stuck his head out the door. His hair danced as he looked for the spot. When we were over it Pete's tapped me. "CUT!" he yelled, bringing his head back into the plane. "Make him proud," the jumpmaster said patting my back. "Feet out."
I leaned back, took a deep breath, and stuck my feet out the door. The force of the wind surprised me. I planted my feet hard on the small wooden step. If I survive, I will never do this again. I'll stay on the ground where I belong, I thought. I took another deep breath, grabbed the strut and pulled myself out the door. The prop blast rolled over me like a breaking wave.
"HANG STRUT!" Pete yelled.
I slid my feet off the step. I hung, the wind shaping my body. I looked at Pete.
"GO!"
I let go.
Poof! The next thing I knew I had a canopy. I laughed and laughed. Especially when I heard the radio crackle, "Jumper One, if you need assistance wave your hand." Sergeant Slaughter, expensive French jump boats and all, flared his chute too late and landed hard, shattering his right ankle.
"I heard him scream like a banshee, and I was a thousand feet up." Shannie said later. Not letting opportunity pass, Shannie approached the injured Sergeant Slaughter, his leg strewn across his buddy's car seat. "You never answered my question." Shannie said twisting her hair. "Is it true what they say about men with large feet?"
"Yeah," he grimaced.
"Great, then go F yourself."
Under canopy, I didn't have Sergeant's problems. I released my Grandfather's ashes and watched them fall away. After drying my eyes, I marveled at the feeling of flight, being suspended under a flimsy piece of nylon. The ride was too short, the ground approached too quickly. I glided over the Pea pit and flared, the ends of the canopy tightened, the center of the canopy filled with air and I stepped to the ground as if stepping off a two-inch step. I exhaled as my canopy fell to the earth. Rest in Peace Stanley Alison, I thought.