The trip to Gatlinburg was quite an event for my 75 year old
mother. First, she had never ridden on an
airplane before. We took the big bird
from Dallas to Knoxville and she was pretty cool with it all. Then we got on a puddle jumper that even I
had never ridden before going from Knoxville into Gatlinburg. It might have had a total of 10 seats. I mean the legs that held the seats were
little round camping chair looking outfits.
There was a curtain where normally the cabin door for the pilot
stands. As we ran down the run way the
little beeping sounds came from the cabin and she reached around behind her and
grabbed my knee. I assured her
everything was just fine, as I prayed please Lord don’t let us crash. I had never ridden anything this small and did
not know what to expect either.
We arrived and got the rental car and off we went. Now another curve in the story, pun
intended. The road was switchback curves
most of the way. I for one am not good with motion sickness which suddenly
overtakes mama too. Finally we pass this
hurdle and we have climbed the mountain and are in the valley where old log
cabins, a creek and gorgeous wild flowers surround us. As we toured mama walked inside the cabin and
began to relive her youth. Her eyes took
it all in and she almost caressed the old stove and the other implements of
another time, “That was just like the one we had back on the farm”, she would
say. Eddie recalled her walking by the
creek and said she was just like a kid.
Later we climbed up to where some huge flat rocks lay with a
cavern behind. She climbed up and was
standing on top like King of the mountain and I was in a panic. “Mama,” come down before you fall and break
something.” I thought your acting like a
kid. Ah! We have no idea what it is like
be 75 when we are 50. At 75 she could
climb those rocks. At 70 I cannot. At 70 I ask myself, “Did I spoil that moment
for her?” Experience is the best teacher
only sometimes those lessons come late.
Mama had a ball that day.
She was a young girl again at home with her parents in the times she
remembered as good. She was able once
more to explore and climb rocks and feel the sun on her face and the wind
teased her hair amongst the wild flowers.
Then the return flight home came and the vacation was coming
to a close, however, the adventure was not.
The flight was oversold so they offered a $300.00 voucher if some would
take a later flight from Knoxville to Dallas.
We had time so we took the offer, but it had to be for all three of us.
Mama had already made it clear she did not want to be separated and neither did
I. They called her name and innocently I
said OK mama go on we aren’t going to get to stay behind. I told Eddie to go check this out and he as usual
said it will be alright they will call us next and we will go. We waited and the counter became empty with
nobody to ask anything. Then the final
boarding call came. I grabbed him by the
arm and said do something, NOW! The door
to the gateway closed and the plane began to back out of the gate. There was a big round carpet covered pillar
standing there and I hauled off and hit that thing and thought I had broken my
hand. If I opened my mouth now that
airport would have to leave. So I
grabbed my cell phone and ran to a corner and called our oldest daughter and
finally got her on the line. I explained
mama was coming in on flight so and so, and please get to the airport and be at
that gate when she got off that plane.
I don’t know how long that flight was, maybe an hour, but if
ever anyone was spending an hour in hell it was me and I wanted to throw one
husband a little farther in the flames.
Robert and Robin got mama and I am not sure she ever forgave
Eddie for that and truthfully it took me a long time. He didn’t do anything on purpose but as
always with my passive husband he didn’t hustle and stop the thing either. Oh the words that could have come from my
mouth and my mother’s that day were mercifully never said or known. I hope that comes under the heading of sin is
not sin till it is conceived. Mama never
got on an airplane again and I don’t remember her telling others of her
adventures to Gatlinburg, although she may have, but certainly not in front of
me and Eddie.
But I know in my heart later after everything settled down
she remembered the cabin, the creek and the wild flowers.
