Learning to Fly (or Lessons in Gravity)

When I was four years old (and even still) I was very adventurous, unafraid of heights, bold, and fearless. So when I saw "Peter Pan" on the Disney channel (this was pre-cable, you had to actually watch it on the "Wonderful World of Disney", Sunday nights, 7:00pm - Awesome!) it sparked a new idea...
Flight! Unfettered adventure!

Where I could explore endlessly and my mother would never be able to catch me, and hence stop me. Many of my earthbound adventures were thwarted by,
"No, you may not climb your dresser."
"No, don't hang from that."
"What ARE you doing on the roof!!"

So, you can understand why flight held such appeal.
But, back to the Disney movie, I was delighted by the images of flying around the city, over ponds, through clouds - sign me up!

I pondered my timing, when was I least likely to get caught so that I had enough time to get airbourne and sweep, like Peter, through the window and out of the house. My mother vacuumed everyday (and I just need to add here - yikes - why would you want to do that...) and it provided me with the perfect time for my experiments and adventures, in flight...stair surfing...how much Mr. Bubble does it take to overflow the bathtub, important stuff!

While she was vacuuming I would have at least 30 minutes before she would come and check on me, perfect.

After a series of test jumps on my bed, for the proper height and trajectory, I felt that I was ready. I checked that I had pulled the curtains back far enough to not interfere with an easy exit out the window (no ones wants to get stuck in the curtains on their first flight). I climbed back onto the bed, I was a very small child at four, so I did literially have to climb onto the bed. I took three successively larger jumps, each one higher and stronger than the one before, armed myself with a zillion 'happy thoughts' because that is crucial to flight, confident and smiling, I launched - arms spread wide (because that is what Peter Pan did!)

Ready to soar out the window
Fly over the tree tops
Spin through the clouds - Yes!!!!

-WHAM-

spread eagle, face first belly flop on the floor of my room - so confident in my success that I did not even attempt to stop myself

-WHAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!-

My mother comes rushing into the room and picks me up off the floor, blood is pouring everywhere...

I don't really remember anything else from that day, except for being horribly disappointed that Peter Pan lied to me and 'happy thoughts' didn't work AT ALL!

That is when my older brother came to remind me "It's not going to work without 'pixie dust' silly."

Nuts!
I am still looking for Tinkerbell!!