Phantom Pilot by Ed Dunlop

Author:Ed Dunlop
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: forgiveness, vietnam, pow, bitterness, hanoi hilton, f4 phantom
Publisher: Ed Dunlop

Chapter Fifteen

The tall cluster of Washingtonia palms cast an irregular patch of welcome shade over the red-and-white-checkered picnic blanket spread upon the lawn at the edge of the artificial lagoon. The Arizona sun was unmerciful, but Encanto Park was an oasis from the heat. With its many shade trees, green lawns, and picturesque lagoon winding its way under Venetian-style footbridges, the park had become one of Lance and Cindy’s favorite haunts. Lance bit hungrily into an oversized ham and roast beef sandwich, watching as the hot breeze gently blew Cindy’s hair about her face. She was so beautiful! The outing was a parenthesis in time—the rest of the world was momentarily forgotten—and Lance was thoroughly enjoying the presence of his lovely wife and young son.

He watched Kevin play quietly with his favorite toy, a model airplane, and realized just how quickly the little guy was growing up. It seemed only yesterday that they had brought this little boy home from Good Samaritan Hospital as a tiny baby. Time certainly had flown. Lance took a sip of Coke and looked from Kevin to Cindy. The afternoon was so peaceful—this would be one of their “memory moments” together. It almost seemed irreverent to break the spell, but Lance asked, “Are we going to rent a canoe after lunch?”

Cindy’s eyes sparkled as she laughed. “What a question, Lance!” she replied. “Have we ever come to Encanto Park without renting one? Surely you don’t intend to break tradition today!”

Lance shrugged as he reached for the potato salad. “Well, with the heat and all…”

Cindy leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “I can take the heat if you can, Mr. Wilkins! And Kevin will do just fine—Lance, where is he?” Suddenly realizing that the little red-haired toddler was no longer seated beside her, she looked around wildly.

“There he is! He’s heading for the lagoon!” Lance leaped to his feet and dashed across the lawn, sweeping Kevin up in his arms. “Gotcha, Little Guy! Daddy saw you sneaking off!” Cradling his son close to his face, he used his lips to raise Kevin’s shirt, and then blew against his bare belly until the toddler shrieked with laughter.

Lance plopped Kevin back on the picnic blanket and gave him a cookie to draw his attention away from the lagoon. A woodpecker in a nearby willow began to drill for insects and the rat-tat-tat sound echoed across the picnic area. Lance looked up in irritation. “Keep it down, won’t you, Buddy? You’re disturbing our picnic!”

Cindy laughed. “Lance, it’s just a woodpecker!”

“I know, but the constant pounding is getting on my nerves. This place was so peaceful before he showed up!” The woodpecker continued to hammer away at the tree. Lance stood to his feet and hurled a marshmallow up into the branches of the willow, missing the irksome bird by a good distance.

“Lance!”

Lance sat back down, slightly embarrassed by Cindy’s reaction and by the fact that he had missed by so big a margin. “Sorry, Honey.” He continued to eye the woodpecker as he resumed work on his sandwich.

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