Chapter 24 - MY MISTAKE WITH HEROESAt Maya’s school, a teacher asked whether I would speak for Veterans Day.
I said no.
Then yes.
Then regretted yes.
I did not tell the crash story.
I talked about jobs.
Mechanics.
Medics.
Pilots.
Logistics.
Families.
Training.
Mistakes.
Teamwork.
One child asked:
“Were you a hero?”
I said:
“No.”
Maya raised her hand.
“You saved Captain Tom.”
The room laughed.
I said:
“I did my job with a lot of other people.”
Afterward Maya was angry.
“You always say you’re not a hero.”
“I don’t like the word.”
“Why?”
“Because sometimes people use it so they don’t have to see the whole person.”
She did not understand.
Fair.
I tried again.
“If people decide Daddy is a hero, they might think I never get scared or angry or make mistakes.”
“You make lots.”
“Thank you.”
She smiled.
I continued:
“And on the airplane, I did not deserve my seat because of something I did sixteen years ago.”
“You deserved it because ticket.”
May you like
Exactly.
“Because ticket.”
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