my grandmother called me while I was on the phone, while semi-watching the DVR-buffered season premiere of Lost to ask me about the plane, she had been watching the news for awhile about this plane and to turn the channel to watch the plane.
so i flip through until i see the word LIVE in the upper right corner and this plane coming in with its front landing gear stuck with the wheels perpendicular to the runway. we’re talking and watching, and I tell her it’s a hell of a morbid thing we’re waiting for.
The chase plane’s in got its subject in perfect position. and i wonder what everyone on the flight’s thinking as by this time they’d circled around long to burn off excess fuel. My grandmother’s praying audibly and i echo silently for the final moments before and during touchdown. The front tire and landing gear are consumed in a shower of sparks as the plane slows to an peaceful halt.
we breathe a sigh of relief as all’s well for the crew and passengers, then they cut to the next story.