THIS WEEK’S WORDS come from “Under Stars” by Tess Gallagher: flag, coatless, slices, stars, games, walk, touch, thinking, kitchen, envelope, roadside, say

Statue of Air Force pilot at Battle of Britain memorial in Capel le Ferne in the UK

In fighter pilot’s thinking, they were always pushing the outside of the envelope, i.e. testing out how far they could manage with their manoeuvres and tactics. It wasn’t easy for the wives or mothers, worrying in their kitchens whether their husbands or sons would come back alive. That was a game they all played, who would walk home and fly the flag. And if their time was up, someone on the roadside, a friend or somebody dignified and official would ring the bell and convey the inevitable to the wife, partner or mother. In the funeral, they would all say how brave he was and honour him with stars. It was very touching. Such was the life of Air Force pilots, so with this stone statue, we pay homage to all of them.
(133 words)

For: Sunday Photo Fiction and Whirligig 17