Tiger Moths (3 page)

“WOOOOW,” said the pilot.

“Awwwww,” intoned the little girl.

“Mister, when I grow up that’s what I want to do. No, that’s what I’m gonna do – just like you did. I’m gonna fly one of those Air Force planes and I’m gonna be really, really good at it too – maybe as good as you.”

“Oh, my little friend, I believe you will; and you will probably be better than me.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I must get back to my campsite now.”

“Really? You’re leaving me so soon.”

“Yes, sir, I have to go find my dad. I have to tell him that I want to be a pilot. My dad is very smart; he will help me learn to fly like that one day.”

With that, Eliza had turned on her heels and sped off to find her father, who listened to her story intently, and smiled the biggest smile she had ever seen. Not a day had gone by since that night last summer that Eliza had not declared that she was going to be a pilot when she grew up. Her dad smiled that same smile every time she announced her dream; and every time he nodded his head and encouraged her. It was only when she grew older that she discovered women were not allowed to fly fighter jets. And yet, her dad never let her think her dream was impossible. He truly was the greatest dad in the world, and each trip to the beach with her family only made her more convinced of that.

“Eliza, where are you? C’mon, honey, it’s time to check out our neighbors and friends this year.”

David found Eliza sitting by the fire, mesmerized by its pops and cracks, as the flames leaped from the smaller to the larger logs. She held a stick in the flames and would periodically pull it out to see how long it remained afire on its own. After the flame died away, she would repeat the ritual, and be quietly impressed with the whole process.

“Eliza, didn’t you hear me; and have we not talked about playing in the fire?”

“Daddy, have we not talked about what my name is when we are camping?” she imitated his tone to perfection. “My name is Dale, not Eliza. And I’m not playing in the fire, I’m sperimenting; I mean experimenting.”

Eliza Dale Grayson had wanted to be known as Dale from the time she could talk. It fit her better she said; and indeed it probably was more suitable for the tomboy she was. But her mom had been adamant about this issue – she would be called Eliza. It was a more proper name for her little girl. Ann did allow that if her daughter disagreed when she grew up, then she would agree to call her Dale.

But her little girl had been relentless. Thus, the one other concession was that for the one week when they were on vacation, Eliza could choose to be who she wanted to be. Eliza knew that her mom had hoped that she would outgrow her desire to be Dale – but her hopes remained unfulfilled for the fifth year. Once again their vacation daughter was an adventurous girl named Dale.

“So sorry about that – Dale it is. So Dale, since you are experimenting, let me show you a neat trick you can do with your burning stick there.”

He walked over to her and ran his hand through her newly shorn hair. She usually wore it longer, but her vacation persona called for the short bob cut. It was cute, and as she said, “It is a lot easier than that whole mess of long hair, and it sure feels better too.”

He reached down next to her and picked up a stick of his own. “Here now, watch this.”

She stood at his side watching intently. Her dad always taught her the coolest stuff. He thrust the stick in the fire until it caught the flames. He held it there momentarily and then lifted it out as Dale had done. It too lost its flames; but rather than returning it to the larger fire he told Dale to look at the end of the stick. She saw that it still held a bright orange glow. Then telling her to stand back, he quickly moved the glowing stick through the air, forming trails of letters that continued to linger in mid-air behind the stick. D-A-L-E, he spelled, and just like that, the glow was gone.

The young girl was enthralled by the sight. Wide-eyed from the recognition of her name, Dale mouthed, “Oh my,” then giggled excitedly.

“Dad, you just spelled my name, right there in the air. It was like the smoke after an airplane. It was there, and then it just disappeared, like magic. Can, can …I do it, Dad, please. I’ll do it just like you did and I’ll spell out D-A-D for you. Please, please…” She gave him her most pleading puppy dog eyes.

David sighed and gave in. “Sure, but you have to be very, very careful and never do this when I’m not around. These sticks are still very hot and can burn you or someone else.”

“Okay, Dad, I know. I will be very careful.”

Dipping a new stick back into the fire, Dale followed her father’s instructions until she too was a mid-air author. She was so excited that she begged to take the glow stick, as she called it, on their walk through the camping community.

“Now, Dale, you know it won’t glow for very long once you take it out. And, there will be no running with the stick. But you can bring it along if you do everything I say – and your mother does not need to know about this.”

A conspiratorial smile lit up her face as Dale thrust the stick to the flames to get a good burn on it. She pulled it out and immediately started walking, all the while making letters and signs in the air.

She soon met her first audience as two boys from the next campsite ran over to watch the amazing glow sticks in action. Dale, ever the entertainer, saw them coming and said to the smaller one, “Quick, tell me your initials.”

Bug-eyed, the boy shouted out wildly, “J.A.C.!”

Deftly moving the glow stick, Dale worked quickly and completed the C just as the glow disappeared. Disappointed that it had ended, Dale still was well pleased that she had been able to show off her trick to the boys.

Dale looked over and really saw the boy for the first time. He could not have been any more excited by the glow stick. He was skinny and dirty from play – but smiling from ear to ear, and cute as a button.

“JAC,” Dale said, pronouncing it as one would say “Jack,” “One day I predict you are going to be a star. Your name will be up in lights just like tonight, and millions of people will come and see you. What do you think of that?”

JAC was beside himself. “I play football and I’m really good. But I’m gonna get even better when I get bigger.” He looked into Dale’s eyes and they twinkled unlike anything she had ever seen before. They were like bright sapphires that danced when he laughed.

“His name ain’t Jack,” the older boy grumbled. “His name is….”

“Oh that doesn’t matter; to me he will always be JAC. JAC, will you remember me when you are a big ole football star? Cause I’m gonna be a pilot one day and maybe we will meet again, and I can fly you to your game and cheer for you. I’ll always cheer for you, my cute little friend.”

The little boy seemed to soak in her every word, or maybe she was just enjoying all of his attention. He looked at her as if he had never heard anyone speak to him in such a kind way. Her heart seemed to flutter a bit within her. She did not understand the feeling but she knew it was good, and she liked it and she wished he could spend some more time with her. He began to open his mouth to say something, she did not know what, but he never got the chance.

“He ain’t Jack, and he sure ain’t ever gonna be some kinda football star. He’s just some dumb little kid from the country. I outta know because he is my cousin. He just hitched a ride with my family because he was crying about wanting to come to the beach. He’s such a baby. His mom is raising him, and she’s working folk, so she couldn’t bring him. So the little worm just wiggled his way into our vacation, and now I have to make room so he can sleep in my tent. Let’s go, stupid worm. This girl doesn’t know what she is talking about. She’s just blowing hot air.”

The older boy grabbed JAC’s hand and jerked him away. Young JAC stumbled as he tried to keep up, but the older boy showed no intention of slowing down.

Dale watched as they hurried away and JAC half-turned his head to look back at her. She saw the tears streaking down his face and took a step toward him, but stopped short. Feeling the stern hand of her father, she looked up. Her rage and compassion commingled to form a strange expression on her face. She could hardly stand by and watch this kid be treated so badly.

“Dad…” she started.

“Dale, let it go.”

“But dad, JAC can have dreams too, can’t he? Like I have dreams of flying? Didn’t you see how excited he was? Why don’t you let me take care of that big bully?”

Her body trembled as a wave of fury darkened her eyes. She looked full into her father’s weathered face trying to understand why he was holding her back, why he was not stopping this big bully from hurting her new little friend. He could pound this brat into the ground with his little finger if he wanted to. Instead, he stood still and held her by the shoulders so she could not run after them. She looked up into his bright blue eyes and knew he loved her more than anything, and that he would never let anyone ever treat her the way JAC was being treated. And yet, even though she did not understand his restraint, she trusted him, and believed in him enough to stop her protest. There must be a very good reason for why her dad was letting this happen, and maybe one day she would understand too. But for now, she just surrendered to her father’s will.

Finally her father broke the silence between them. “C’mon, Dale, let’s finish our walk; we’ve only just started. Maybe we’ll see JAC again tomorrow at the beach. It will be all right, you’ll see.” His voice was stern but full of hope.

Her trembling subsided, but only a little. Dale reached up and pulled her father’s large calloused hand down to her. She put hers inside of his and instantly felt better. He made her feel so safe. If only everyone had a daddy like hers. She smiled up at him and together, they began to walk through the camp community once again.

They travelled only a short distance before Dale slowed to a stop. She looked up once again at father. Her smile was more contemplative now. The moonlight caught the slight tremor of her lips. Her furrowed brow belied the thoughts coursing through her mind. They were serious thoughts that demanded answers, answers that could not wait.

Her father pulled up short with her. His knowing look nudged at the reluctant voice within. Yet still she remained mute.

“Dale, we are not in any hurry. Do you want to sit down and talk a little bit? You and I may need to just take a break from our walk. And look, there is a perfect sittin’ stump right over there.”

Relieved, Dale nodded an enthusiastic agreement to the proposal. They sat down simultaneously, like two seasoned campers who deeply appreciated nature’s offerings. David picked up a pebble and began drawing in the dirt. Dale smoothed a patch of earth in front of her and followed suit. They sat in silence for a moment, drawing and thinking and drawing some more.

“Daddy, can I, uh…can I ask you something?”

His dirt scrawling continued as he answered softly, “Of course you can, honey. What’s on your mind?”

“Well, it’s about JAC.” She hesitated for a second to gauge her father’s response. Seeing that this was not a forbidden topic, she continued. “I really like him and I’m, I’m kinda scared for him.”

He stopped the meandering trail of his pebble and tossed it aside with a new focus. He intertwined his fingers and rested his elbows on both knees. A gentle smile crossed his face, but Dale could see the hint of sadness in his eyes. “Why are you scared for him, honey?”

“Because that big kid was really mean to him and he’s got nobody to look out for him.”

“Dale, my sweet girl, you have such a tender heart. But JAC is from a different family, and we cannot interfere with other families. He may have someone back at his camp that will look out for him. We just don’t know. There is one guarantee though that you need to think about. No matter what, JAC has a heavenly Father up above that looks out for every boy and girl in the world. And He loves JAC more than any of us can imagine.”

Dale thought hard about this until the corners of her mouth stretched into a smile. “Then, Dad, do you think it would be okay if I prayed for JAC? ‘Cause we both have the same heavenly Father, so I would sorta be like his big sister.”

He pulled her close and released a light laugh. “Dale, I think it would be more than okay. I know God always wants to hear from His children, especially if you are praying for someone else. He loves you too, you know.”

“I know, Daddy. God and I both love you a lot. I think I’m going to pray for JAC every day until he gets big enough to take care of himself. Then maybe when he is a daddy he can take care of his kids like you take care of me. What do you think, Dad?”

“I believe JAC is very lucky to have met a great friend like you, Dale.”

“Yep, I think God knew what he was doing when He made me meet JAC.” She nodded and jumped to her feet. “We better head on back to camp now; I’ve got some extra prayers to say tonight.”

“Indeed you do, and so do I.”