ANGLER
The adrenalin rush from that first jump was the most amazing high I had ever experienced. “I just jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. Wow.” Totally narcissistic, instant gratification and it lasted the entire day into the night. I made a few deliveries on the way home and repacked the truck for Sunday deliveries. The best thing I had going for me was the ability to service the customers. They would call, the answering service would take the orders and I would be on it that day or within a day or so depending on when I was on the road picking up fresh spring water or in the area making deliveries. My customers were important even in the midst of the video production I never let it get out of control.
With work completed I had to venture across the Assawoman to the Beach; it was Saturday night. I went to where I knew live music I usually enjoyed would be present and the Angler Inn on the Bayside in downtown Ocean City didn’t fail me. I had a couple of tall Gin Rickeys, a refreshingly tart summer drink and stood off to the side and grooved with the music, not bothering anyone, simply enjoying the buzz. The crowd was much younger but I seriously enjoyed my own little world and hey, I had jumped out of an airplane that very day. And it felt good.
After two drinks it was time to leave and I edged through the crowd and across the dance floor, the only area where there were spaces between people. A fight broke out directly in my path. “I jumped out of an airplane,” was my only thought when I stepped between the two much younger men and pushed them apart. I pointed the one I faced toward a door. “You go that way, “I said all the while thinking, “I jumped out of an airplane.” The other jumped on my back—I crunched my shoulders and shook him off, turning to face him, pointing to an opposite exit. “You go that way,” I said, thinking, “I jumped out of an airplane.” They both left in their appointed directions. The fight was over and I went home. I did seven more static line jumps that summer at 40 bucks a pop, much more than I could afford but worth every penny.