[BLACKJACK]

AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ITS SUPPOSED TO WORK - - - - -

BACK IN 1989 MY COMPANY CO-SPONS0RED A SYMPOSIUM IN HONOR OF THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSAY OF THE “BATTLE OF BRITAIN”. WE INVITED A NUMBER OF FIGHTER PILOTS FROM THE LUFT WAFFE AND THE RAF. SIX OF THE FORMER AND FIVE OF THE LATER HONORED US WITH THEIR PRESENCE IN D.C.

UNTIL THAT TIME I DON’T BELIEVE I HAD EVER LAUGHED THAT LONG OR THAT HARD. IT WAS JUST LIKE EIGHT DAYS OF “SPRING FLING”.

THE ONLY TALK OF POLITICS WAS A FRIENDLY JIBBING. THE LONGEST RUNNING DISCUSSION WAS WHO WAS THE “UGLIEST”??? HITLER OR CHURCHILL???

“WAR STORIES” FLOWED FREELY FROM ALL PARTICIPANTS. EMBELISHMENTS, EXAGERATIONS AND DOWNRIGHT FABRICATIONS WERE THE ORDER OF THE DAY. ALL OF WHICH RESULTED IN ANOTHER WILD ROAR OF LAUGHTER.

THESE GUYS – ONCE BITTER ENEMIES – TRYING THEIR DAMNDEST TO KILL ONE ANOTHER – NEVER ONCE MENTIONED WHO HAD “WON” OR WHO HAD “LOST” THE WAR. THERE WAS, HOWEVER, A GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT WARRIORS ON BOTH SIDES WOULD ALWAYS BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT THE MEDLING OF THEIR RESPECTIVE POLITICIANS.

THE CULT OF THE FIGHTER PILOT SUPERCEDED, RATHER TRANSCENDED, ALL AND ANY THOUGHTS OR CONCERNS ABOUT POLITICS.

DAMMIT - - IF THESE GUYS CAN PUT A WAR (THE ULTIMATE COMPETITION) BEHIND THEM IN FAVOR OF BROTHERHOOD AS FIGHTER PILOTS WHY THE HELL CAN’T MS. SHELBY’S LITTLE BOY SHOW ENOUGH CLASS TO PUT HIS PETTY GRIEVANCES ASIDE - - AT LEAST FOR A DAY.

COME TO THINK ABOUT IT - - - THERES A LOT OF SIMILARITY OF CULTURES BETWEEN FIGHTER PILOTS, RACE DRIVERS AND US “RUN-OF-THE-MILL” COBRA OWNERS. BEING A MEMBER OF ALL THREE FRATERNITIES I FIND THIS REMARKABLE BUT NOT AT ALL SURPRISING.

Y’ALL HAVE AREALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK