Reflecting

I just watched President Bush 41 skydive with the Army's Golden Knights Parachute Team. It was his 7th jump and his 84 birthday. Watching it made a flood of memories rush in about my skydiving days. My first jump was out of Cessna 195 in Anchorage Alaska. Even though I wanted to jump very badly, I knew if I wasn't the first one out the door I would chicken out. So I made sure I was the last one in and the first one out. We climbed into the airplane, 4 jumpers and one jump master. We face the front of the plane and the jump master the back so he communicate with us. We finally got to altitude and streemers toss out to check wind direction. Every thing was a go. The jump master looked at me and said "get out on the step" and I looked at him and said "who me?" His response was "yes you"!! I climbed out on the step, no way to turn back now. The jump master gave me the go ahead and I pushed off in free fall position. My first jump was a static line jump. I was told to count to ten and if the chute didn't open pull the reserve. I counted to ten twice and it finally opened. I think I counted a little fast. Made a good landing. Cheated death one more time.