The Fly By

The windows in the house shook as the plane flew low over the house. We all ran outside to get a better look. The plane circled and prepared to land. The pilot set the plane down on the paddock, it bounced over the small rocky terrain, before coming to a stop.


I was impressed, but the other kids just sniggled. They didn't seem to get how cool it was that we had a plane land on our farm, with no airstrip. The cockpit door opened and a short plump man got out. The other kids all laughed at the sight of him and he didn't help himself by carrying an armful of papers and folders. Especially when the wind nipped up and took a couple, which he later retrieved.


The plump little man looked confused and it was then I realised why. There was no gate to enter through and the fence was high. He looked for a way round but he seemed to think it was to much effort and with arms full he tried to step over the two strand high barb wire fence. Suddenly his face grimace he froze in mid stride. His pants were hooked in a delicate spot on the fence. All the kids busted out laughing. There in the middle of a lovely summers day, a pilot with arm full of papers and files was caught by the go nads on our two strand barb wire fence.


His faced turned red quickly and his feeble attempts to unhook himself just made the matter worse as the barbs dug into his flesh. He looked up at us kids, I could see the pleading in his eyes. I broke free from the laughing mob and went to his aid.


"Gday," I said as I reached for the papers and files.
"Hello," He embarrassingly answered.
"Got ya self caught up," I continued trying to make light of the situation to ease the embarrassment.
"Yes," The pilot replied as he ripped his pants free.
He then hoped around on one leg while trying to swing the other leg clear of the nasty barbs. Unfortunately he was to short and couldn't free himself. He lost balance and had to plant the other leg on the ground and in doing so got his pants hooked back in the barb wire.


"I'm gonna have to cut the wire to get you free," I told him "I'll be right back, just get some pliers,"
The pilot nodded, afraid to speak in case a shriek escaped from his lips.


I ran inside and put the papers and files down and then ran out to the ute and found the fencing pliers. As I ran back to were the pilot was waiting, he was now standing on his tippy toes. The barb wire had a good grip of his, umm, pants.


I cut him free and as he stepped out from his capture he straightened and smiled.
"Thank you young lady," he said.


I can still see him hopping from one leg to the other, trying to loosen the barb wires vice grip and how the other kids teased me for helping him. I wonder if he tells the story as I do.