| I'm usually a careful kind of guy. I take normal risks | | | | distant ground. |
| like most people, but I tend to avoid really crazy | | | | When I saw that he was ok, I stopped to consider |
| situations. I guess to make it all balance out, I hang | | | | my own impending jump. My fear of heights had |
| out with my friend Tim who is the total opposite. | | | | seized me firmly and I felt there was no way I could |
| Tim is always up for any challenge or new thrill, | | | | go through with it. I turned to the instructor and |
| however insane it might sound. Once, just on some | | | | shouted over the plane's roar. |
| random bar bet, he drank an entire bottle of | | | | "I have a fear of heights homie! I can't do this!" |
| Tabasco in one swig! Another time, when we visited | | | | "Too bad," barked the instructor, and with a flying |
| Yosemite National Park, he wrestled and killed a bear- | | | | ninja kick he sent me flying out of the airplane's open |
| just because it gave him an insolent look. | | | | hatch. |
| I'm usually just a spectator to these antics, but one | | | | I felt the exhilarating rush of the fall and looked at |
| time, I was a participant. | | | | the world spread out below me. It was the most |
| On a lazy Saturday I received a call from Tim. "Hey | | | | amazing thrill of my life! When it came time to pull my |
| man," he said, "I have some really bad news. I'm | | | | parachute cord however, the string tangled and |
| going to die." | | | | twisted uselessly. I grabbed the reserve chute cord |
| "What!" I said. "That's terrible!" | | | | but that too refused to open. |
| "Yeah, but it's my last wish to go have one last thrill. | | | | "Thanks a lot Tim," I muttered, and I slammed into |
| I'm going skydiving, and you're coming with me." | | | | the ground at 100mph. |
| Now, I have a major fear of heights, but I couldn't | | | | When I woke up, I was riding in my trusty Mustang |
| very well ignore Tim's last request, so I agreed. | | | | down the highway. Tim was driving. |
| Before the jump, we were required to attend a class | | | | "What happened?" I asked, "Why am I not dead?" |
| which taught us the basics of how to jump, what to | | | | Tim laughed. |
| do in the air, and when to pull the release on our | | | | "It was the craziest piece of luck! You happened to |
| parachutes. The instructors were very serious, and | | | | land on a penguin that escaped from the zoo, and |
| they explained how important it was to follow | | | | that unhappy bird cushioned your fall!" |
| directions. | | | | I felt queasy. |
| The plane took off and we started to climb. I sat | | | | He went on. |
| huddled inside, sweating in my jumpsuit. Tim was | | | | "Oh yeah, and by the way I'm not really dying, I just |
| next to me taking nap. "Wake me when its time to | | | | said that to get you to come along!" |
| jump," he had told me on takeoff. When we reached | | | | That was the last straw. I barfed all over my floor |
| the jump point, I elbowed Tim. | | | | mats and then passed out. But before I was totally |
| "Wake up man. We're here!" | | | | unconscious, I heard Tim shout: |
| Tim woke up, yawned, and rolled out of the plane. I | | | | "Don't worry man, I'll make it up to you- next week |
| rushed to the edge and looked out. He fell gracefully, | | | | we're going bungee jumping! |
| and then pulled his chute and drifted toward the | | | | |