I was going to fly

No, I wasn't going to fly in an airplane or a glider. I was literally going to fly! Just like Superman or a bird. More like Superman, though, because I wasn't going to have to flap my arms. I knew exactly when and where it was going to happen. I had completely forgotten about this until reading a funny article about Superman at lunch and this all came rushing back to me. The story was about Superman as a boy and being able to fly and realizing that he was different. Some of the details in my story are sketchy because this happened in 1963 when I was 12 years old.

Actually, it started in the summer of 1963. One day, I had this vision that I was going to be able to fly. I saw where it would happen, the playground at school, and when, at some specific time (I knew the hour and minute then but I don't remember now) during the lunch hour when I would be outside after eating. It would happen on a specific day (which I don't remember that, either). As I said, I don't remember the time exactly and I don't remember the date when I was "told" this would happen but I knew it then. Exactly. The reason I can remember the year was that I remember the playground where it was going to happen. I was going to be in the 7th grade that fall and we would be spending it in a different school than we did 1st grade through 6th grade. The school district was building a new junior high school that was not going to be ready until we were in the 8th grade. So, the playground I saw in my vision (and that I can remember) would only be available to me for that one year.

In the vision, I saw myself standing in the schoolyard off by myself. I would stretch out one arm and lift it into the air and I would slowly rise in the direction I held my arm. So, I was to hold it up at first as I gained altitude and then bring it down to point in the direction I wanted to go. I would rise slowly and move around gently. I wasn't sure if I was moving slowly because I wasn't used to flying or if I'd be able to fly faster later. That didn't matter and I didn't even think about it. All I knew was that in a month or so, I was going to fly at lunch time and everyone would look at me and be amazed. And the girls be impressed!

I could hardly wait for summer to end. I always looked forward to a new year in school but this year was different. Not only would we be going to a different school but we would be taking the bus for the first time. We would be meeting kids from a different town (who would later be joining us at the new junior high school in the 8th grade) and I would fly! It was all I could think about that summer. Finally, the day came. I ate my lunch quickly and headed outside. As I waited around for the time to come, I joined in on a pick-up softball game. Boy, think of how I'd be catching fly balls in just a little while. I was in such a good mood. And I was having such a good time, the time just flew by.

And I forgot. I completely forgot about flying that day at the right time. When the bell rang, I realized I'd missed my chance. As everyone was filing back into the school, I ran to the spot I'd seen in my vision. I stretched out my arm and nothing happened. I had one shot at this and I messed up. I tried it a few times on later days but nothing happened. Sometimes, there are no second chances.

[To be honest, I don't remember if I played in a softball game that day. This was 49 years ago. I just remember that I was doing something that held my attention and caused me to forget about the time. I used the softball game to make it a better story. But everything else really happened the way I described it here. I do remember the two girls I was hoping to impress that day but they don't need their names repeated in some stupid blog.]