Happy Days! The vog has blown away. (Kind of. Every day Madam Pele makes another 4,000 tons of it.) Mahalo to all for your good, vog dispersing, health restoring wishes this past week. They are precious to me. (And I choose to believe they worked.)
Here, in celebration of clearer air, is a 100 word story for Friday Fictioneers, a complement of authors on their way to ports unknown, who, while waiting for their ships to come in, write weekly pieces inspired by photo prompts (this week’s courtesy of inveterate ferry rider, Ted Strutz) promulgated by our purple clad helmsperson, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields.
I think it appropriate to add this multi-layered quote for everyone kind enough to have read this far.
“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do things worth writing.” ——- Benjamin Franklin (who was on board Flight 305 in a big way.)
During planning I’d imagined the night jump to a blind landing would be the acid test of my resolve. Through all the years the real challenge has been to resist the urge to spill my guts.
Be nice to tell someone about it, but even if I did, there’d still be doubters. Same idiots who said we didn’t land on the moon.
Last I heard, the case is still open. So I ride the ferry, take in the sights, just an old geezer doing jigsaw puzzles to pass the time.
Sure was something, though.
Hi there. I love your Ben Franklin quote. I am a huge fan of his. However, I had to look up flight 305 to find the link with DB Cooper. So this is your odd uncle, Huh? Now my question is, what is this thing with picture puzzles on Ferries? I never heard of it, although I have spent my share of time on Ferries, sitting drinking tea in the cafeteria for the duration…
Hi Lindaura,
The picture is of a Washington State ferry and D.B. Cooper’s flight originated in Washington. For my story, I pictured him as having survived his jump to become, in our present day, an eighty something gentleman riding the ferry, reminiscing about his exploits of long ago and reflecting on the passage of time.
I hope this answers your questions.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Great story, Doug, but none of us can write anything approaching the mystery of good ol’ D.B!
Wonderful stuff.
Dear AEC,
I agree wholeheartedly with you. Talk about leaping in one fell swoop into folklore, myth and legend. D.B. reigns atop the list.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Cool story and I love the quote. I have never read it before but it fits with my mantra perfectly!
Dear Dawn,
You have a good mantra. And yes, it is the perfect quote for a writer.
Aloha,
Doug
I didn’t know Flight 305, but D.B. Cooper was my first thought upon reading the story. It seems my suspicion has been confirmed.
Dear Adam,
Smart man and good job. Fascinating true story old D.B. gave us. I wonder if there will ever come a time when his skeleton is found hanging from a parachute harness somewhere along a river bank?
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Thanks for giving the link’ Vog’ learned something new. You must have suffered a lot. Now it has blown away , good news. Happy for you.
Dear Indira,
Sometimes living on the Big Island is a little like living in New Dehli.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Yes, it would be hard to “resist the urge to spill my guts.” People still don’t believe it when I tell them I’m Elvis, especially when they hear me sing. Oh well, it’s all part of my new act. That Vegas thing was really wearing me out.
Dear Russelvis,
Have you ever seen the movie, Bubba Hotep? I will think of you in the lead from now on.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Glad to hear the vog is lifting, Doug, and certainly it hasn’t clouded your writing this week. I’ve heard of DB Cooper (and that explains your name on the link up too) but I had to look up Flight 305 to get the link. Love the idea of an old guy just going about his business, and the clash between his expectation and reality (although I had to read it three or four times before I was certain “spill my guts” was an admission reference not a vomit reference). I think I’m just slow this morning…
Dear Jennifer,
You, slow? Perish the thought. You just needed coffee or something. Thank you for dropping by. D.B. is legend now. Perhaps I need to do something like he did. For now I’m only a legend in my own mind.
Aloha,
Doug
Nonsense, Doug, you’re a FF legend. Or perhaps this whole story is actually an admission. I’m sending the FBI round…
That’s certainly your old-style criminal, doesn’t boast, just gets on with it. Great story (and back-story).
Dear Mike,
Thanks, you’re right.
Nice of you to read and comment.
Aloha,
Doug
Doug- Love your story. DB is indeed alive and well riding the Tillikum or wait perhaps it’s the Kittitas.
Dear Dana,
I for one like the believe he’s out there.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
A wonderful story Doug.
Dear Mike,
Thanks.
Aloha,
Doug
Always wondered about the fate of DB–and if he was reunited with any of the loot (I know some was found by others but maybe he planted that to throw off the posse).
Dear V.B.,
Hard tellin’, not knowin’.
Aloha,
Doug
Wonderful story, Doug! I love the idea of D.B. Cooper just chilling in his old age. I would lose the battle to not tell anyone. I might be able to do it if I left a note with evidence to published after my death…nah, my mouth is too big 😉
Love the Ben Franklin quote!
Dear J.M.,
i’d lose the battle, too. i’d tell it when I was about ninety, though, just to watch what the ‘authorities’ would try to do. Glad you liked the quote. it’s perfect for writers, isn’t it.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Love the Ben Franklin quote!
My sister jumped out of a perfectly good airplane to celebrate her 65th birthday. It was a tandem jump in broad daylight but holy s*#&!
I can only imagine what D.B. Cooper went through, jumping blind. Don’t really believe he made it, but I loved your story. Very intriguing to think of him living the rest of his life in anonymity….
Dear Jan,
I’m going to take up skydiving when I’m ninety as a cure for Alzheimer’s disease (mine). “Where’d I put that parachute?” Until then I’ll stay firmly rooted to the ground.
Thanks for enjoying the quote and the story and saying so.
Aloha,
Doug
Nicely done!
Dear Jim,
Thanks.
Aloha,
Doug
Dear D. B.
Somehow I feel like I’m across the table, wondering if the old man’s telling the truth or tall tales. On the other hand there’s something in the way he speaks, that faraway look and his resigned sigh…maybe I should take him seriously…
Shalom,
Rochelle
Dear Rochelle,
You better, you better, you bet…
Aloha,
Doug
😉
Doug,
Where in WA was the photo taken? I love taking the ferries here, and it looks familiar! I immediately got a happy feeling seeing this, and decided on my story… imagining this as very heavenly. Lovely shot! It’s so rare to see an empty ferry. Happy Thanksgiving and Mahalo.
Dawn
Dear Dawn,
I don’t know where the photo was taken, but i think Ted covers it in the intro to his story.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Oops, someone told me you knew… thought it was odd, but figured I’d ask. Thanks for redirecting me. 😉 Aloha!
I wasn’t sure what Flight 305 was at all and didn’t even look it up. It doesn’t matter, the story works anyway as a tale of a man who did something audacious long ago that has indelibly defined his life despite its current circumstances. Ties in great with the quote too. Thanks, Doug!
Dear Perry,
I’m kind of glad you said that because I was resisting putting in too many clues. Wanted it to stand as alone as it could, story-wise.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Incredible story, both the original and your take on it above. I’d never heard of this and it made truly gripping reading. What are the chances today of the plane being allowed to leave with the ransom money, I wonder? D B Cooper sounds like a terrifically interesting guy, both in the reported facts and in your story. Thanks for widening my knowledge again this week. Loved it.
Dear Sandra,
i admit to thinking about you as I wrote this. I know your keen eyes and discerning mind are out there, so I work hard to make the grade.
D.B. would make a nice subject for an interview these days. His stunt signaled the end of an era in free flight. For that, i would slap his wrist.
Aloha,
Doug
I thoroughly enjoyed the post and nice touch with the Franklin quote, I must say 🙂
Dear Camgal,
I’m glad you liked the quote and the story. The quote speaks to me as a writer and the story, well, it speaks for itself.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
i had to Google the guy, but liked your story even before that. it made me think of people that we sit next to /across from and the secrets that they keep.. all those fascinating things they’ve done, things that they’ve seen and would never tell anyone. rare, especially in an age where people tweet about almost every little thing.
p.s. I’ve always liked that quote. and happy to hear about the good news 🙂
Dear Kz,
You never know who a person is or what they’ve done in their lives. I learned that fact about halfway through my life (so far) and I never forget it now.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Hello Dave! So nice to have a chance to stop in and visit you today. I love your old geezer and his fantastic memories. The quote by Ben Franklin is perfect.
Glad to see you are still at it – See you soon!
Dear Karen,
Who is Dave and what do you mean by ‘see you soon’? Should I alert the media?
Aloha,
Doug
Just love the understated tone of this piece. Great job.
Dear Emmy,
Thanks for that comment. Nice to know it came through.
Aloha,
Doug
D B Cooper! As I was trying to figure it out, the case was still open and old gezzer were clues. I didn’t know the flight # so that didn’t ring a bell. I see I was right. That case is still very much talked about around Seattle. Good one Doug! I could see him spending time riding around on ferries… very calming sometimes.
Dear Ted,
He’s probably sat next to you many times. I was hoping this was a story you’d enjoy.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
I’d never heard of Flight 305, but I love the idea of the old man, itching to tell his story, and travelling the ferries doing jigsaw puzzles. Lovely.
Dear Claire,
It’s a compelling picture, him sitting there, wanting to tell and knowing he mustn’t, isn’t it?
Thanks for dropping by.
Aloha,
Doug
As soon as I began reading, I knew there was a story within the story, and went off on your treasure hunt! And what a find… what a story… but I still wonder why he didn’t realise that he couldn’t spend the money, with all his planning, he must have known the serial numbers would be recorded…
So now I re-read it, and it all makes skilful sense… love the idea of him bursting to tell his story… both funny and poignant.. and beautifully written as ever – wonderful touch the jigsaw puzzles !!! So crime didn’t pay!
Dearest Valerie,
I am one of those that think he did get away and fenced the money in India or some other far off country where it would not be traced. But, hey, I’m a romantic. Then he returns to Washington in his old age and just does what I had him doing in my story.
Thanks so much for enjoying it and commenting. Your words on this page mean the world to me.
Aloha and Kia Ora,
D.B.
Doug,
I can just imagine it, having that smug satisfaction of knowing what you did and the agony of not being able to say anything. I think it’s the sort of thing I’d let loose just before I died, just to get my 15 minutes of fame right at the end. Great story!
-David
Dear David,
You and I, both. I’d never last and have to tell.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Great story Doug!
Dear Celestine,
Thank you so much. Welcome back!
Aloha,
Doug
Mr. Cooper is still a legend here and he very well could be a regular guy doing jigsaw puzzles. Mysterious guy, mysterious story. I’ll keep an eye open for him on Whidbey. Thanks for the memories.
Dear Erin,
I was hoping this story would resonate with all the Washington FF’ers. (Turns out there are quite a few of you.) Let me know if you run into him.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
So, the truth comes out–you’re D.B. Cooper! 😉 Very well done; it’s easy to see him thinking this in his “geezerhood.”
Here’s mine: http://unexpectedpaths.com/friday-fictioneers/puzzle-pieces/
Dear Maggie,
Thanks for reading and commenting. I’ve told so many people that I’m D.B. and no one believes me, so I know it is safe for me to have posted this tale and signed my real name. Took a while, though.
Aloha,
Doug
I loved it, Douglas! You made me think, and speculate…which is what good writing should do. Thank you.
Dear Lady Kady,
So nice to see your face on the avatar column. I smiled and am still smiling.
How do you like speaking at libraries instead of working at one? Must be a blast.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Aloha,
Doug
Dear Doug,
I’m so happy to hear the vog has lifted. I hadn’t heard of DB Cooper. I always learn something new from you. What a great way to capture what his life could be spending it on the ferry doing puzzles, with lots of time to reflect I suppose. I, for one, will never jump out of a plane. You have me interested now in this event and I’ll go read up on it. Great story!
Amy
Doug, I had too google a little when I difn’t quite get it… nice to do it before reading the comment and can really call you Cooper 🙂