Don't Ever Go On A Plane! (Writer's Workshop)

Harry was always very cautious. He never liked to drive fast so would avoid the Interstate highways if he could and always said that planes were dangerous. He was not only fearful of flying but felt like no one else should ever fly anywhere either. He always pointed out the plane crashes saying "See, planes are dangerous!" Although I would tell him that there are more car accidents than plane crashes, he was not persuaded that planes were safe and stuck to his belief that people shouldn't fly.

When my sister went on a plane to Hawaii, my dad was very nervous about her flying and told me to NEVER go on a plane. Since I had no plans or inclination to go traveling anywhere, it didn't bother me. I thought I would spare him the worry and not fly during his lifetime and just said okay.

As he aged and thought about his mortality, one day he said: "When I die I want you to wait until after my funeral to let the out-of-state relatives know so they don't come on an airplane to attend my funeral. I don't want them taking that risk." That's how much he feared flying!

This is part of Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop prompt: Where does that fear come from? Write about something that frightens you that other people might find ridiculous.

So, do you think Harry was being ridiculous? Do you fly? What scares you?

To find out more about my book and why I wrote it, read the Foreword here.
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