Remembering the Final Curtain

Bernie Goldbach in Cashel | A-7 Image from the Ohio Air Guard  

WE HAVE A DEATH in the family and my thoughts meander to those I've known who've gone before. I made an Audioboo about a fellow pilot's final curtain call.

There's a story within a story about fighter pilot Mike and I relate a lot of the colour in the audio clip below. But every time another removal creeps onto the calendar, I think about guys I've known who have gone down in flames. It's part a story of glory and part a sad reflection on bad luck or poor planning. Whatever the story, the passing of friends is worth setting aside time to reflect and respect the shared memories.

Aviation deaths seared my memory more than any other because I flew on the wings of several highly qualified aviators who slipped the surly bonds of earth. It's all a tangled set of memories and it helps me to push back the sadness by listening to music that I once shared at parties and on drives with guys I know are still flying long after they're gone from mother earth.

Final Curtain

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Bernie Goldbach is collecting music for the sound track of his life as part of an Octaver playlist.