Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Tek) 9/26/83; site tekred.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!ihnp4!zehntel!tektronix!tekred!normb From: normb@tekred.UUCP (Norm Babcock ) Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: True Story Message-ID: <159@tekred.UUCP> Date: Fri, 30-Nov-84 20:29:53 EST Article-I.D.: tekred.159 Posted: Fri Nov 30 20:29:53 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 2-Dec-84 04:50:02 EST Organization: Tektronix, Redmond OR Lines: 36 There I was, at 10,000 feet over the steaming jungles of Burma, flying inverted with one wing folded for identification purposes, when suddenly the engine caught fire. I rejected the canopy, and reached for the ripcord. No ripcord. I remembered then that I had traded my parachute the night before for bottle of scotch, a silkworm, and a sewing machine. I gave the silkworm a drink, explained the facts of life to it, and bailed out. As fast as the silkworm could make silk, I sewed like crazy. Talk about busy. Just before I hit, I had enough of a new chute done to break my fall, and landed without injury. The silkworm, unfortunatally, was under the sewing machine when it hit, and was clobbered. I was immediately surrounded by fierce-looking cannibals, who took me to their leader, who with gestures and pantomime, made it clear that I was destined for the pot. Thinking quickly, (as us pilots are wont to do in times of stress), I also used gestures and pantomime to convey the fact that I was old and too tough to eat. To illustrate my point, I took out my knife, and cut a six inch strip out of my lower leg. I took a bite of the chunk, and made a face as I spit it out. I offered it to the chief, who also took a bite. After chewing for several seconds, he also made a face, and spit it out, saying "Too tough, too tough". He let me go, and after several days of beating my way through the steaming jungle, I was rescued. Thats why, to this day, I always fly with a silkworm and sewing machine, and my trusty wooden leg. True Saga by Norm tektronix!tekred!normb