A Lingering Promise

1901

The young man, Caspian Surry, couldn't have been more than twenty. His brother, Stanwell was just a few years older than that. He used his hand as a glider to test out one of his bicycles. He wanted to know its integrity and capacity to glide over surfaces of Dover, Delaware.

“I think this here is a beaut’!” His exclamation sounded like a confirmation that there existed greatness in the world. Like a loud crack against the atmosphere, he laughed without restraint but not in maniacal fashion.

“We’ve gotta work on our technique for flying device,” Stanwell called to his younger sibling.

“I think we oughta do that, too,” Caspian agreed. He hopped off the bike in a severe, clean way. The brothers looked at their garage and opened the door. There she sat. An airplane equipped with a motor and a lingering promise. They turned around and saw a trail of six other cars rolling into position towards them.

“Feds….” Stanwell announced with a solemn and acidic tone. The cars finally reached their garage. A tallish man with a pencil thin mustache and brown hair stepped out of the car after the driver aided him.

A few other governmental officials exited their cars. The tallish man spoke.

“Good day, gentlemen.”

The brothers looked and replied, “G’day.”

“It seems there is some kind of contraption in that garage. Looks mighty fine. I just…we represent the Federal Flying Organization. And well, we have to inspect and certify if this is airworthy, you understand?”

The brothers folded their arms. “We’d like to see some paperwork,” Stanwell remarked.

“Ah, yes, of course.” The government official handed a document signed by the president of the United States.

The brothers shrugged and started taking apart the flier piece by piece in opposition to brutishness.