Newsgroups: alt.romance.chat
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 20:00:52 -0500 
From: "Francis J. Yenca" <fy03+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: A truly romantic story, Part 6
	<BzA0IM.GI1@ecf.toronto.edu>
	<kf=cK=e00WC0EQb1VP@andrew.cmu.edu>

>The mountains cause a little bit of turbulence.  This is not a problem,
>though.  "I read about this, too."  The air does seem to be a little hazy 
>to the south....

Joe passes over the mountains of central Pennsylvania.  Suddenly, he 
sees the Susquehanna River to his left.  "Uh oh!  I better call
Harrisburg."  

He calls on the plane's radio and receives clearance to pass through the 
control zone.  The control facilities at Harrisburg give some advice to
help him navigate to Limerick, his destination near Philadelphia.  He 
switches his navigation radio to receive signals from the Pottstown 
VOR.  Looking to his right, he sees that the air is still hazy to the south.
"I hope that it isn't like that later when we are flying there." he thinks.

In a few minutes the Limerick nuclear power plant comes into view.
Joe's heart races as he thinks of the airport that is just two miles beyond 
the plant.  Within a short time, he calls Limerick Airport on the radio 
for information.  "Runway 28 is active," is the response.

Joe enters the traffic pattern, and in a few minutes, just two hours from 
Butler, he is on the ground.  He parks the plane according to the 
attendant's instructions, steps out of the plane and arranges for a rental
car.  He takes his credit cards and the small box out of the plane before 
locking it.  It is about three in the afternoon.  "I have to hurry to get to 
Plymouth Meeting Mall and be back by the time Renee and Anne get 
here at four."

Joe races to Plymouth Meeting Mall in only twenty- five minutes.  As
he is running into the mall, he realizes that in all of the plans he has
made, something was forgotten.  "Shoes!"

Fortunately, the women's department is near the entrance to the store.

He had inwardly smiled when he had persuaded her to tell that for 
Christmas she wanted him to buy her clothes.  She meant shirts, but he
brought her here to look at dressy clothes the last time he was in Philly,
two weeks ago.  She picked out the teal suit/ outfit on the wall.  

But it wasn't where he remembered it!  He frantically searched for a 
few minutes before breathlessly asking the clerk, "There's this teal suit.
I have to buy it.  It's urgent!"  

After a puzzled look and a further description, the clerk found the teal 
suit in her size, on sale!  Joe next ran to the men's department to buy 
socks before racing back to Limerick Airport.

Although he arrived at four ten, Renee and Anne had not yet arrived.  
By five, he was getting nervous.  Joe called Renee's apartment to find 
that she had left twenty minutes before.  "Great, five thirty."A half
hour of pacing later, Anne's car pulled in to the airport parking lot.

Joe braced himself as he walked out the door.  Renee was walking in 
ahead of Anne.  She looked directly at him and her expression didn't 
change.  Her senses were giving her data that didn't match her 
perception of reality so she ignored her senses!  Then it hit her.  "Hey, 
what are YOU doing here?!?"

"Surprise" <sheepish grin>

They hugged as Anne came in the entry.  Joe hugged Anne.  
"Thanks!  See you later."

To Renee: "Come on, we're late!" As total confusion swept over Renee
like a tidal wave, Joe grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the hangar.
As they walked around the planes, Renee stopped.  "Am I going to get to
meet Ernie now?"

"No, maybe later."

"Wait.  Who's going to fly the plane?"

"Come on, we're late!"

As he kicked the chocks out from the front tire of the plane and said "you
get in after me", it dawned on her that HE was going to fly the plane!

They got in the plane and began to taxi down the runway.

Newsgroups: alt.romance.chat