My eyes were opened

My first first weeks in New Guinea were an experience never to be repeated.I grew up as a catholic and believed that priests were a few steps above others,this was firmly put there by my mother.
Imagine my surprise ,when the first priest I met, is a scragely man, hair standing up ontop of his head,as if it has never seen a comb in it’s life.wearing karkee shorts and shirt,talking in the most unbelievable way I have ever heard. “Yupella go Kissem this missus” course I had no idea at all what was going on.
Here I was travelled all day since early morning ,every time I got out of a plane and got back into one, it seemed to have considerabley shrunk in size, and the places just seemed to get hotter and hotter.
Now the only plane I could see around ,was one that in my limited experience ,having come from a very small country town,where flying wasn’t high on my agenda,was the little plane you often seen spraying crops.” They really don’t think I am going in that little thing?”my bags were being loaded in and this smiling face is pointing for me to get into the plane next to the pilots seat .
I climbed in sat very precareiously on the edge of the seat ,and waited to see what would be my next surprise .In climbed The pilot started up the plane did what pilots have to do ,turned to me and said ” you fly do you” well ” not before today I haven’t .” and started off down the strip.
Sitting here watching the buildings getting closer and closer ,wondering if we are going to hit the building, that seems to just have appeared out of nowhere ,before we rise up is a great concern to me.The pilot turns to look at me ,no keep looking at where you are going ,look out there is a house there,”So you have’t flown before ,my name is Colin Kathy glad to meet you “stretching out his hand .oh my god put your hands on the wheel .
“Hello” I reply just fly please ,You have noticed that house haven’t you,then just in time we rise into the air over the house and I am sure it has lost a little of it’s stability as it was so close.
Colin chats away as the plane travels along the beautiful countryside ,and then banks and flies out towards the mountains.He explains that we have to go through this small pass in the mountains ,before it closes.What have I here a pass can’t close if there is a gap there is a gap always.
He say that the mountains get very misty and he is unable to see the gap,oh not mad after all thank goodness .
It is a really different feeling to be sitting in the front of a plane,and one so small,these mountains seem to be right here beside me. ” Colin we are very close to that mountain on my side ” now ” your side as well now” Colin keeps chatting about life here how I will enjoy it .how lots of time he will be flying me to the outstations,so we will become good friends,” oh my God we won’t even get to the first place keep your eyes on the sky please”.
We are being squeezed between the two mountains I am sure but Colin is still chatting away,as if he is sitting in his lounge room.Then nothing
The plane wing tips are just about touching the mountain,silence .Colin is slumped forward in his seat over the wheel.oh no “Colin Colin what the hell this couldn’t be happening to me “Come on what is the matter with this fellow is he dead, ” I am about to grab him when he sits up laughs and says “Well we are through that was hairy “. “Hairy are you mad ,you think that was funny ,you must be a nut” he just laughs and with that we swing suddenly around and start to decent towards the ground.because ground is all I can see nothing like an airstrip is in sight .I ask very slowly “Colin is there a strip here ” Colin looks at me as if I am mad and replies “” sure Kathy can’t you see it ” no we are just heading for the ground ,with that we hit it with a small bump and run along the rough ground , and pill up in nowhere .”Hope you enjoyed the flight Kathy” say Colin as he opens the door and starts talking in that jumbo jumbo again.”He turns to me and says “looking forward to taking you to all your clinics Kathy it is such fun flying with you”.
Colin took me to most of the places I had to fly too there ,and he was a very respected pilot ,even if he had a very warped sense of humor.