They are in a cage.....

Our 3-year old grandson, Benson, loves cars, fire trucks, tanks, and Spider Man. I thought he might also like airplanes. So, off we go to the Air Force Base for a day of holiday fun (2nd of January 2012).

We arrive at the base and crawl under and around a F-105. It was huge. I asked Benson if he knew what kind of plane it was, and he told me "it is a fast one, papa." He got that question correct.

Next we drive by the flight line and parking ramp. There's always something going on at the ramp. Lo and behold about 20 or so F-16 fighters were parked under canopies. I pointed, "Look, Benson, there are a bunch of airplanes over there."

His eyes got big, and he said, "Papa, can we take one"?

(No, we can't just take one, there are practical issues like how are we going to get it home, and then what are we going to do with it. I am sure your mom and dad would like it in the front yard...)

Then we pressed our noses to the flight-line fence, getting as close to the sheet-metal, gray machines as we could, when he said, "But, papa, they are in a cage. They are in a cage, papa, ...... do you have a key?  But, papa, where is the door, maybe we can walk through the door, and take one."

(After all, there were twenty or so of the things, it wouldn't hurt for a 3-year old to take one, just one, now would it....similar to how we take just one gummy bear, or one potato chip, just one.......)

Anyway, next time, maybe at an air show, we will get closer, and be in the cage with them.