We have been Visited by the Helicopter

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

It’s hard to explain the feeling that I had in pre-consciousness. I guess the noise woke me. I was in that twilight, still-dreaming yet aware of something… ? scary, it seemed to be above my head, just beyond the ceiling then roof, beating, beating down chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff.

I reach out for Sweety’s hand, he murmurs something under the covers. "what…is it? " I ask. “helicopter. They’re just practicing”. “practicing for what?” I grump to my self. For chrissake, it’s 3 a.m. and we’re being buzzed by helicopters ?? Then an uneasiness came over me, stays with me, even after the helicopter is gone. I begin to think about what it would be like to be on the ground in a country under siege. What it would feel like to be constantly afraid, of losing your children, your spouse, your parents to warfare. I can’t go back to sleep. Sweety snores on blissfully.

I think about what Lib posted a few days ago. I think he’s right. Sadly, I agree with him; we are not really property owners, we are serfs. We don’t have control over our property. We can’t prevent the army from flying helicopters over our homes. I’ve been seeing a lot of helicopters lately. I don’t know, maybe it’s the ARNG training for the war buildup; their base is close by.

I get up, dress, put on my knit cap, scarf, & coat. Step outside (carefully locking the door). It’s about 25 degrees, the air is cold, crystalline, sharp prickling to my face. I crank my car, pull out along the gravel driveway. I’m depressed. I’m thinking of the wars across the world, of the people lost, disconnected, torn out of loved one’s arms, lives. I’m cold. I stop the car at the traffic signal, ghostly in the stillness of pre-dawn. I stare at the asphalt. It is sparkly in places with shards of broken glass. I begin to cry. Splinters, splinters. It’s all … splinters.

‘First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.’

~ Martin Niemöller

2

Here in DC you get used to it. You know, some even have the infrared sensors that can read through walls…I always wave.

(Of course the “chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff” could be my cat… :-\ )

You’re right to be sad, the state of the world IS rough, but it has always been so, wars and difficult times. I say hang on to your Sweety and try to make every day count!

3

Yeah, I used to live in DC and copters would often fly around at night with their searchlights scanning buildings. I don’t don’t know if they were local DC cops, or there for embassy protection, or what. I just know that numerous times sitting at my window, I would hear the approaching roar and be suddenly blinded as they looked into my window.

4

FWIW, NinetyWt, the quote at close of your post might benefit by revision. Please consult a copy of Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations for Martin Niemoeller’s words.

No offense intended.

5

danceswithcats, if you read the link, it explains that the posted quote is the original version, and that other popular versions have been created by other people.

6

We get helicopters flying in low over our house too, and the reason always makes me sad. They’re LifeLink helicopters landing at the church lot a couple blocks away, and I know that every time one comes in someone is in bad shape and needs medical help fast.

A few have come in super low, and they are scary - all lit up and louder than hell. Very alarming in the early AM hours, and close enough to shake the house and ratttle the windows.

7

Nicely written post by NinetyWt. Very poetic. Nowhere does it indicate that this is a military helicopter. Could be a medical helicopter, a police helicopter, even a traffic chopper or executive charter.

Are you, or have you ever been in a war zone? Then crying about this seems a bit much – unless you’re trying to hijack the sympathy we’d have toward such people.

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Originally by Pucky Schumer: "Are you, or have you ever been in a war zone? Then crying about this seems a bit much – "

So somebody gets upset by a freaky flyover, drives around and starts thinkin’ and cryin’, and you think it’s a “bit much”?

People frequently get upset about the world’s tragedies. You don’t have to have been in a war zone to think about a war zone and cry, Pucky.

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Yep. That and “we are not property owners, we are serfs.”

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There have been wars since before there were weapons to fight them. There has been suffering forever, and the overwhelming majority of all those who have ever lived, lived their short lives in the constant shadow of need and fear. Not so long ago, the death of a child, or a mother in childbirth, was commonplace. There were centuries in which swathes of Europe and Asia were punished constantly by armed bands who killed, raped, stole, and burned whatever they could reach without any serious opposition. That in the last two hundred years the liberal democracies rose and created systems in which the majority of nation could live out full, creative lives to the best of their ability, protected in some way by codified laws and carefully arranged networks of supply, is nothing short of miraculous. When the circumstance has given you the privilege of this world, you see only threats.

In a world that has known only fire and darkness for thousands of generations, you are weeping at the dawn.

11

Thank you, Trucido, for saying very eloquently what was on my mind.

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And then we read the “Putz’s” and whinny children of the SDMB and wonder…

::posts of this caliber are few and far…:::

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::: sigh ::::

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Are you saying I should have styled this thread: **Helicopters Make the Baby NinetyWt Cry **??? :stuck_out_tongue:

I was intrigued that an unseen aircraft could evoke such a response. I chalk it up to the time of day ~ pre-dawn is such an eerie time to be awake. The psychology of how one can be moved swiftly from “reality” to strong emotion about things happening a world away, and/or scores of years ago, piqued my interest. That’s what I meant to share with ya’ll.

Heres a funny coda: Last nite as we heard another helicopter approaching, Sweety pretends he’s gonna grab the shotgun to chase it away. “them things scared my baby!!”. So, yeah, it’s back in perspective where it belongs.

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I hope I didn’t come across as too negative, NinetyWt. I did think it was well written.

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Nope, not at all. I liked what you posted. I was not as impressed with some ot the responses that you got.

As usual, I was not really clear. It made perfect sense to me. Sorry for the confusion. :smack:

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Thanks guys :wink:

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Oh man, check this out. . .

I just got an e-mail from our helicopter flight, saying that my sortie request was approved. I get to go on a helicopter ride! A Huey! Wooo! :smiley:

:: runs around the office stretching out his arms, making airplane noises ::

Tripler
Prequoth myself: “Hey, I can see my house from here!”