Ash

My first quarter at Big Bend Community College's aviation program I didn't know anyone. One weekend night I was at the grocery store and ran into a few guys from the program. They told me that a guy named Ash was having a party and that I should come. I felt kind of weird going but I did want to get to know some of the people in the program. When I arrived Ash was pretty wasted. I think he was really surprised that I came. He came up and introduced himself as someone else (maybe his alter ego or something.) He was very funny. The next time I saw him at school I think he was pretty embarrassed. He apologized multiple times. We became unlikely friends. We are so different. Sometimes when I was over at his house he would have these girls show up. He would mock them and say really mean things to their faces. I would tell him that he was mean. He would always respond that he is always nice to me and that he respects people that respect themselves.

During the Christmas break after that first quarter Ash had a major accident on a snow mobile. He really messed up his leg. He didn't return to school. He and I kept in touch. I heard from him every now and then for several years.

In the last couple years I lost touch with him. A few weeks ago when I was in San Francisco a guy I recognized stopped me in the crew lounge and asked if I had gone to flight school at Big Bend. His name is Trevor Stubbs and he was in the same class as Ash. We only had a few minutes to talk but I asked if he kept tract of anyone.

A few days later I received a phone call from Ash. He left a message that just said "Alysha you better know who this is." That is totally his style. I called him back. He had called our dispatcher Irene to get my phone number.

Ash is based in Anchorage with Southern Air. He flies 747's for them. They fly cargo internationally. What a small world. It was fun to get caught up.