Up, Up, and Away

My Grandson Luke has an S on his chest. I put it there. Silly me. Having a Halloween moment on his Christmas Eve birthday. Up, Up, and Away. I have my towel cape on as I pen this. Folks that know this family understand the significance of towel capes. Pictures of all of us, the kids that is, parading the neighborhood in our capes on the 4^th of July show the tradition. A tradition with roots from long ago.

Superman rocks. That is why the towel capes. There are lots of superheroes. For me, there is one that leads the pack. (The Justice League in the case of superheroes.) The Man Of Steel. “Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Look! Up in the sky…..” You finish it. I suspect many of you can. Superman is my man when it comes truth, justice, and an American way that needs to move from yesteryear to today for the sake of tomorrow.

When playing as a kid, we played Cowboys and Indians and I was always Roy Rogers. When we played Army, it was to hold us over until we played Cowboys and Indians again. The other thing we played was superheroes. I was Superman. Mostly alone since almost all the boys wanted to be Superman and there was only one. (Well, except for Bizarro Superman, the mad scientist that had that potion that changed him into Superman’s double, Superman’s long lost twin from Action Comics Number what ever number that was that turned out to be a dream sequence for Lana Lang back when Superman was Superboy in Smallville, and….okay there was more than one Superman but only one in my back yard at a time.) So I donned the cape, survived kryptonite chains, saved Lois from bondage, put out the fire in the Empire State Building, and still made it home for another “here eat what is put in front of you” dinner at the Van Wagner Household. Easy, peasy. After all, I was Superman.

Now, Luke has an S on his chest and he flies circles around his Pop-Pop. Hey, I am 58 and real close to 59 years old, am nursing some weird going on with my left knee, and figured it was time let him be the main attraction. (Just for a bit. This cape on my back is urging me to fly too.)

Fly, kiddo. I smile as you smile back. Feel the strength of my imagination. What I imagine is real. What I love flies and plays and is so full of joy that limits only exist in comic books. I held you in my hands but a few minutes this time last year. Now, I hold you in heart forever. Fly, kiddo. I’ll be with you and we’ll save this planet and any planet that needs saving. Life is sweeter because you were here.

Happy Birthday, Luke.

Love Pop-Pop