Lift

Windy days arrive one after the other. A few are windy and sunny, a combination useful for some activities more than others. This particular one inspires me to fly a kite. "The parafoil is my favorite," says the sales woman as she pulls a sample from the shelf. She explains that the parafoil kite has cells that open as wind passes through. "They're easy to fly and do not require a constant wind," she says. I listen and then turn to classic diamond kites with picture designs. One has the face of a puppy on it, another a lady bug. I pick the one with a friendly dragon. The sales woman directs me to an open field near the shop. Support sticks, tail, and string in place, the kite is ready to take flight. The instructions call for two persons, one to manage the flying line and a second to hold the kite for an easier lift off down field from the first. I am of one today so I place the kite on the ground and run. The dragon rises up, stays aloft, and dives into the ground. I sprint another direction, and then another and another. Each time the kite catches and loses the wind, which appears to stall and change course. With sweat on my brow, I return to the shop: one parafoil kite please. The small, the easiest for a single or little person to fly, is out-of-stock. "Try again," she says. "And next time take someone with you."