This is familiar, not bad familiar but familiar.
Its weird how there are things in common with Freddy.
Its comforting that it isnt like Waterville or Debert.
Its weird that I found myself in a wing of 4. Me, an older more experienced pilot, a pretty party boy and and an ace.
These guys are not Mark, Boris or Jason but the similarities are there.
The whole wingmen thing was a big deal forever ago and that was especially true and prominent among pilots. Wonder why.
There always needs to be a party leader, the one who leads, others follow
A hype man, usually the idea guy. Someone who gets everyone jazzed about going out
Finally, a role that I have found myself in, this time and several times before. The rear guard. The one who avoids getting too impaired.
The original 4. Mark was the party leader, always seemed to start and end at his place. Boris and Jason were quite often hype men, coming up with ideas and bringing the positive vibes.
I was trying to be serious, mature. Im here to fly etc etc etc etc. I wasnt much of a rear guard in that crew, not that I remember. This time around Im trying to make a point of making sure everyone has a good time and gets back home.
Dont add to the population, dont subtract to the population dont end up in jail.
Ive met a couple people like me. I think given the opportunity we could all go hard, but we dont. Maybe for a special occasion.
I never really had the chance to go out often with the Debert crew. Maybe that was the problem, honestly Im glad I didnt. There are some there who I dont hate, and it would suck to hate them. Thats kind of the risk with going out, fuck around and find out. Fuck around, find out how little it takes for people to start hating each other.
This crew, the groundschool wing we will call them. One hype man, one rear guard, the other two would swap between leader and hype man depending on what was going on. Then one night we lost two. One of them eventually went off to work for another op the other one just got mad.
No one listens to me when I say strip clubs are bad luck. No Im not getting into that here, but booze and socially distant strippers were involved. One got mad and jumped out of 2 cabs, the other got so out of hand he ended up downtown, no jacket no shoes and punched out by a bouncer.
Then there were two. I dont mind being the rear guard. Make sure the ubers show up and go where they need to. Keep the peace, be an anchor in a sea of shrooms. If I pass this ride maybe I'll go hard but this is a strange, new town. A dangerous town, if nothing else I'll want to keep my head on my shoulders for my own sake.
Of course it wasnt long until we found more. Other pilots from other ops, roommates, coworkers/future pilots.
Each group thankfully has a rear guard, I get the feeling that one of them appreciated that there was another who was staying relatively sober.
It also helps that these guys arent chasing women (or men) it does mean its less funny at bars but also more mature and more fun.
Im trying to get a balance of work and fun while Im out here. Ill probably go back home, there's a pretty good/attractive reason to go back. So first night out with my sim partner was pretty chill. We got together for a couple drinks and some food after I got clothes and such to hold me over until my baggage found me.
The second time was an adventure. I'll just list the 'high' points
1) Punched out Wingman opens and starts to drink booze in liquor store to "see if he likes it" we get yelled at.
2) Punched out Wingman drinks too much and starts to try and fight people
3) Punched out Wingman leave to acquire drugs and or prostitute. I cannot confirm either
4) Punched out Wingman makes porn of him and this lady and proceeds to send it to me
5) Red solo wingman thinks strip clubs are a good idea. I am reluctant. Not because I would prefer to see someone in particular naked but they make me nervous, especially in a new twn
6) Red solo Wingman gets loud and obnoxious, tries to get a red solo cup chant going in a strip club
7) Punched out Wingman looses his work stuff, jacket and shoes at that girls place
8) Punched out Wingman shows up at strip club, no jacket no shoes and gets punched out by a bouncer (he says he had the bouncer on the ropes, I doubt that a bouncer is a sober semi professional fighter)
9) Red solo wingman and punched out wingman get into an uber to try and leave
10) Red solo wingman jumps out and contact me, looking for directions to the strip club
11) Red solo wingman jumps out of another taxt after going on a long, loud rant about how we dont know what love is, and why were we at a strip club etc
*This was literally HIS idea. It is not OUR fault he called his wife and wasted a bunch of money at a strip club and lied/didnt tell his wife about it
12) punched out wingman at hotel, surrounded by staff and EMT
On top of all this, during the first week I am told punched out wingman was kicked out of his hotel for similar shenanigans
I am here to work. Things eventually got patched up with Red Solo, but hes not a wingman. I dont speak for lead, but I will not go out with him again. Too angry, to arrogant to relax and just have a good time.
Befor and after all this, we are in class and in the simulator trying to do, in my case, the most challenging flying and largest step I have taken (and probably will ever take) in my career
Speaking of the sim, there is a captain. She had one simple request for me
"Im going to simulate a cabin fire, I want you to pretend to be a passenger"
Done. #chaos
So, when she gave me the word, I ran up to the first officer and I shouted
"OH MY GOD [REDACTED] ITS ON FIRE, EVERYTHING IS ON FIRE"
I am shaking him like there is no tomorrow. He freaked out, the captain freaked out, my sim partner freaked out
The sim instructor giggled. I made my point, and they did very well in the exercise. My thinking: A passenger will not be patient or calm. Also it was a lot of fun
