The Bucket List

"It's a Lear Jet LJ45; isn't it a beauty. I bought it in a bankruptcy sale a couple of years ago. Had the interior reconfigured; now it seats only four people plus the 2 crewmen. It originally had a seating capacity of nine, but I had no use for that many seats. Now it has a lot more room, you can really stretch out for those overnight trips."

I hadn't counted on this either. I had only flown a couple of times and always on big commercial planes. I gritted my teeth and followed Joe into the plane. Inside it was truly beautiful, with leather seats spaced six feet apart, with a center isle that lead from the privacy wall, which separated the cockpit from the passenger section in the front, to the galley and lavatory in the rear.

We sat in the rear two seats of the four seats, all of which faced the rear. Joe explained that these seats swiveled 180 degrees for conferences. There were also two folding tables, which were in the down position on the side of the plane. The copilot was finishing his final checks as the pilot closed the cabin door.

"Mr. Taylor, we should be airborne in a couple of minutes. The galley is fully stocked. Please fasten your seat belts for takeoff."

Five minutes later we were racing down the runway. The rumbling stopped, replaced by the low roar of the engines, as we climbed to our cruising altitude. After a couple of minutes Bill, the copilot, came back to let us know we could unfasten our seatbelts.

"Does anyone want anything from the bar?"

Even though I could have used a drink to calm my nerves, I followed Joe's lead and refused.

"It'll be about forty-five minutes to Sedona. We'll approach from the north so that you can get a great view of the Grand Canyon at dusk. I'll let you know when."

"These seats fully recline into beds for long flights," said Joe, obviously proud of his company toy.

I sat there and marveled at the luxury money could buy. I just couldn't comprehend that someday, all of this was going to belong to me.

A little over a half hour later, Bill knocked on the interior cabin door,

"We'll be over the Canyon in a couple of minutes."

With seven windows on each side of the plane, we had a great view. The Grand Canyon is an awesome sight, the colors of the rock walls, the play between the sunlight and the shadows, the majestic Colorado River at its base, forever etching deeper into the earth, all contribute to its grandeur.

Ten minutes later we were landing in Sedona. The sun was already setting. The sky was streaked with shades of dark blue, red-orange and white. All around us were mountains of red rock as our taxi took us to the hotel. We checked in, went to our room, and after freshening up a bit, we came down stairs for dinner.

We each had a steak, with baked potatoes and fresh vegetables, accompanied by several pints of the local craft-brewed beer. A meal truly fit for a king.

"I don't get to eat like this very often at home; Betty has been given strict orders from MaryAnn about my diet. However, out here with you, what she doesn't know won't hurt me."

I thought about that,

'Here was a multi-millionaire; who employed these people, and he was more or less letting them run an aspect of his life.'

"I know what you're thinking, but they are doing exactly what I hired them to do, so how can I complain."

After dinner, we went back up to our room. The sleeping arrangement question was answered when Joe announced, "I claim the bed closest to the windows."

I set the alarm for 4:00 so that we could be ready for our 5:00 pickup by the balloon company. When the alarm went off, I looked over at Joe's bed, which I discovered was empty. Then I heard the shower. I lay there until Joe came into the room. With a moan I got up, grabbed a clean pair of boxers, and headed into the shower. When I was finished and came out back into the room, the curtains were drawn back and the silhouette of the mountains could clearly be seen in the distance. Joe was out on the patio taking in the view.

"John, wait until you see this view; I can hardly wait for daybreak."

Joe's enthusiasm for life was contagious. Soon I forgot all about my fear of heights and could hardly wait to be picked up.

Precisely at 5:00, a jeep arrived in front of our hotel, and our guide entered the lobby.

"Gentlemen, are you ready for the ride of your life?"

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and escorted us to the jeep. We drove a couple of miles to the outskirts of town. There we found a large group of guests, along with five balloons. Everyone was pitching in with the preparations for takeoff. At 6:00, the first of the balloons left the ground, followed every few minutes by another, until all were airborne. We were in the last one. Our guide and pilot Jesse, proved to be extremely knowledgeable about the history of Sedona and skilled at maneuvering the balloon. As the sun peaked over the horizon, we were blessed with the magnificent sight of the four balloons ahead of us, against the background of the red rock of the mountains of Sedona. Joe and I both had our cameras out taking as many pictures as time allowed.

"Look John, over there is our hotel."

"Yes", I said, holding on to the side, not wanting to move more than necessary. The plane ride was one thing, in the plane there was structure all around you. Here however, there was nothing to keep you from falling overboard and down to the rocks below.

Soaring in a hot air balloon is like nothing else. The only sounds are from the wind and the occasional burst from the blower that maintains the hot air within the balloon. Jesse took us up to a height of around 2,800 feet. The 360-degree panoramic view was incredible. When we were outside the city limits he allowed us to drop low enough that we could watch the deer and other smaller wildlife without their knowledge. Without realizing it, I was beginning to feel more comfortable. He took us back up to around 1,500 feet as we headed to our landing zone. I just couldn't contain myself any longer. I gave what could only be described as sick war hoop. Joe shouted out as well.

After almost an hour of flight we touched down in a large field along with three of the other balloons. All of the guests gathered together, sharing their impressions and feelings about the adventure they had experienced. About fifteen minutes later two large jeeps pulled in with the passengers from the other balloon, which had drifted slightly off course. When we were all together we walked over to the hospitality tent that had been erected and had a refreshing breakfast of fresh fruit, muffins and champagne. It was the perfect ending for our first task.

The company drove us back to our hotel. Joe and I walked into the lobby and, over a cup of coffee, talked about what to do next.

"Since we're here for another night, why don't we tour the downtown area of Sedona?"

I agreed with Joe, so I had the desk call us a taxi to take us. Downtown Sedona (which they actually call 'Uptown') consists of one main street - about six blocks long - with retail shops, art galleries, and restaurants and bars. We walked up one side of the street and down the other, commenting on what we saw, laughing and having a good time. This was a side of Joe that I hadn't seen before, and I liked it. We grabbed a burger and a beer at the Cowboy Bar and Grill. As we were leaving, Joe spotted a pink jeep pulling into the driveway across the street and the sign on the building, 'Pink Jeep Tours.'

He practically dragged me across the street.

"Come on, let's take the tour."

The next tour that was available was called The Scenic Rim/Broken Arrow Tour. We hoped into the jeep, joined by a young couple who were here on their honeymoon. Soon we were headed out of town and into the back-country. Our driver/guide pointed out the sights as we traveled -- Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock and several other red rock formations -- and explained the process of their formation. Soon we headed off the road and onto dirt trails; we ascended 2000 feet to the top of Mogollon Rim. There he stopped the jeep and we had a chance to explore the area, take some pictures of the spectacular scenery and climb out onto the rocks. On the decent back to the valley below, our driver took us on a jarring twenty-minute journey over large boulders and through deep gorges. Finally we were on flat ground again and headed back to civilization.

We got back to our hotel around 5:00. While Joe used the shower to wash off the sweat and red dust from our day of adventure, I sat on the patio and watched as the balloons from the evening trip passed overhead. The view was almost as good from this angle as it was from up there. Then it was my turn to use the shower. Later after we dressed, we went to dinner.

"John, I want to thank you for sharing this adventure with me."

"It was my pleasure Joe; I loved every minute of it."

Next morning, after breakfast, we took a cab to the airport. Dave and Bill had everything all set for the return trip. By noon, we were back in Malibu. Before heading up to my room, I went to the study, turned on my computer and created 'THE BUCKET LIST'. I numbered down one side of the sheet from ten to one. By number ten I typed 'Hot Air Ballooning in Sedona, AZ.' and next to that I typed the word - DONE. I saved my work and shut down the computer wondering 'What's next.'

Chapter 9

I didn't have long to wonder. At dinner, Joe and I told MaryAnn all about our weekend adventure. We were both very enthusiastic as we told her about the balloon ride. During a lull in the conversation, Joe pulled a sheet of paper out of his shirt pocket.

"Here is our next item on the list."

I unfolded the paper and read,

Number 9 - Take a Dale Carnegie course.

Oh my God, if there was anything that scared me more than heights it was standing up in front of strangers and speaking. I looked into Joe's eyes; I'm sure he could see the panic and fear.

"Set that up for early next week."

He got up out of his chair.

"I assume I'll see you both tomorrow morning in the gym," and he left the room.

MaryAnn leaned over and read the note.

"That scares you, doesn't it?"

"More than you could possibly know. In high school I had to give a speech in front of my English class. I was so bad that I'm sure they were all laughing at me."

"Let me look at that again. It doesn't say public speaking course; it just says a Dale Carnegie course. Maybe there are other courses there that won't be so bad. We'll look online tomorrow after breakfast."

"Thanks MaryAnn. You're a life saver."

"Don't thank me now; you can wait until after I work your butt into the ground tomorrow morning to thank me. I can just imagine what you two guys ate over the weekend, and I'm sure neither of you thought to look for the gym while you were there."

I just sat there and looked at the table.

"I thought so," she said with a hint of a laugh in her voice. "I'll see you in the morning."

That night I had nightmares about standing naked in front of a group of women, all looking exactly like MaryAnn, trying to explain why I was so out of shape.

When I walked into the gym Monday morning, MaryAnn had my workout already programmed into the treadmill. It was harder than I had ever done before, but I got through it. After his extended warm up, she had Joe on the free weights, pushing him to reach new maximums on several exercises.

"Both of you, great job. That will teach you to skip your workouts and cheat on your diets. Now get out of here."

After breakfast, MaryAnn and I met in the study. We looked online and found the Dale Carnegie Training site. Looking through the courses I found one that I felt would satisfy Joe, one that I could also handle. The course name was 'Effective Communication & Human Relations/Skills for Success. The course was designed to strengthen interpersonal relationships, manage stress and handle fast-changing workplace conditions, as well as to teach better communication skills, problem solving and leadership training, and finally to develop a take-charge attitude with confidence and enthusiasm.

The course was offered in 3-day, 8-week or 12-week formats. I typed up my report for Joe. I would let him decide what would fit best into his schedule.

The next day I found an envelope on my chair when I came down for breakfast. Inside was a note that read:

"Good choice of which course to take. Let's go with the eight-week format, we can work that in with Number 8 - Learn to Dance. Please sign up MaryAnn for this one as well."

I handed the paper to MaryAnn.

"Why that dirty stinker! Wait until I get his butt in the gym tomorrow afternoon; I'll teach him a thing or two."

After breakfast, I went on online and registered the three of us for an afternoon dance class, and Joe and I for the evening Dale Carnegie course. MaryAnn would have to drive herself to the dance class, which was a one-hour lesson, then she could have the rest of the day to herself. Joe and I would stay in Long Beach for the three-hour course that would start at six. It would make for a long day but would leave the other days free. When I told MaryAnn the plan, she said it was fine with her; she could use the time in Long Beach to visit with friends.

Dinner was a quiet affair that evening. Even I could tell that there was some tension between Joe and MaryAnn. I wondered what she meant about the gym in the afternoon.

I expected to be the only one in the gym the next morning, but when I arrived MaryAnn had Joe on the treadmill. She set me up on the circuit machines, increasing the weight on each by another five pounds.

"John, you're doing really well, soon you'll be catching up to Joe."

I seriously doubted that, but took the compliment anyway. I think it was more of a dig at Joe than an accurate statement of my abilities.

That afternoon, curiosity got the better of me. I wandered down to the gym to find out what was going on. When I got there, however, I found the door to the gym locked. I tried to listen for any signs of activity emanating from the room, but there were none; I guess the whole area had been sound- proofed. Disappointed I turned and went back upstairs.

When I came down for dinner that night, I was told that I'd be dining alone. It seemed that both Joe and MaryAnn had made other plans for the evening.

I spent a quiet evening watching TV; wondering if I'd be alone tomorrow in the gym. The next morning, however, MaryAnn was already there, setting the treadmill for my workout. Whenever I could I glanced in her direction, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I didn't ask and she didn't offer any information about what had happened yesterday afternoon, or where Joe was this morning. I had to assume that this was just another of his mysterious disappearing acts. It really wasn't any of my business anyway.

I didn't see Joe for the rest of the week. MaryAnn and I had our meals together and we chatted about what we thought about taking dancing lessons. Neither one of us had ever learned to dance.

"I had no interest in dancing when I was in high school. Most of the boys in my school didn't know how to dance, and the ones that did thought of it as foreplay."

I burst out laughing when she said that.

"I didn't learn how to dance either. I guess it was because it would involve actually holding and talking to a girl. That was something that I could never do when I was that age."

"Well, I guess we'll both be exploring uncharted ground on Monday."

Early Monday afternoon, the three of us in two cars drove to Long Beach. I was a nervous wreck thinking about having to hold a stranger and have her teach me how to do something I was sure I'd be terrible at. When we got out of our cars, I looked over at MaryAnn. I could tell she didn't like this anymore than I did.

"Come on you two, lighten up; this is going to be great," Joe said as he held the door to the studio.

We signed in with the receptionist and were led to dance studio. Inside was our instructor, a beautiful red headed woman, about 5'10" in heels; thin with a great figure and long nicely shaped legs.

"Hello! Welcome, my name is Susan, I will be your instructor for the next eight weeks. You will be learning the basics of eight different dances. Dances which have been done by millions of people all over the world for, in some cases, hundreds of years. The first dance will be the fox trot."

She had us gather in front of her as she demonstrated the basic steps. She then took each one of us separately and walked us through the steps. I was stiff as a board the first time she took my hand in hers and placed it on her back, and held my other hand.

"Relax John, no one is going hurt you; start forward with your left foot, now walk forward with your right, good, step to the side with your left and bring your right foot next to the left. Good, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

With MaryAnn, she took the lead position, explaining that it was the man's role to lead the woman around the floor. I could tell that MaryAnn was just as stiff as I had been.

After repeating the same steps with Joe, she walked over to a table by the wall and turned on the music.

"Now we will pair off, and we will try it to the music. Joe you will be my partner; John, you dance with MaryAnn. Ok, assume the position... begin."

I took her hand in mine and placed my other on her back. As I looked into her eyes, all I could picture was that first time on the patio, as I put lotion on her nearly naked body.

"Keep to the beat of the music. Good. Smile. Look into your partner's eyes. This is supposed to be social dancing not torture. Have fun."

I could feel her muscles at first tight with stress, slowly relax as I guided her around the floor. I was in heaven, holding an angel, totally unaware of the rest of the room.

"John, MaryAnn, you've done this before?"

"No," I replied. It was just so easy to dance with her. "She must already know how to dance."

MaryAnn just shook her head and looked into my eyes and smiled.

"Well you both have done very well with the first step; let's go on with some more of the advanced steps of the foxtrot."

She showed us how to Promenade, Left Turn, and Box Step explaining that each was a step that could be used on the dance floor and that the key was to string them together to navigate around a crowded dance floor. By the end of the hour, both Joe and I were leading our partners around the floor.

Reluctantly, we said goodbye and walked out to our cars. Without thinking about, I kissed MaryAnn lightly on the cheek.

"Thank you, you made it so easy for me today."

"I had a very good partner; thank you for making it so much fun. See you tomorrow morning."

She returned my kiss with a short kiss on my lips and turned and got into her car and drove off.

"She likes you."

I blushed as only then did I realize that Joe was a witness to our exchange.

"Let's go get something to eat before going over to the course."

After dinner we went to where the course was being held. I wish I could say that it was as enjoyable as the dancing lesson. It was not. The instructor was a gentleman about my age, full of energy and exuberance to the point of being obnoxious. He went over the course outline and had us do various mental exercises on how to remember names and facts. We broke up into small groups and practiced, introducing ourselves and giving and listening for information on which to build relationships. I was amazed that before the end of the night I had the names and contact information of several of the students in the class, both men and women.

'This isn't going to be as hard as I thought.'

As we drove back to Malibu, Joe and I exchanged comments on the course and on the day in general. After we had exhausted our discussion of the course, he steered the conversation to our dance class.