Twin Brothers Need a New Plan

"Dave, I used to feel envious about the way you had so many friends around. And how you had no trouble getting the hottest girls, with plenty of spending money from your sideline businesses," Daniel admitted.

"Well, I felt the same way after you got your wings. My kids thought you were a hero, and I was little more than a used car salesman as far as they were concerned," his brother joked.

They laughed and bantered back and forth like this until they started to tire. Then they agreed to do this again the next time they both had an afternoon free of treatment-based appointments in the hospital. It was therapeutic for them- they left in good spirits and looked forward to their next time together. By the fourth visit they were taking stock of what might come next in their much-altered lives.

"I figure that I'll need to start all over again when the bankruptcy people sell off all the business assets to cover my debts," David worried. "Thankfully it's separate from our personal and family money, but we'll need to get a smaller home. I don't know what I'll do to earn a living."

"I'll likely be offered a desk job or get pensioned off," Daniel returned. "It'll probably be generous because I was injured in the line of duty. Not bloody likely that I'll be flying fighter planes anymore, though. I'll have to give the desk job some thought, but it doesn't appeal to me at all."

"Our big dreams are up in smoke now, aren't they, brother? All up in smoke," David repeated solemnly. "We were living the good life before it all came crashing down."

"Yeah. Literally, crashing down- from twenty-five thousand feet up!" Daniel commented

"Those dreams are gone." David repeated bitterly.

The next time the brothers were brought to the sunroom they had visitors. Half a dozen of them in fact. Their parents were waiting, along with their wives and youngest children, not yet in school. It was the largest family gathering since the last annual holiday visit before Daniel's overseas tour of duty.

"We don't like the circumstances, but we're sure glad to see you boys spending time together, even though it's in the hospital," their father told them.

"Nice talking about old times and weighing what might come next," David remarked. "I think this is good for both of us."

"We're so happy to be spending more time with the grandkids since you and Sally came back home, Daniel," his mother said. "And it's good to get everybody together more, even if it is in here."

"Do you think you'll be staying home now, Daniel, or is it back to flying?" Dad asked, even though he thought his son's pilot gig was finished. He wanted to hear it from Daniel himself.

"Very unlikely to fly again, I'm certain. A military career- a desk job probably- though I don't relish the prospect of pushing paper for the rest of my time in the service. No, I'm looking at life with a clean slate, a new start at something."

"Like what?" David asked, for his brother hadn't said this before.

"I don't know, but I have plenty of time to think about it, don't I?" he laughed.

"Whatever it is son, I hope you'll be living here closer to family," Mum said earnestly.

"Well, you never know."

"It's a good idea to look at all your options, Daniel," Dad advised. "Your brother might be doing the same thing. Who knows, you could wind up in some venture together."

"Wouldn't that be something!" David commented.

"Yeah. You might be on to something there, Dad," Daniel agreed with some fleeting interest.

"Well, I'll tell you what," Dad offered. "If you do come up with something feasible, your mother and I can probably advance you some of your inheritance as investors. Not in some half-baked scheme, but something with a good business plan." Mum bobbed her head vigorously in agreement.

The twins' afternoon meetings in the sunroom became a daily event. Sometimes they slipped back into commiserating about all that had been lost. Life seemed so cruel and unfair. They'd worked hard to follow their dreams and look where they were now- as flat on the ground as Daniel's fighter plane.

But often times the conversation would turn hopeful. For the first time in their divergent lives, could they share something other than their birthday? Did they have enough in common that they could pull together in the same direction for once? It took Daniel's wife to finally light the way.

Sally thought that her husband might enjoy looking at an interesting website she had come across. Surplus military equipment was being liquidated and some of it even showed old aircraft. She wondered if any of it included the type of planes which Daniel had flown? Browsing the website might help him fill some time in hospital.

The next day he told David about it, and a lightbulb came on in his brother's brain. He was an experienced businessperson and wondered if there was opportunity in this.

"Hey Daniel. I'll bet we could get that stuff cheap and resell it for profit."

"War surplus stores have been around forever, Dave. It's not a fresh idea. There'd be plenty of well-established competition."

"True enough. There has to be an economic moat, something unique to separate one business from another. With my car dealership, it was the mix of top-quality vehicles that brought customers from long distances to my lot."

Daniel went back to browsing the website while his brother sipped his coffee. All of a sudden, he exclaimed,

"Now there's a beautiful little plane for sale, a single-prop two-seat trainer, Not that old either. Looks to be in great condition with full maintenance records. I've flown these and they're a good place to start in aviation. Wow! a real low price too."

"I thought your flying days were through, Dan? I mean, could you still handle a plane after your accident?"

"Probably not. I was thinking like you, that it could be something to buy at wholesale as surplus and sell retail to someone wanting an entry-level plane of their own."

"Hmm. Interesting. That sounds a bit like my old car business, just a different machine. But I don't know anything about planes at all. It would be difficult."

"Ah, but I do. And you know how to sell. I'll bet some of your wealthy exotic car customers are the same people who want to buy small planes, either for business or fun."

"You know Dan, you might be on to something there. I think I could sell just about anything if I was getting good advice. Why not see what else you can find out about that plane or any others you come across like it? Compared to some of the cars I moved, that price seems very reasonable."

"Yes, I think this is something we should look at more closely. How good are the used planes? Who else is selling reconditioned small aircraft? All that sort of thing."

"Jeez Dan, how do you feel about the two of us getting into the reconditioned light aircraft business? I know retail. You know planes." David was getting excited about the possibilities.

"It could have promise. But look what happened to your car business so recently. It seems like a bad time to start into a niche market thing like selling used small planes."

"You're probably right about that, but now is a good time to look into it. Especially to work out all the likely costs of business and what price point it would set for us to make a decent profit."

"OK, Dave, I'll continue researching good used small aircraft from military sites and others. You could find out who else is already in this business and how much they're charging for their product.

"Sure, you'll need to help me with the planes themselves though. I'll learn what I can but you're the expert on that, Dan."

"Here's something to think about if we eventually decided to go into this. Are you interested in taking flying lessons? It probably would be useful to show off our inventory."

"While I teach you the ropes of high-end buy and sell," David returned. "Yeah, if this develops, I would definitely want to learn to fly. Ever since I saw your pilot's wings on that uniform I've been envious. It would take time and money but I'd do it."

In fact, the twin brothers might never actually create a business to buy and sell small planes. However, for the time being it would become a source of hope and a ready topic of conversation between them. In the end, they might simply return to their past careers, David selling exotic cars and Daniel working a desk job with the Air Corps. But for the time-being the new dream served a broader purpose- hope.

****

A few years later the twin brothers were working partners in a small business buying and selling reconditioned light aircraft. From the germ of an idea sparked by Sally, to the seed money advanced by Mum and Dad, they'd started out cautiously. One military surplus plane netted enough profit to help buy another and pay some start-up bills. By the end of the first year, they'd moved three planes, and the second year saw that rise to five. The future looked brighter.

There were other achievements too. David began preparing for flying lessons by learning the principles of aviation, and Daniel eased into the psychology of successful selling. His Air Corps background gave him a certain credibility in dealing with planes. Both brothers used their past contacts to build an expanding network of potential customers.

The family drew closer together with everyone living in the same community. There was less money now, but simple family gatherings became the centre of Mum and Dad's world, and the grandchildren developed closer friendships. The sisters-in-law took an active role in bringing everyone together. Certain aspects of life were better than in a long while.

Our story is part of a larger tale with a lesson in it. Crushed by unexpected circumstance, we found hope with the help of others. Now we're working together in another direction. Twin brothers wounded in body and spirit, we have this new dream to carry us forward.

Life can be cruel sometimes; there are no guarantees. Our business could wither and die in the next cycle of boom and bust. In fact, we're pinched right now and trying to negotiate a reasonable bank loan. But there's a lesson in perseverance that we've learned through hard knocks. Who knows... maybe we'll need another plan some day- like how to build a better mousetrap!

I think we could probably figure that out if we had to.

And, by now you've figured out something else.

You see, I'm Daniel, and this is our story.

Mine and my twin brother David's.

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