Michael was scheduled to return home Tuesday morning, so Monday evening I told Kevin that we were going to do some "character-building" the next day.  "What's that mean?"

"We are going to do some flag-holding."

He thought for a few seconds and I knew what he was thinking.  He has a 250GB X-Box 360.  His headset plugs into his controller so that he can communicate with other gamers through the Internet.  His network of friends includes his Uncle John (North Carolina) and his Uncle Jim (Texas) and several students from his Taekwondo class.  He is often chattering away before breakfast playing one of the "Call of Duty" volumes.  (He used to play "World at War" but he says the zombies are better in "Black Ops".)  He would have to tell them he was unavailable the next morning.

But he didn't say anything about that.  Instead, when he spoke, he asked, "What is 'character-building'?"

"That's when you choose to do good things for other people instead of things that are the most fun for you."

He smiled because he knew that I knew that he was thinking about "Black Ops" but we never talked about it.  I told him he could wear his Cub Scout uniform if he wanted to.  We talked about the timing and then he left.

And then he came back and asked if he could wear a jacket and tie instead.

~~~

It was 50 miles so we took the car.  Kevin has been riding for 6 years.  (He is 9.)  Sitting on the bike is boring to him, and relaxing.  He falls asleep.  So his clothes were nice and clean when I introduced him to Tim.

Then I turned him loose.  He couldn't be safer than in the midst of a PGR mission and I had photos to capture.  Besides, he knows what to do and when to listen.  Later when we returned to the car, he told me where our place in the procession was to be.

If you think of Rob as POTUS, Kevin is a Secret Service agent. 

And it is getting easier.  There was a time when his flagpole was nearly three times his height.

Jim took him under his wing as we moved into the hanger.

He stood with Jim and I found a place down the line.  We watched the family cluster at the edge of the tarmac.  We watched the Kalita jet land and move through the water arch.  We watched the pilots use the ramps to lower the machine and then use the machine to lower the casket.

And then we saluted for the transfer to the hearse.

Jim broke his own flag down and then traded with Kevin.  After he disassembled the second one he offered to turn in both.  "Uh, no thanks."

Years ago I told him that PGRiders take care of their own flags.

Without thinking about it, I tried to take photos as I tried to drive from the airport to the funeral home.  Kevin reminded me that he could do the photos.  He did well as the next three show:

We saluted for another transfer and Michael was home, so we went home too.  On Thursday I will return on the bike and leave Kevin at home alone.  I know he is looking forward to some uninterrupted X-Box time.

on to additional airport escort photography

back to the Michael Olivieri Mission