Afraid of Heights? Fantasy for Fainthearted Flyers

You halfheartedly toss a pair of socks in your overnight bag and wonder, "How did it come to this? How could this be the last time socks will ever be packed in this battered old bag again?" You consider your impending demise but become distracted, albeit briefly, with thoughts of your intended destination.

Ah... New York in November. Crisp, cool air nipping at your ears as you traipse the streets of Manhattan in search of the perfect bagel. You've heard it's just up the way from the little spot on 43rd where you used to grab coffee and croissants, across from the Starbucks - hmm, exactly which of Manhattan's ten thousand Starbucks might that be? Well, no matter. The pleasure is in the pursuit and what better place to purs...

The scream of horrific headlines drowns out all manner of rational thought and, knowing your phobic instinct will not be denied, you ponder the potential scenarios in hopes of selecting a fitting final tribute to your fleeting existence:

"Airliner Falls From Sky in Fiery Cascade" Wow - sounds horrific and, really, why involve all the poor fools whose only offense was boarding an airliner with a Jonah like you? Yes, they should have been able to tell simply by looking at you, but still...

"Emergency Door Malfunctions - Lone Man Falls to His Death" Better - No undue carnage. A single tragic loss. And, yet... Surely the experience would traumatize the survivors for life and, really, could you bear the eternal guilt?

"Man Trapped in Airline Toilet - Starves to Death During Holidays" Ah - This sounds incredibly promising. No multiple deaths, which is always a positive in such circumstances. No afterlife-long sense of unendurable guilt over trauma inflicted upon those whose only peril was their proximity. Yes, yes - this sounds very good.

You race ahead in your mind's eye, scanning the fictitious page for the facts you fashion on the fly, author and editor of the details of your decidedly disastrous demise. "Man's foot caught in toilet..." No, that won't do - you're not, weren't, a complete idiot after all. Hmm - Maybe, "Man's foot stricken with rare palsy..." Palsy? Please! Your ten-year-old could do better than that. How about...

"Officials from the National Transportation Safety Administration (NTSA), in a preliminary reporting of findings, have verified the man felt he was acting in the interest of national security. "It appears the gentlemen in question discovered what he believed to be a small explosive device," said David McGruder, NTSA spokesman. "The device was in actuality a mold-covered tuna on rye, with an unidentifiable type of cheese, possibly swiss. To his credit, the man rushed the "tuna-device" to the restroom, crammed it deeply down the toilet and flushed it into oblivion somewhere over the cornfields of Nebraska. Unfortunately, the man was then unable to extricate his arm from the toilet and, well - you know the rest of this hero's tale turned tragic."

You whisper to yourself, "It's perfect..." Slowly nodding your head, you imagine the bittersweet response of readers, at once saddened that such a brave man is no more and, yet, somehow curious the mold had not tipped you off. It all seems fitting. An enigmatic life should yield no less than a quizzical death.

You sigh, more out of quiet resolve than sadness, and zip up the side of your trusted traveling companion. "Well, old friend, time to go..." Fighting back a tear, you give the bag a gentle pat and let out a deep sigh. Then, the slight smile of inspiration crossing your face, you check your watch and rush toward the door. Dropping your airline ticket on the desk, you give a triumphant nod and toss your bag over your shoulder. "Come on - we've got a train to catch..."

Tim Anderson is a freelance writer who has a special interest in medical topics. Visit his blog at http://medicalmigrant.blogspot.com/.

Afraid to Fly? Turn Your Fear into Your Passion
If you have a fear of flying you probably don't understand why anyone would enjoy getting into a plane, strapping themselves in and feeling the rush o...

Achieve Heights of Business with Online Commercial Secured Loan
Online commercial secured loan is the gateway for all entrepreneurs for financing their business. It is especially designed for meeting the needs of t...

Finding Long-Term Solutions to Your Fear of Flying
Does this sound familiar - the engines roar, you're thrown back into your seat for take-off, and the knuckles on your hands turn white as you grip the...

Find Out What Success Means to You
Why isn't my agency selling more? Why don't my producers use the software I have invested with to make more sales? Why are my bills so high? Why? ...

6 Tips For Positive Thinking Include An Exercise To Draw A Lamb
Draw a lamb? Are you nuts? Is that what you are saying to yourself? How on earth does drawing a lamb fit into the scenario of positive thinking? Wh...

How You Can Save Money With Smooth Elliptical Trainers
Smooth elliptical trainers, made by Smooth Fitness, can save you money over other fitness equipment that is available. They have a reasonable cost, a...

How to Defeat Depression and Anxiety
To someone who has never had any experience dealing with depression and anxiety, it can be a very daunting task. There are two possible perspectives y...

Unsecured Business Loans Raise Your Business To New Heights
Running a business is not an easy task. It is full of risk and uncertainty. Though the entrepreneur always remains cautious still crisis can occur at ...

Loan Officers - Can You Get Committed In The Mortgage Business?
Here's something I got from a friend of mine today:"Here in Chicago, one of the biggest builders has just filed BK. I keep hearing about companies in...

GHB- Dangerous When Abused!
Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, known as Ghb, is a drug that is used in the medical field as an anesthetic and to treat a variety of problems such as insom...

Bad Credit Mortgage Loan - A Closer Look
It's a law endless nights of partying, eating out and more or less buying everything on a whim, it will eventually come to roost and put a major dent ...

Mortgage Loans: Finding the Best Mortgage Deal
Many homeowners make the mistake of accepting the first loan offer that comes their way. To avoid making common homeowner mistakes you need to do you...

Fear Of Flying? How To Fart Your Fear Away
Lets face it.Being afraid to fly is not a rational fear. And yet, you have been trying to rationalize, and using all sorts of logic, to make that fe...

Samsung G800 Mobile Phone Review
The wireless just keeps getting better by the day. The number of launches worldwide has stepped up to cover every possible customer fantasy, forget ne...

Speaking Out At Work
Have you ever spoken out at work? Has there ever been a problem with your job tools that you needed to bring the matter to your supervisor's attention...