Summer plans were going south.  Miguel and his family had booked a flight to Colombia. Everyone was filled with anticipation. For Miguel, it meant fishing with his grandfather.  For his mother, it meant showing off his new baby sister. For his father, it meant playing dominos with old friends.         

Miguel slept comfortably on his father’s shoulder until a sudden jerk got everyone breathless. The plane had hit a turbulence that forced the pilot to respond quickly.  Everybody was screaming.  The pilot and his crew bailed out in parachutes. Miguel quickly looked for the cord to stop the plane.  None was in sight.  Without hesitation, he took control of the cockpit and safely landed the plane.

 “Wake up,” his father insisted.

“We have landed.”

For a moment, Miguel thought himself a hero but realized he was only dreaming.

 “Thank you for flying with us, “said the stewardess as the passengers exited.

 “And thank you for saving us all,” she whispered softly in Miguel’s ear.

 “You’re welcome,” he smiled.

Though no one had the heart to tell him how much he talked in his sleep.

---

Fred Rohan-Vargas, from Valley Stream, NY, is a teacher for New York City's Department of Education and a writer as well. Rohan-Vargas' plays have been produced throughout the United States and two have been published in 2005. To learn more about Rohan-Vargas, as an artist, his web site is

© 2007 Fred Rohan-Vargas. Original for CCF  (Rohan-Vargas grants CCF  first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology).