Beating the Dog-Faced Girl

I n the midst of moving to Fo Tan and all the work that entails at both premises, I took this afternoon to lend moral support and a strong back to the Alive Not Dead team for Hong Kong’s first-ever Flugtag, sponsored by Red Bull.  It’s a competition where people with no training whatsoever in aerodynamics, construction or safety can build contraptions and roll them off an elevated ramp into the water.

Described that way, it sounds like it ought to be part of the Special Olympics.

I ended up helping push the plane not only onto the ramp, but off of it. There was a pretty strong crosswind and it could have ruined the launch. It did ruin a couple other teams’ efforts.

But Etchy had done a great job designing the plane and supervising its construction, and Derrick, Vince and Simon were on hand to help push it off the ramp.

All I had to do was help push, and since manual labor is the Polish national pastime, I felt very happy that I could contribute.

My other, self-appointed duty was as Pilot Safety Officer. Gloriana Wong had volunteered to pilot the plane without really understanding what she was getting into.

Once she realized it, shestill didn’t quit.

She was nervous before the launch, but I tried to reassure her and motivate her at every opportunity.

I told her it would literally last only a second. It seemed to help.

She was also drinking a lot of Red Bull, which helped more.

When the time came, she climbed up into the seat and let us push her off the end of the ramp into the harbor.Oh, I forgot to mention that shedoesn’t know how to swim.

Which was all I could think of when I looked over the edge of the ramp and saw the plane upside-down in the water and Gloria’s feet sticking out from the side.

They weren’t moving.

But we were assured she was fine.

Prior to our plane, the Reebok team had their attempt, and their special guest was Chrissie ‘T*ts‘ Chau, whose descrīption as pretty is living proof that men never look higher than a woman’s neck.

All she did was talk to the crowd. It’s not like she had the guts to fly the plane.

Unlike Gloria.

So it was with great happiness that as soon as Gloria was brought back to dry land, safe and sound (though wet as a dishrag), we could all tell her that the Alive Not Dead score was higher than Reebok’s.

Gloria 1, Chrissie 0.

I told Gloria what I’m telling you: She was very brave to climb onto that contraption and get thrown into the water from an elevated platform.

And she did it.

She didn’t scream, cry, or shake.

As I knew would happen, she came away from the experience happy, excited, and ready to do it again.

I snuck this photo of her on the boat after the flight.

She’s dreaming about next year’s plane already.

Thanks to Etchy, Simon, Derrick, Vince and Gloria for allowing me to help out, and to Jae Leung for adding a helping hand too.

I really enjoyed myself and its nice to know I have such great friends.