his first day of the new school year. “Every project needs a deadline,” he told the boy and “every pilot needs a powerful machine,” he said, offering a sparkling glimpse of his white teeth as they emerged from the cover of his beard. Seven returned the smile as he dipped the old and rusted bicycle chain into a bucket of solvent. “She will need a name, you know. When she’s done, you gotta give her a name,” the Colonel said. Seven could see that the lamp of memories of the Patricia Ann had been reignited within the old man.
“Beverly,” Seven said without much thought.
“Beverly,” the old man questioned. “Who’s Beverly?”
“Just a girl from school,“ Seven said while averting his gaze back to the bicycle chain.
Beverly wasn’t a girl from school; she was Seven’s sixth-grade art teacher and the first love of his life. She was a tall, thin beauty. Barely out of college and new to the workforce. Beverly Harris came to Thomasville after graduating from the University of Georgia in Athens. She was perfect in every way, at least in Seven’s eyes. She towered over most of the kids in the class and Seven gladly found his head to be at about mid-chest level for the thin blonde teacher. She had a flawless face that revealed two unquestionably perfect creases at each corner of her mouth when she smiled and presented her brilliantly white, perfect teeth. Beverly Harris taught Seven more than just how to color inside the lines. Unknowingly, she taught him how to love and be in love. He fell face-first into love with her when her first words to him were “Your name is Seven? What a beautiful name.” Seven learned exactly what a man will do to gain the attention of a beautiful woman that school year. He learned how to fake interest in a topic of which he had absolutely no inclination to study. Helicopter pilots weren’t artists, they didn’t care about composition or color scheme, but Seven spent an entire school year learning the dialogue and practicing the techniques taught to him by the perfect Beverly Harris. Per the instructions of the Colonel your first flying machine should have the title of your first love, so therefore the restored