Monday, November 29, 2010

It's a Killing Thing

Today B and I went to the airport to pick up Aunt Jean. Her flight was late and we were sitting in my vehicle outside baggage claim waiting for her. I noticed a bronze statue nearby that was covered in snow. It was a statue of a man balancing something long and skinny on his right shoulder. It kind of looked like skis, but not exactly. The object was too long for downhill skis and too wide for cross-country skis. After staring at it for a while, I asked B boy "What do you think that statue over there is holding?". He immediately replied, "It's a killing thing."

Seriously?! What is it with males and weapons? It's true that in many towns bronze statues usually commemorate some bloody battle and the bronze soldier would be holding a gun or even a sword, but this is Anchorage. No bloody battles were fought here. How many bronze statues has the four year old ever seen? How did he know that they are commonly associated with decimation? Young minds are amazing what they pick up about our culture. Amazing.

I finally got out of the truck and went a little closer to examine the statue. It's a statue of a small plane pilot wearing an aviator hat and jacket with a two blade propeller balanced on his shoulder. Of course! Alaska--Airport--Aviator! Duh. (And, yes, it could be argued that small plane propellers have killed a number of people.)

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