I know this sounds ridiculous, but having my friend tell me that we were going to jump instantly gave me this little high. It had been eight days since my last jump, and I NEEDED to jump! I just wanted to do it again! I knew that I was ready for AFF, but not in DeLand. A tandem would hold me over until I could get back to Orange. I looked through my SIM. What skills could I practice? I decided that I would ask the instructor to let me practice leg extensions or maybe turns.. The jump wouldn't just be a joy ride! I could try something new.

When it came time to head over to the drop zone, my friend told me that she didn't feel like jumping, but she'd definitely go with me before I left Florida. UGHHHHHH! I wanted to scream! She knocked me right off my cloud. When someone changes their mind about jumping on a Saturday, it is highly unlikely that they will be ready to jump on Sunday. I knew she wasn't going to jump while I was there which meant I wasn't going to jump. It didn't make sense for me to do another tandem, and it didn't make sense for me to make one AFF jump there and then go to Orange. I needed to go home.

She continued to string me along, but I didn't buy it. The odds were not in my favor. On Monday, I packed up my car and left Florida by myself. My new goal was to be home for my birthday - something that rarely happens. As I drove home, I thought about Orange - I could stop there and jump on my actual birthday. Unfortunately, they do not offer the first ground school course during the week - it's only offered on Saturdays and Sundays. Bummer!