"It looks like a big Tylenol."

Summer 1996.

Republic Airport might as well have been in the backyard -- that's how close it was to my home. People in the neighborhood often lodged complaints if a plane basically appeared to be landing on their front lawns. But I digress...

Case in point: Summer of 1996. Mom and I were in the kitchen chatting. We heard the plane coming before we actually saw it. There it was, coming in over the trees looking as if it was going to land on the roof, a huge plane -- seemingly too big to be able to land at Republic. Dad ran in from outside, where he'd been gardening.

Dad: Did you see that thing?
Mom: YES! I'm calling them now.
Dad: Did you see what airline?
Mom: No, it was blue and white. I couldn't make out the writing.
Me: It was huuuuuuuge. Can that thing even land here?
Dad: Unbelievable.

Mom picked up the phone and began to voice her concern, in her inimitable fashion.

Mom: Yes. I want to complain about a plane that just landed. I don't know what airline it was, but it was big, white and blue. It practically landed in our backyard, it was so low. How can you fly such large planes into this airport?

Dad and I were rehashing the situation when one of us came up with the bright idea of driving over to Republic to have a better look. Next thing I know, all three of us were in the car, driving the short distance to the airport.

We got to the intersection where the turnoff to the airport entrance was and noticed that the road was blocked off by a ton of police cars. Immediately thereafter we noticed a government motorcade zipped by.

Me: What the hell? Is this some kind of dignitary?
Dad: Must be.

The police let us pass after the motorcade disappeared and we turned by the airport only to see... gulp ... Airforce 2 parked on the tarmac. The area was flooded with a bevy of Al Gore supporters.

Mom: Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I just complained about Airforce 2.

When we got home, the first thing my mom did was phone the airport hotline back.

Mom: Hi... I just made a complaint about a low-flying plane. I want to take that back. I'm a registered Democrat.