Austin has been talking about Civil Air Patrol ever since that first meeting. We all know how fickle teens can be. This kid and many others can easily abandon a fun activity without notice, leave a pile of game controllers on the coffee table, and go do something else. 10 minutes later, they’re nuking Hot Pockets in the microwave. Two hours later, when I want to reheat my coffee, a Cold Pocket sits where I am about to put my coffee mug, and the Wii is back on.

When you’re part of something you feel is good, you have the urge to share. It’s true for religion, politics, a multi-level marketing scam, etc. Austin is also talking about getting his friend Drew to join.

Some more surprising words came from him once again. “The main reason I’m interested is for the community service hours.” Again, this is the same kid who raised significant objection to his school’s community service requirement last year.

I’m eager to see what this is all about. CAP welcomes parents to observe their meetings. I too was fascinated by airplanes as a young boy. This could also be a foot in the door to get aerial photography opportunities.