Poor Prince William. The guy’s been all over the place in papers, magazines, the Internet, and television for landing an RAF helicopter at his girlfriend’s home.
Well, why shouldn’t he?
Let me first say that my wife and I have an affinity for crystal. We do not have an extensive collection, yet but there have been times when a friend would come over and, when the wine we served came in the cut glass of Waterford, they often looked puzzled. We use them, and often. That’s why they were made – they’re beautiful and they can give an added dimension to even a cheap bottle of wine.
I’m also a classic car nut and if I ever had the wherewithal to own that Duesenburg SJ, you know what I’d do with it? I’d drive that thing and have a blast.
My parents recently left on vacation and offered my 16-year-old son the use of their Miata, which is a little two-seater, drop top, sporty job. It’s fun for me at 38 and I can only imagine how great it would have been to have had that car when I was 16. My son was in seventh heaven with it, driving around with the top down in the recent spell of great weather, blaring his music.
All in all, enjoying life isn’t a crime and regardless of who you are, if you are having a responsible good time, with your own property, I find it hard to begrudge you that. If I drink wine from Waterford or if my son has the opportunity to drive grandma’s sports car now and then, bully for us! Life is short, enjoy!
But poor Prince William. He’s been raked over the proverbial coals recently but I, for one, applaud him. Is landing a helicopter on his girlfriend’s yard a bit over the top? Sure, but the guy’s second in line to the throne of England. It may just be his life is different than mine, just a little.
Say you’re my son, you want to go see your girlfriend, and you can borrow grandma’s Miata, well, um, you do! Come on guys, impressing the girl is important in young love and having some fun tooling around in a little two-seater is something most guys and gals would relish.
Likewise, if you are Prince William and you want to go and see your girlfriend, and you can borrow grandma’s helicopter, then knock yourself out!
I think folks in the media and the pop-culture tabloids must forgotten what RAF stands for? Royal Air Force. The ‘copter belongs Prince William’s grandma and, well, grandma just happens to be the queen of England!
Him landing the helicopter at his girlfriend’s home amounts to little more than me parking my car on my lawn. I’ll grant you again that it’s a little bit of a stretch, but the enormity of being prince versus being me is also quite a stretch. Once I allow myself to honestly consider the kind of life this young man has, the things he does, and can do, are simply different than mine.
My words to Prince William: Have a good time, Wills! I admit I’m a bit envious of that life you’ve got there but I’m not about to let it hinder my congratulations that you’re living your life to the fullest.
Benjamin Johnson is a Groveport resident.
