"Chicks dig me" ... wait, that's Bill Murray's bio ...
When I was in Jr. High School, I knew I needed a hobby involving flying and engineering. I found a boy's life magazine that featured model rocketry with some pictures of boost gliders. That weekend, I took the magazine to the local hobby shop and expressed my interest. They told me of a rocket and model airplane club down at MIT, only a few miles away. That Monday, I showed the magazine to my science teacher and told him I was going to join that club. He said he would cover for me, and I skipped school the next day and headed to MIT. I found the information center, and they directed me to the faculty advisor of the two clubs who just happened to be the Dept Head of Astro Aero at MIT. I introduced myself to his secretary and his door was open, so he overheard me saying I was going to be an engineer someday. He told her to "send that young man in." I introduced myself again, showed him the magazine, and said I wanted to join the club.
He sat back in his chair, smiled, and wrote me a letter of introduction, stating that I would make a fine addition to the club, seeing that I was going to be an engineer some day.
Many rocket boost gliders and RC planes later, we would meet again at the Draper flight facility, where the club members and I were building a man-powered airplane. I introduced myself again, and he remembered me. I flew the airplane a dozen or so times, and still today, I keep in touch with some of the members. I still fly and credit the club members for teaching me to think like an engineer. I'm retired now and still fly when I get the chance.
