Will: 20 odd years ago I had an old man like you. He had wanted to be a pilot but was thwarted for various reasons. He became an Aeronautical Engineer and the interest rubbed off on me. He bought me a Trial Lesson and my mother threatened to kill him! She made numerous similar threats over the next 10 years as I wended my way through the process of getting a licence, collecting a respectable list of knockbacks along the way.
I now work for an airline that has it's share of muppets in positions of authority, has a policy of screwing everything and everyone and knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. I have lost count of the number of holes I have drilled in the night skies, the crippling early starts and late finishes, the missed bank holidays and weekends, the kids asking their mother who the strange bloke is who just walked in when I get home, the greed of management, the lack of respect from them for their employees, their stupidity, being cocked about by security oafs etc etc etc.
I also earn a good salary, work with some incredible people and still enjoy going in to work, regardless of the hour. Once the doors are shut and we're free of the tyranny of fools, it is, in spite of all the above and much more, IMHO the best thing you can do with your clothes on.
Time again? You bet!
Good luck to you and your son, you'll both need it.
