Jack was a free, independent spirit. He loved to live life on his terms, which meant a fair amount of adventure. That adventure showed up in the only two vehicles he owned, a motorcycle and a plane.

Of course, most people wouldn’t consider either of these “vehicles” in the usual sense of the word. Some might give in and concede a motorcycle as a vehicle, but almost no one besides Jack would think of a plane that way.

But Jack figured they were all he needed. He could go almost anywhere on his motorcycle. And if it was too far for his motorcycle, he would fly there.

But Jack’s independent spirit ran up against a challenge the day he met Helen. She was, in many ways, a female version of himself. She was also independent, fiercely so. She didn’t let people push her around, and she decided for herself no matter what others thought.

Jack asked her out. But to assess her adventurous nature, he told her it was a formal affair, then showed up on his motorcycle to transport her there. Helen didn’t miss a beat. In her formal dress, she climbed on without even flinching. Then, for their formal date, he took her to the stockyard café by the cattle yards. Lots of cowmen were there, many smelling more like the cows they worked with than like anyone in a formal setting.

Jack and Helen were quite a sight there. The men were used to Jack doing what he chose no matter the norm, so they weren’t too surprised at him in his unusual attire. But no one had seen a woman in a formal dress in the café. Helen didn’t seem to care what others thought and was not bothered by the many staring eyes.

Jack was immediately smitten, and from then on, Jack and Helen were seen all over the area on Jack’s motorcycle. But nothing could quite match the sight of the two of them in their wedding best, rolling along down the highway to the church—Helen’s veil sailing out from under her helmet and flying behind her like a wedding train. And after the wedding, they headed off on the motorcycle for their honeymoon.

They had a lot of adventures together over the next year. Then Helen became pregnant. As the months went by and the room between Jack and Helen decreased on the motorcycle, it got less and less comfortable, especially for Helen. But her tenacity showed through as she continued to ride with Jack.

But then the day came that she went into labor. Jack helped her onto the motorcycle, and they sped off. But they had over fifty miles to go, most of it over rough back-country roads. They hadn’t even gone a mile when the bouncing and the labor pains combined to a point it was more than Helen could bear.

“Jack,” she said, “you will just have to take me back and be the one who helps me deliver the baby.”

Jack was adventurous, but even he had a point where he drew the line. Helping deliver a baby made him shudder. He took Helen back but reminded her he had two vehicles. He helped her onto the plane, and away they went. It wasn’t too long before they reached the only town in the area with a hospital, but the airport was miles away from any medical help.

In addition, Helen’s pains were coming faster, and she told Jack it wouldn’t be too long. Jack circled the airport once, then turned the plane downtown. He turned on all lights and everything else he could to get attention, then dropped toward Main Street.

Seeing a plane coming, cars veered off onto the side roads, and Jack made a perfect landing, then taxied up to the emergency room door. Helen was right. It wasn’t even a half hour before their little girl was born.

And after the nurse placed her into Helen’s arms, even before they announced the baby’s name, Helen turned to Jack and said, “I think it’s time for us to get a car.”