[Uh, this is your captain speaking.

Please keep your tray tables locked

And in the upright position until after we take off…

 

And if you look out the window, you’ll see…]

 

 

ONE

A kid born in ’89,

In West Linn Oregon,

A mossy, mountainous place,

And like an Cascadian,

She grew up skiing in Mt. Hood;

Nearly raised at Timberline,

She came to know the land so well,

That she became an earthy type.

 

That’s right, from Stafford Elementary to Athey Creek,

Her friends agree:

That Katie was the grounded type that put her friends at ease.

 

The kinda person that you’d probably want to be your bridesmaid;

Oh, she’s that like ten times?

Why does that NOT surprise me…

 

In this world she’s just a stabilizing force:

She went to college, got that job, bought that house, oh my God!

 

Katie’s got it all figured out, until…

 

[Thank you for choosing to fly with Anthem Airlines,

Welcome to Cuba.]

 

 

TWO

Right at the end of 2022,

Haley was hustling to make sure that things went smooth.

 

She was the feathered founder,

Airborne Operator,

Of a community designed to bring women together,

A small travel group in Cuba met at the end of the year,

And Haley’d been around the world, but she’d never quite been here…

 

Who was this skier? 

Who was this woman so down to earth?

With quiet joy in her eyes,

And those rainbow chacos don’t hurt,

 

And Katie had the same thoughts,

I mean, who was this woman?

So lovely and effervescent and then with everybody present there at New Years eve,

You’d never believe,

What Fabrica De Arte Cubano had up it’s sleeve…

 

Well here comes the new year:

 

OKAY.

So a LOT happened that night.

You know, you’re feeling a lot of feelings,

You’re on vacation,

It’s New Years,

You know, what happened that night…

It’s probably just a crush.

 

But just be safe…

 

They’re gonna have to test it.

 

THREE

Well they had a feeling.

That they’re gonna have a good time.

So they said, “Let’s meet up in New York and we’ll just see.”

(Spoiler alert: it ruled)

 

Smashed by the crush,

Not a little,

But a lot,

I mean that second date played out like it was a rom-com,

Ditching on a fancy meal,

To eat some yummy pizza, then go running through the rain?

 

This is a crazy second date.

 

FOUR

You can’t predict this stuff!

I mean, this was never the way they planned.

Not their intention.

They got so brave, hand-in-hand,

And they thought, “Well shit, this is awesome.”

 

Something was there, and they liked it.

And we’re not surprised that they’d find it.

 

For the last decade of her life,

Haley’d been anchored to the sky,

Yeah she could fly.

 

But the stronger your wings,

The more you value your roots,

And of course the inverse of this is true.

 

When much of your life has been defined,

By strength in uncertain times,

When Auntie Kaykay is a rock,

In so many lives,

Well the stronger your roots,

The more you value your wings,

 

So between these two, they have everything…

 

FIVE

So it’s up, up, and away!

 

Down to Belize,

Back to NYC until Katie says,

“Hey.

Do you wanna Portland with me?

There’s someone there that I want you to meet.”

 

And when Haley arrived,

Katie took her by the hand and said,

“This is Jinger. My puppy.”

 

Well things were getting realer,

With every passing day,

With more color than a playlist that Katie Joe could make,

Whether Maggie Rogers concerts,

Or dressing up like lobsters,

Yeah, they dressed like lobsters,

And,

One time Koalas,

But mostly they just dress like love birds.

 

 

SIX

Well one wing is not enough,

To fly high enough to get the really good stuff.

 

They found what they really needed.

 

The horizon’s a place

Where the earth and sky meet,

That most people move towards, 

But they never reach.

 

But those brave, lucky birds who will fly through the night,

Get to nest where those worlds collide.

 

Well these girls love travel,

So watch them fly.

 

Haley (Just Haley)

And Katie Joe

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