Stealth Bomber

Like most neighborhoods, my Pasadena neighborhood is very private. While friendly, neighbors basically keep to themselves.

In anticipation of the fly-by of the B-2 Stealth bomber over the Rose Parade in the early hours of New Year’s Day, I ventured bleary-eyed out of my house with my coffee, and waited to see it in person. One by one, my neighbors, these “strangers,” joined me in the streets. There was little time for introductions. Within moments, we observed a mysterious black object begin floating over the parade route, with no tail, making no sound as it passed. My neighbors and I could muster no sound either. We simply stared.

While we felt an obvious sense of patriotism watching this $2-billion war machine leave us breathless, the real focus of pride was not military. The pride came from gazing, awe-struck, at this masterpiece of American design, technological wizardry and ingenuity--a metallic creation light-years ahead of anything the world had ever seen. It was an aerial demonstration of what this country can do if it puts its mind to it. If we can make this miracle, we can do anything. And my neighbors and I knew we had paid for it--at least for part of one rivet.

After it streaked down Colorado Boulevard, the Stealth banked sharply, reversed direction, and then shot almost straight up into the clouds, leaving nothing but a deep rumbling in its wake.

My neighbors and I looked at each other and smiled, like proud parents after watching their son score the winning touchdown, or their daughter winning the local spelling bee. We didn’t know each other from Adam, but this one moment belonged to all of us.

$2.1 billion? Worth every penny. I’m taking up a collection to get the damn thing to come back.

RICHARD M. CALLAHAN JR.

Pasadena

* As the parade begins, a sleek, bat-like plane glides swiftly across the sky. TV commentators ooh and aah and gush about American ingenuity. Spectators along the parade route cheer as they recognize the unique form of the Stealth bomber overhead.

Am I the only American who won’t stand up and cheer for a weapon of mass destruction, bought and paid for with my tax dollars?

LYNN F. KESSLER