Welcome to Top Gun

by Valjina



I'm going to defer to Tom Skerrit for an introduction to this here blog. Take it away Tom, er, I mean Viper.

"Thank you, son. Good morning, gentlemen, the temperature is 110 degrees."

Umm, actually it's 61 degrees.

"Top Gun rules of engagement are written for your safety and for that of your team. They are not flexible, nor am I. Is that clear?"

Well, yes, but we started this website with the intention of breaking the rules, sir. You see, the idea is make people think and laugh and in order to do that you have to break-

"Let me ask you something, if you had to go into battle, would you want him on your side?"

Who?

"Damn this kid is good!"

Uh...

"In case some of you are wondering who the best is, they are up here on this plaque. Do you think your name will be on that plaque?"

I don't see how this applies to me.

"That's pretty arrogant considering the company you're in."

I wasn't trying to...

"I like that in a pilot."

Sir, I have to tell you, I'm not-

"I flew with your old man. V-51, the Oriskany."

Where? My dad is a is a history teacher.

"You're a lot like he was. Only better...and worse."

Thanks, I think.

"He was a natural heroic son of a bitch that one."

I'm not sure I know what your talking about.

"Yeah, he did it right. Is that why you fly the way you do? Trying to prove something?"

I don't know.

"Yeah your old man did it right. What I'm about to tell you is classified. It could end my career."

Well, then maybe you shouldn't tell me. I mean, are you sure you have the right guy?

"We were in the worst dog fight I ever dreamed of."

Sometimes I dream that dogs are biting me...

"There were bogeys like fireflies all over the sky. His F-4 was hit, and he was wounded. He could have made it back. He stayed in it, saved three planes before he bought it."

Uh, my dad is alive. He dropped me off here. I'm supposed to call him when we're done. Maybe you should put that bourbon down.

"I was there. What's on your mind?"

Well actually, now there's a lot of things, like I'm thinking that your crazy, or at least very drunk. But the real reason I came here was so you could explain to our readers what Top Gun means, what the intention of this website is. I mean, I like where it's going, but what do I do next?

"Simple. First you've acquired enough points to show up tomorrow and graduate with your Top Gun class, or you can quit."

Quit?

"I didn't say that."

Yes, you did. You just said it.

"The simple fact is that you feel responsible for Goose and you have a confidence problem."

Goose?

"Goose is dead."

What? What in the holy hay are you talking about?

"Now, I'm not going to sit here and blow sunshine up your ass, Lieutenant. Up there, we gotta push it. That's our job."

Up where? Push what? You are making no sense. Look maybe I should just go. Sorry for bothering you.

"It's your option, Lieutenant. All yours."

Yeah, thanks, freak.

"No problem. Good luck."