Odd that I was born in the same year as the little boy's "former self" in the story. Co-incidence...
Wrote a book about airplanes when I was 8. Made a cover for it out of cardboard & string...
Began to make model airplanes.
Dad worked for Pantex, the friendly folks that brought us the atom bomb.
He always brought home some "toys", bullets for machine guns. I had a big collection. Dad was an inspector.
There was a place near our home that made military medals, we used to pry them out of the sand in the dump where the rejects were thrown.
I really wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force when I grew up, I just loved planes...although I couldn't get in as my vision didn't meet the requirements...
My uncle was a test pilot for the F101 "Widowmaker", kinda like a rocket with stubby wings. He was killed while testing...
I have tried to "go back" to that time before...The door is closed...BR