Tobias Wolff’s “Flyboys” tells the story of the narrator and his friend Clark’s plans to build a plane. The project largely takes place in Clark’s bedroom, where the boys spend weeks designing their aircraft. Clark does most of the actual drawing of the plans because he thinks the narrator works too slowly, which leaves the narrator on his own to roam the otherwise empty house. He grows jealous when looking at the family’s photo albums, which gives him the impression that Clark has a lucky, happy family who lack nothing. The narrator returns to observe Clark’s progress and considers the different strengths they bring to their project. While Clark is stubborn and particular, he is also willing to consider any idea that will make their design better. The narrator admits he takes advantage of this, bossing Clark around and throwing out wild ideas, believing in his own genius.
When the design portion of their plane becomes boring, the boys begin discussing how they will construct it. Clark has a lead on a canopy they can use but won’t tell the narrator where in case he reveals their secret to others. Instead, the narrator is forced to follow Clark through town after school until they approach a home that the narrator recognizes. It’s the house of one of their classmates, Freddy, who the narrator used to be close friends with. When the boys go inside to talk to Freddy about the canopy, Clark is surprised to find the narrator knows Freddy and Freddy’s mother so well. The narrator reflects to himself that very little has changed there, recalling both the happy times he spent there, as well as Freddy’s family’s lack of luck. In particular the narrator remembers how he couldn’t bear the grief that filled Freddy’s home after Freddy’s older brother, Tanker, died in a motorcycle crash, and how he suddenly ran home and was too embarrassed to interact with Freddy again. Still, he now slips easily back into the word games he and Freddy used to play, and Freddy and the narrator animatedly exchange gruesome stories while Clark observes quietly, eating cookies.
Freddy’s stepfather Ivan then enters the kitchen where his wife and the boys are sitting, explaining that Tanker’s old pickup truck has gotten stuck in the mud. The boys go outside to find the truck loaded with felled trees from the property, and the narrator mourns the loss of the woods that he and Freddy used to make believe in. Ivan asks them to unload the wood so the truck can be freed from the muck. Though his late stepson’s truck no longer works well, Ivan nearly cries when considering selling it. Clark is hesitant to move so much wood and instead suggests they dig ruts and lay down wood to give the tires more purchase. Freddy and the narrator go to get shovels for the job, and as they do the narrator finds himself confessing that he believes his family will soon be moving. Freddy says he hopes they stay, but the two break into their word game, deflecting the emotional conversation.
Back at the truck, Clark directs their efforts, at first trying not to get muddy, though he gives in to get the work done. Digging out the tires and wedging logs under the treads is difficult, but eventually, Ivan is able to drive the truck out of the mud, leaving the three boys caked up to their necks. Next they head to the barn, where Freddy shows them a pristine airplane canopy. It is smaller than the design accounted for, but the narrator believes with a few adjustments, their plane is as good as built. Afterwards, the narrator accepts Freddy’s mom’s offer to let them shower; Clark declines.
The narrator and Clark then walk home, the narrator feeling empowered by wearing Tanker’s old clothes. Clark is still covered in mud and asks the narrator to join him for dinner to offset how angry his mother will be about his dirty clothes. Clark also tells the narrator that Freddy asked to join their plane project while he was in the shower and asks his opinion, saying the narrator knows Freddy better than he does. The narrator agrees Freddy is great, but he’d prefer they keep the plane between the two of them. Clark agrees. They walk the rest of their way through town, and the narrator notices that Clark is taking more time than normal. When they get to Clark’s front door, Clark pauses to hear what music is playing inside. Clark says, with relief, that the choice of music means his mother is in a good mood.
