Splashdown

Lane DeGregory: JACKSONVILLE — On his way to the airport, pulling his suitcase across the dark parking lot, he gives himself the speech: Everything is fine. Nothing’s going to happen. Don’t worry. What is there to worry about?

It doesn’t work any more.

He wheels his bag into the terminal, past the ticket counter, through the long security line. In the door of the US Airways plane, he stops the flight attendant.

“Good morning. I want to introduce myself,” he says, thrusting out his right hand.

“I’m Casey Jones. And I was on Flight 1549 — the one that went into the Hudson River.”