One Small Step For Man

42 years and a little while ago, a man stepped onto the moon.

I was nine years old, and my dad let me and my oldest kid sister stay up to watch this amazing broadcast, grainy, black and white... on and off. The culmination of America's 8 year quest to reach that solitary satellite. We lived in Huntsville, Alabama, dad was a telecommunications engineer who worked on the program for Von Braun's company, "Brown Engineering". It was way past my bedtime. Sometime that summer, I remember dad filling up at a Texaco station, and he bought me one of those paper "tab a slot b" models of the LEM.

It cost a dime I think.

In a month we moved to Texas.

I remember a lot, and have probably forgotten a lot more. Me and my sister (she is a year and a month younger than me, the second sis was 3 and fast asleep), were sitting on the living room floor, watching this moment. I don't remember more than that, except that we were together, and were just amazed.

I miss that sometimes, that sense of wonder and excitement.

I couldn't believe this even when I was watching it. And I wonder if we'll ever go back.

ALSO: It was a mere 66 years, from Kitty Hawk to the moon.

posted by Dave In Texas at 10:00 PM

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