One Small Step

In “Anecdotal Tales”, stories will be told. Some will be fun, some will not. Some will be great, some will be less so. Some stories are true, some are merely possible. This is one of them.

One Small Step

(I was working on another story, but due to certain events, I tabled that story for another time.  I have no facts, no insight into the man’s thoughts, but this is how I like to think it happened.)

The man was ready to stretch his legs.  At just under six feet tall, the muscular man was ready to reach his destination.  The food, the confined area; it was time to be free.  He had spent what felt like years in the cramped vehicle and his destination was in sight.  Really, his destination had been visible for the past several days, but now he and his two friends were drawing ever closer.  Their end destination was in sight.

There was much excitement; also much to do in the metal container.  The man felt that the air was getting stale, much like his two companions.  There was only so much three men could do to stave off that stagnant smell.  Happily they all were enjoying the ride, especially the spectacular view.  The man pondered if the folks at home knew how important it was to really see the bigger picture, that there was more to the world than just them.

Daydreaming would have been easy, but the man and his two friends had work to do.  Michael kept his hands on the controls, making sure their trip didn’t end in a crash.  Soon, the man and Buzz parted ways with Michael and three became two.

The man ran over a checklist in his head.  Now was not the time for mistakes.  Money had been spent.  Hopes had been raised.  This wasn’t just his own little road trip.  He had a purpose.  He ran lines in his head.  He thought about what to do.  And before he knew it, he was standing at the door.

He moved slowly, carefully.  The excitement grew within him.  He gripped tightly to the rung as the thick gloves challenged his dexterity.  As his breath echoed in his ears, the man started to hear voices talk to him.  He acknowledged the others who were rooting for him and the man went about his work.

The ladder was steady and secure.  The environment outside the man’s suit was silent and desolate.  The world that he was used to was millions of miles away.  There were no other people, no seas of endless colors, and there was no sign of any life or activity.  The wave of accomplishment washed over him.  His inner-child fought to come out and play.  He felt the ground greet his shoe as he placed his foot on the rocks and dust.

So it began.  And thanks to Neil Armstrong, everyone on Earth got to go along for the ride.  Rest in peace.

“Thank you, Mr. President. It’s a great honor and privilege for us to be here representing not only the United States but men of peace of all nations, and with interests and the curiosity and with the vision for the future. It’s an honor for us to be able to participate here today.” -Neil Armstrong

(If you haven’t seen it before, I highly recommend watching, In the Shadow of the Moon.  Armstrong declined to be interviewed, but you can feel him throughout the entire documentary.  Every other person who went to the moon is represented.  I can’t say enough great things about the film.)

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