HELP FROM ABOVE

In 1963 President Kennedy had set NASA the goal of placing a man on the moon before the end of the decade.  We were in the process of converting our test facility from the testing of Redstone and Jupiter military missiles to the testing elements of the Saturn space vehicles.  I was sitting on the floor of the Recorder Room with my feet in a cable trench.  Members of my crew were in the basement feeding long black data cables up from the basement into the trench.  

    As the cables were poked through, I was pulling them up and pushing them across the floor.  The cables were stiff and heavy.  I really needed someone to help with this end of the task.  As I started to pull up another cable, I was aware of someone entering  the room and taking hold of the end of the cable and pulling it along the floor behind me.  

    The next cable seemed to be stuck.  Without looking around, I assumed that my helper was one of my crew,  so I told him to get down in the trench and help.  He dutifully complied.  We broke the cable loose and he pulled it across the floor as my crewman from below told me that was the last cable.  

    Still sitting in the trench trying to catch my breath, I heard my helper ask with a distinct German accent, “Well, Mr. Weaver, what is the purpose of these cables?”  I jumped out of the trench and faced the Center Director.  As I searched for words, Dr. von Braun extended a hand, now very soiled by our task.  

   As we shook hands, he quickly put me at ease and again inquired about the use of these cables and  other equipment in the room.  We walked about the room as I described the equipment and told how it would be used in the testing of the Saturn vehicles.  

   Looking past Dr. von Braun, I saw an assistant to the Laboratory Chief looking into the room.  He quickly disappeared.  Within minutes he returned with the Laboratory Chief and several other minions of lab management.  Much to my dismay, they took away my new helper, dirty hands and all.