July 20, 1969

Moon Landing

   My wife, Anne, and I are on the road with our three sons.  We are returning from a Florida vacation that included watching a Saturn 5 Rocket launch.  Riding atop that vehicle were three men intent upon landing on the Moon and returning to Earth.  Mid-way of the afternoon we hear on the car radio that the landing on the moon had been successful.  The whole world is now waiting for them to exit the Lunar Lander and set foot on the moon.  NASA is planing to televise the actual exit and first step and we are planing to be home in time to watch on our new color television set.  

The traffic gets slower and slower and as we approach the announced time of exit we find ourselves in Albertville, Alabama, still more than 60 miles from home.  We check into a motel, making sure that they have a working television set in the room.  I rush to McDonalds for our supper while Anne lets the boys take a quick plunge in the pool.  They don’t want to leave the pool but we  are determined that they will not miss this historic moment.  

As we have come to expect from NASA events, there are numerous delays.  The talking heads on TV drone on-and-on about how we got to the Moon and endless speculation about what is delaying the exit form the Lunar Lander.  Despite our admonition that this is worth their undivided attention, one by one the boys drop off to sleep.  As the hatch is opened and Neil Armstrong is about to exit we rouse them and, with our constant urging, they sleepily watch man’s first steps on another world, then quickly return to their slumber.  It’s been a long day and a long vacation, so we soon join them in sleep.