| General Non-Fiction posted May 17, 2021 |
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Adventure in a small town
The Space Launch
by Janet Foor
Walter Cronkite said that the space launch will take place on Saturday, August 7th. I was glued to the set each day as he repeatedly said, "They have worked out all the glitches and Explorer 6 will take off on schedule."
People from around the world headed to Cape Canaveral, Florida, hoping to get close enough to witness the launch firsthand. Obviously, none of my friends in Youngsville, Pennsylvania had any hope of going to Florida.
My friends and I, however, had hatched another plan.
"It's history in the making, Mom." I pleaded as I tried to explain why my friends and I wanted to be together to watch the launch. I was surprised that she agreed more quickly than I expected. I packed my little overnight bag and headed for my friend Mary's house on East Main Street.
Mary, Carol, Pauline, and Phyllis were all there when I arrived, along with Ann and Smitty. Giggling and happy to see each other, we were thrilled to be together for the historic occasion. After a brief debate about what we should buy to eat during the event, we pooled our money and headed for Johnson Brothers' Grocery Store. We bought a couple of boxes of Chef Boyardee pizza mixes and some soda pop. All we needed then was a pack of cigarettes. Fortunately, one of the girls had a pack of Lucky Strikes with her. My mother would not have agreed so quickly to our little rendezvous if she knew about them.
The countdown had started as we gathered around the TV, eating our pizza and drinking Orange Crush. But before long, it was announced that there was going to be a delay.
"Oh no, not a delay, not tonight," we all lamented.
We passed the first hour by telling stories about school. What Darrell Blakeslee said in geography class and what was really behind the 'green door' in Mr. Miller's homeroom. Then there was Mr. Waddell who was well known for giving Hershey Kisses to 'some' of the girls in Health class.
As someone from NASA announced another delay, Pauline said, "It's a beautiful night out there, let's go for a walk." We were all up and out the door and down the steps with cigarettes in hand; down East Main to Davis Street and back to Jones Pharmacy before crossing the bridge over the Brokenstraw Creek. The street was deserted, and it was so quiet, except for our silly laughter. It seemed like all 2,000 residents of our little town were sound asleep or maybe they were glued to their TV sets waiting for the launch.
Looking up into the night sky, we pretended we were there on the 'Cape' as Explorer 6 lifted off its pad with the rockets flaming, lighting up the heavens. We watched in amazement as it streaked across the sky and disappeared into the night on its historic mission. The imagined sight brought "ooohs" and "awes" from each of us as we envisioned the launch, and we were right there on the Cape.
After a brief pause, Phyllis said, "I wish we had some music."
"We don't need music," Ann replied as she began to sing and dance in the street.
Not a car in sight, we all jumped up to dance with her. Where else but in our little town (The Biggest Little Town on the Map) could seven silly Junior High girls dance and sing in the middle of Main Street at midnight and not get into trouble?
We did cartwheels and danced our way back to Mary's house only to learn that the Explorer had lifted off over an hour ago and we had missed it.
"How are we going to explain that to our parents?" Smitty and Carol shouted at the same time.
As we watched the replay of the liftoff over and over, we collectively decided that it was best if we all told the same story. "WE DID SEE IT and IT WAS SPECTACULAR."
"Best night ever," I told my mother the next morning, hoping she would not notice my fingers crossed behind my back.
Over the next few years, we all saw many other launches from the comfort of our own living rooms. But, none are as vivid and clear in my memory as that magnificent one in August of 1958 that we missed.
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Walter Cronkite said that the space launch will take place on Saturday, August 7th. I was glued to the set each day as he repeatedly said, "They have worked out all the glitches and Explorer 6 will take off on schedule."
People from around the world headed to Cape Canaveral, Florida, hoping to get close enough to witness the launch firsthand. Obviously, none of my friends in Youngsville, Pennsylvania had any hope of going to Florida.
My friends and I, however, had hatched another plan.
"It's history in the making, Mom." I pleaded as I tried to explain why my friends and I wanted to be together to watch the launch. I was surprised that she agreed more quickly than I expected. I packed my little overnight bag and headed for my friend Mary's house on East Main Street.
Mary, Carol, Pauline, and Phyllis were all there when I arrived, along with Ann and Smitty. Giggling and happy to see each other, we were thrilled to be together for the historic occasion. After a brief debate about what we should buy to eat during the event, we pooled our money and headed for Johnson Brothers' Grocery Store. We bought a couple of boxes of Chef Boyardee pizza mixes and some soda pop. All we needed then was a pack of cigarettes. Fortunately, one of the girls had a pack of Lucky Strikes with her. My mother would not have agreed so quickly to our little rendezvous if she knew about them.
The countdown had started as we gathered around the TV, eating our pizza and drinking Orange Crush. But before long, it was announced that there was going to be a delay.
"Oh no, not a delay, not tonight," we all lamented.
We passed the first hour by telling stories about school. What Darrell Blakeslee said in geography class and what was really behind the 'green door' in Mr. Miller's homeroom. Then there was Mr. Waddell who was well known for giving Hershey Kisses to 'some' of the girls in Health class.
As someone from NASA announced another delay, Pauline said, "It's a beautiful night out there, let's go for a walk." We were all up and out the door and down the steps with cigarettes in hand; down East Main to Davis Street and back to Jones Pharmacy before crossing the bridge over the Brokenstraw Creek. The street was deserted, and it was so quiet, except for our silly laughter. It seemed like all 2,000 residents of our little town were sound asleep or maybe they were glued to their TV sets waiting for the launch.
Looking up into the night sky, we pretended we were there on the 'Cape' as Explorer 6 lifted off its pad with the rockets flaming, lighting up the heavens. We watched in amazement as it streaked across the sky and disappeared into the night on its historic mission. The imagined sight brought "ooohs" and "awes" from each of us as we envisioned the launch, and we were right there on the Cape.
After a brief pause, Phyllis said, "I wish we had some music."
"We don't need music," Ann replied as she began to sing and dance in the street.
Not a car in sight, we all jumped up to dance with her. Where else but in our little town (The Biggest Little Town on the Map) could seven silly Junior High girls dance and sing in the middle of Main Street at midnight and not get into trouble?
We did cartwheels and danced our way back to Mary's house only to learn that the Explorer had lifted off over an hour ago and we had missed it.
"How are we going to explain that to our parents?" Smitty and Carol shouted at the same time.
As we watched the replay of the liftoff over and over, we collectively decided that it was best if we all told the same story. "WE DID SEE IT and IT WAS SPECTACULAR."
"Best night ever," I told my mother the next morning, hoping she would not notice my fingers crossed behind my back.
Over the next few years, we all saw many other launches from the comfort of our own living rooms. But, none are as vivid and clear in my memory as that magnificent one in August of 1958 that we missed.
People from around the world headed to Cape Canaveral, Florida, hoping to get close enough to witness the launch firsthand. Obviously, none of my friends in Youngsville, Pennsylvania had any hope of going to Florida.
My friends and I, however, had hatched another plan.
"It's history in the making, Mom." I pleaded as I tried to explain why my friends and I wanted to be together to watch the launch. I was surprised that she agreed more quickly than I expected. I packed my little overnight bag and headed for my friend Mary's house on East Main Street.
Mary, Carol, Pauline, and Phyllis were all there when I arrived, along with Ann and Smitty. Giggling and happy to see each other, we were thrilled to be together for the historic occasion. After a brief debate about what we should buy to eat during the event, we pooled our money and headed for Johnson Brothers' Grocery Store. We bought a couple of boxes of Chef Boyardee pizza mixes and some soda pop. All we needed then was a pack of cigarettes. Fortunately, one of the girls had a pack of Lucky Strikes with her. My mother would not have agreed so quickly to our little rendezvous if she knew about them.
The countdown had started as we gathered around the TV, eating our pizza and drinking Orange Crush. But before long, it was announced that there was going to be a delay.
"Oh no, not a delay, not tonight," we all lamented.
We passed the first hour by telling stories about school. What Darrell Blakeslee said in geography class and what was really behind the 'green door' in Mr. Miller's homeroom. Then there was Mr. Waddell who was well known for giving Hershey Kisses to 'some' of the girls in Health class.
As someone from NASA announced another delay, Pauline said, "It's a beautiful night out there, let's go for a walk." We were all up and out the door and down the steps with cigarettes in hand; down East Main to Davis Street and back to Jones Pharmacy before crossing the bridge over the Brokenstraw Creek. The street was deserted, and it was so quiet, except for our silly laughter. It seemed like all 2,000 residents of our little town were sound asleep or maybe they were glued to their TV sets waiting for the launch.
Looking up into the night sky, we pretended we were there on the 'Cape' as Explorer 6 lifted off its pad with the rockets flaming, lighting up the heavens. We watched in amazement as it streaked across the sky and disappeared into the night on its historic mission. The imagined sight brought "ooohs" and "awes" from each of us as we envisioned the launch, and we were right there on the Cape.
After a brief pause, Phyllis said, "I wish we had some music."
"We don't need music," Ann replied as she began to sing and dance in the street.
Not a car in sight, we all jumped up to dance with her. Where else but in our little town (The Biggest Little Town on the Map) could seven silly Junior High girls dance and sing in the middle of Main Street at midnight and not get into trouble?
We did cartwheels and danced our way back to Mary's house only to learn that the Explorer had lifted off over an hour ago and we had missed it.
"How are we going to explain that to our parents?" Smitty and Carol shouted at the same time.
As we watched the replay of the liftoff over and over, we collectively decided that it was best if we all told the same story. "WE DID SEE IT and IT WAS SPECTACULAR."
"Best night ever," I told my mother the next morning, hoping she would not notice my fingers crossed behind my back.
Over the next few years, we all saw many other launches from the comfort of our own living rooms. But, none are as vivid and clear in my memory as that magnificent one in August of 1958 that we missed.
 Recognized |
#47 May 2021 |
Another adventure in my home town. At least in this one, no ones life is in jeopardy. :)))
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