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The summer of 1969 was like a vacation
after such an intense school year. Oh,
the usual working with Mom, which I treasure, went on. The crazy heat and humidity of the Midwest turned
our upstairs bedrooms into ovens.
Counting the days and crossing them off until my college freshman year
began was part of my calendar.
My weight had been sinking all year
until I was at 105 pounds. Being 5’4”,
even I could see how skeletal I looked.
I was not anorexic. I simply could not eat. Ulcer medication was not yet so
sophisticated, so my diet consisted of baby food, minced meat, and a baked
potato. Those foods my stomach would
tolerate.
Once I “won” a scholarship, my stomach
sighed and allowed normal food to enter.
My weight zoomed up to 115 pounds, and I felt good. Later the scale
would should a healthier 125.
My vision of the future had been through
a mind's eye mental telescope, seeing only the campus and dorms and an education that would move me from cornfields to parts of the world.
Then July 20, 1969, changed my vision.
Then July 20, 1969, changed my vision.
The Moon Landing date was projected and
changed time over the week. Then NASA
confirmed it would happen at night here on July 20. My excitement was rising with each hour on
that day; I talked of nothing else.
My parents went to bed, while I settled
down in front of our new television, which was color. Wait, I was waiting on every commentary,
every radio transmission. In the “wee” hours of the morning, it happened: finally grainy black and white images
appeared on the screen.
Even now, I can remember the images and
words.
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I moved my single-minded mental telescope
from college campus up to the dark sky, where the moon and stars had once
seemed so far away until that day.
This time I was not watching for UFOs. The future had changed for me on July
20, 1969.
It was often said after that time that America had "won" the race to the moon. Won? What do you think?
