I remembered that day better than any other in my long life. I was with my now deceased husband Amity and our three kids.
I waited anxiously for Amity’s car to pull up. As I washed up I looked out the window above the sink at James, Harry and Davis. They were pretending to be astronauts.
“Davie,” I heard Harry call, “We need you back in the shuttle” I smiled as Davie bounced around the yard further away from the cubby house.
“Davie!” Harry called
“Wait, Boss, I think I see an alien!” Davie shouted.
I laughed quietly as I continued my dishes. Yet still I waited for Amity’s car. I yearned to hear that familiar growl coming from the blue thing, the rocket. But I heard nothing, yet I knew it would be coming.
I dropped my chuck into the sink and switched on the radio, I was answered with a croaky male voice explaining,
“In less than an hour, all programming will be stopped on radio stations and television to instead broa-”
I jumped when the phone shrieked at me. I answered it, not bothering to turn off the radio. I picked up the black handset, “Hello?”
“Oh, Margie!” came a whiny voice from the other end of the line, “It’s soon!”
“I know, is Henry there?” I asked Joyce from across the road.
“Yes, I’ve got the kids dressed, we’re going to Henry’s brother’s place to see it.”
“That’s good” I replied
“Amity isn’t home yet, haven’t heard his beast.”
“No”
“Well, where are you going to see?”
“We’re just going down to Bob’s Electrics.”
Joyce paused, “Alright, look, I’ve got to go. We have to leave to make it in time.”
I smiled, nervousness building inside of me, “Its close now.”
“Yes.” Joyce replied before giving me a farewell.
I hung up the phone when I heard the click. I made my way over to the sink again, aching for this to happen. I opened it and called to the boys.
“What?” James yelled, looking up from his destroyed astronaut’s helmet.
“Come inside boys,” I told them, gesturing them in.
Harry groaned, “But we’re playing.”
“Come on, Dad’ll be home soon, we have to be ready.”
They groaned in unison before begrudgingly making their way into the house via the backdoor.
“Hurry, I think I hear his car.” I warned.
To my surprise I did. The roar of that engine coupled with the dying one from Joyce’s house frightened me slightly and I wondered what it must have been like for those men. Harry jumped,
“Daddy’s home!” He cried, running towards the front door.
“Harry, don’t run in the house please!” I mumbled under my breath as I rushed over to the front door too. “Quick, put on your coats.”
The boys obliged with little argument, and they rushed out to meet their dad. I closed the door behind me, leaving the radio on.
We drove down the Bob’s Electrics, and we parked in the car park across the road. It was a half hour until the broadcast. There was already a group of people gathered around the window of Bob’s shop, watching the many TV sets, and contemplating on what was happening.
“Amity, this is exciting!” I whispered as the boys forced their way to the front and some kind men let me and Amity follow them through.
The TV sets flickered black and white images of a news cast. I couldn’t listen to the sets over the crowd. Miss Crank was there.
“I never thought in my life I’d see something like this.” She whispered to me
“I know, this is an important day” Amity heard her, and replied.
“I’m so nervous and excited, it’s surreal.” I told the old woman as time ticked by.
Then it happened, the picture changed and a hush fell over the crowd…the city seemingly. No cars drove down the street. There was no sound except for the TV in the window. Out of the six that were there only one had sound…the middle one. It was loud enough for us to hear the news caster saying,
“We are receiving the broadcast. The NASA Apollo 11 mission to the moon. In a few seconds we’ll see the Apollo 11 and its crew of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. They are currently on the moon.” He was solemn as the picture flicked to seeing a man in a big space suit, nothing like Harry, James or Davis’ cardboard ones.
He was climbing down a ladder from a strangely shaped craft, onto an earthy grey landscape. A crackling noise came through and he said,
“I’m stepping off the LM now”
I inhaled breath, along with every other person there.
“That’s one small step for man,” his voice cracked and the image was harsh as he stepped down touching the moon, “One giant leap for mankind.” He finished, fully off the ladder. I felt my body become covered in chills and it seemed my blood ran cold.
“My god” someone whispered.
Amity’s hand gripping mine in disbelief is what brought me back to earth.
