Moon Landing!

50 years ago. It was a Sunday. I was going to summer camp the next day, unless I made the Little League All Star team. The practice was hard, the tryout was hard. I knew I was on the bubble of making it or being an alternate. My Dad was watching. When the practice ended and we all sat on the ground and the coaches conferred, I had a feeling. Everytime I see Master Chef and they confer with 3 people standing there dreading life I flash back. Yeah it was me who got cut, rather became an alternate. My Dad took off. I felt shitty. I rode my bike back up the hill fighting tears towards home. I felt like I'd let my Dad down. I walked in the door and the first thing Dad said to me was "Its tough isnt it?" Yeah Dad. He then told me it was ok. I felt better, a lot better.

That night, I packed up my stuff to go to summer camp. Fuck that alternate shit. What were the chances another kid would not play in the State Tournament? Zero.

Then I went downstairs where Dad. Mom and my brother were gathered. The Moon Landing was on. Shit, really? The Moon Landing paled in comparison to my obvious blatant screw job I'd just endured. Right?

Then it came on TV. Wow! What baseball team? What summer camp?

The Moon Landing in 1969 was such an event as Neil Armstrong said for mankind. I remember Cronkite (my Dad never watched anybody but Uncle Walter and later Dan Rather) taking off his glasses and exclaiming a joy and pride in his nation. So similar a gesture as it was in 1963 when he took off his glasses to fight back tears.

It is one of the childhood memories of being with my family and witnessing history I cherish. Later I became a cynical teenager who felt every dollar spent on this program took food out of the mouths of starving babies. But that night in 1969 was precious to me.

I hope we go back under a different leader and a new generation can gather around their phones or whatevers and experience it again. Ah hell, they wouldnt be impressed at all. They do more amazing shit everyday on video games. But they should be thankful, Their video games came about in part because of that night in 1969.

Game Over.