Bring My Shuttle

Bring My Shuttle

Dec 11

It started as the most yellowy sunset you’ve ever seen, at ninepmish instead of the usual December sixpmish.

Then there was a long streak of flame, arcing upward from the ground, curving just above the treeline. You could actually SEE the fuel canisters fall away as soon as their work was done.

It was a giant Roman candle in the sky for about a minute. Then for the longest time, it was just a glowing speck, brighter than the stars but not by much.

And with that, the Space Shuttle Discovery went up into space.

It’s funny; I was never a real space nerd as a kid. I was more into the fake ships zipping around fake space. It’s only as I get older that I stare slackjawed as an actual SPACECRAFT goes skyward about a hundred miles from my house.