That afternoon he arrived at N.A.S.A. to start the barrage of tests required. He turned off the engine and sat with his head and hands on the steering wheel. 'Snap out of it Joseph' he said to himself. 'What if it's the psychological tests today?' He thought. 'You need to get your work head on.' He pulled the keys out of the ignition undid his seatbelt and got out of the car.
"Hi granddad ready to get your ass beat?" Joseph turned to see who it was although deep down he already knew who he'd see.
"Tell you what Mike wait till you're out of dypers then come back and say that boy." Joseph replied as he made his way round to the boot of the car.
"You're pretty cool for an old bloke." The young lad replied patting Joseph on the back as he walked past his bag slung over his left shoulder, like he was off to the gym.
Michael Woods was the youngest of the five men to be picked to go on this mission. For all he teased Joseph about how old he was he looked up to and admired him. Mike like Joseph had always wanted to be an astronaut and as a young boy he had sat engrossed watching every launch and landing that was televised. Joseph had always been his childhood hero and here he was now working with him. He couldn't believe his luck although he'd never tell Joseph any of that.
As Joseph entered the building the other four were stood waiting for a training schedule and to be told their room numbers for their stay. All of the men were mumbling amongst themselves.
"Ok gentlemen if I could have some quiet please." Their commander stood in front of them. He commenced handing out little booklets. "Inside of these booklets you will see your training schedule."
"Oh God no." Came a voice from near the back. Everyone turned to look at Joseph. Joseph was staring at a man who was approaching. "Thought you'd have been struck off by now?" Joseph said.
"No such luck pal." Came the reply. The two men gave each other a manly hug.
"Well." said the commander. "I can see that at least one of you knows our doctor." The doctor left the side of his old friend and made his way to the commander. "Gentlemen this is Doctor Colin Reed he'll be doing most if not all your physicals, and the extra good news, the basic physical begins now." There were mumbles of disappointment. "Now ladies." The commander shouted. "Stop the mumbling and come this way." The commander headed towards a room off to the left. Opening the door he turned to face the men. "If you leave your bags in here then follow the doctor, once he has finished with you come back here collect your bags and one of the keys in this bowl and make your way up to your room. May I suggest that you get plenty of rest when there because serious training starts tomorrow." With that the commander left and the men did as they were told dumping their bags in the room then following the doctor.
Soon all but Joseph and Michael had seen the doctor. As he came out saying goodbye to one of the other men Joseph stood up. Michael Woods your next. Joseph sat back down head in hands as he heard the door click shut. It seemed like an eternity to Joseph before the door reopened and Mike and the doctor remerged.
"Thanks doc." Mike said shaking his hand.
"Anytime son and don't forget to say hi to that old man of yours for me."
"I won't." He replied as he went off to retrieve his bag.
"Ok J.F.K. you're next."
"About bloody time." He said standing up and making his way into the room. "So why am I the last?"
"Because you're the most important."
"What?"
"Well I'll get spend as much time as I want or need with you as there's no one else to worry about." Both men started laughing. "So Joe."
"Oh God he's a poet."
"How is everything?" Joseph smiled and started to tell Colin the family news. "And how are you Joe" Colin asked.
"I'm one hundred percent."
"One hundred percent?"
"Yes."
"One hundred percent fit one hundred percent ill?"
"Fit of course."
"Ok." Colin slowly nodded his head. "Does that include your cancer?" Colin asked.
"What?"
"Your cancer. Is it one hundred percent fit as well?"
"How, how do you know?"
"Your doc called after you left." Joseph sat down.
"What are you going to do?"
"Well."
"Please Colin you've got to let me go up."
"Tell you what if you get the best results you can go up."
"I will beat them all you know it."
"I do?" There was a moment of silence as the two men just stared at each other. Colin was the first to break the silence. "So Joe you going to find your room or are you just going to sit looking longingly into my eyes?"
"Cheeky bugger." Joseph replied as he stood up. He made his way slowly to the door a deep thoughtful look on his face. "Colin." He said looking up after opening the door.
"Yes."
"Can we keep this just between us?"
"Well as doctor for the mission I should let the powers that be know about this but…" There was a pause that seemed like time had stopped. "I was your friend before I was doctor for this mission so I won't tell anyone. But the second it seems like you could endanger the mission then."
"I understand." Joseph replied forcing a little smile onto his face as he shut the door.
The next week was filled with simulations, zero gravity, G forces, and shuttle simulator. Although on the seventh day they rested. As all of the guys were sat watching some telly in the lounge the Commanding Officer walked in.
"Gentlemen if I can have your attention. In these folders that you are receiving is your mission statement in the red section you will see the exact part of the mission you are responsible for." The commander turned to leave then looked back to add one more thing. "Oh and gentlemen good news you will all be woken at six in the morning by the P.T.I.'s Good luck." He added leaving the room.
The next morning both Michael Woods and Joseph were up and dressed at quarter to six. At six sharp a loud commotion came from the passage. Both Mike and Joseph opened their doors simultaneously and looked down the corridor to see the P.T.I.'s shouting and screaming. Banging on the doors barging through them and dragging the half asleep men out of their bed lining them up in the corridor and shouting.
"Come on maggots wake up you have a long day ahead of you." As they got near to Joseph and Mike they looked at them. "Well done guys up and dressed but let's see how you do through the day." He commented as he went past.
Within two hours everyone was dressed out warmed up and ready the P.T.I.'s handed everyone a map with a twelve mile route marked on it.
"First one back can go back to bed everyone else will do two more hours of training. Except the last man who will do three extra hours." The P.T.I. got out his watch. "And go." He shouted as they all ran off. The path they had to follow was clear despite there being a sprinkling of snow covering the ground like a light sprinkling of caster sugar on a cake. Five miles into the route Mike went down both he and Joseph were in the lead at that point.
"You ok Mike?" Joseph asked as a couple of others ran past.
"It's my ankle I think it's busted." He said pulling himself onto a nearby log. Joseph sat beside him. After the last man ran past Mike immediately stood up.
"I thought your ankle was busted?" Joseph asked.
"I lied."
"You what?" Joseph shouted and turned to continue the run.
"Joseph I know something's going on." Mike said grabbing his arm and turning him around.
"What the hell are you talking about?" He replied shrugging Mikes hand off him.
"The other day when you got that nose bleed Doctor Reed came running over like your leg had been amputated. That's not normal." Joseph stood staring silently. "What's wrong Joe? I promise I can keep my gob shut."
"I have cancer ok."
"Wow." There was a long silence. "I'm sorry. What I mean."
"Look. I don't feel like doing extra P.T. do you?"
"No."
"Right well lets get this done and under our belt then we'll talk later." Mike nodded with agreement and both men ran off at top speed. They both soon caught up and over took the rest of the men with only one mile left the race was on. Neither of them wanted to be second. When they crossed the line the P.T.I. with the watch could only say
"Wow."
"What's up?" The one with the clipboard asked.
"New record." he replied giving the time.
"Which one got that?" He asked pen poised ready to write beside the name.
"Both." The third man chirped in. "They both crossed together." Lying slightly dazed and completely tired both Joseph and Mike sat up when one of the men headed their way.
"Congratulations." he said. "New record." Both Joseph and Mike looked.
"So." Mike said gasping for breath. "Who has to stay?"
"Neither, you both crossed together congratulations again." Mike and Joseph helped each other up onto there feet and off towards their quarters. After a couple of hours Mike knocked on Joseph's door.
"You ready to talk to me?" He asked a still half asleep Joseph.
"Yes. Just not here meet me downstairs and we'll go for a drive and a chat." With that he shut the door and Mike made his way downstairs to the lobby.
Once in Joseph's car they drove back to his.
"Welcome to my place." Joseph smiled as he opened the door and gestured for Mike to enter. Mike smiled as he walked past Joseph and into what looked like the sitting room. Mike followed Joseph as he made his way through the house to the back and into his study. He opened the book that was on the desk and turned it to face Mike. "That's the family." He said as Mike picked up the book.
"You look good together."
"You think?" Joseph turned from Mike to look out the window, tears in his eyes. "I lost them."
"What do you mean?" Joseph turned again.
"My wife was neglected I spent twenty four seven with stars. Space was and is my life and I lost my family through it." He turned to Mike. "Don't make the same mistake Son. When you find someone the right someone make her your life not space."
"Do they know about the cancer?"
"No and I don't want them to." Joseph sat Mike down on the chair and told him everything about his family.
No comments:
Post a Comment