Space Cadet

Submitted by Josie:

Jon showed up ten minutes late and about fifty pounds heavier than his Internet photos.  The introductory part of our date was all right, but when I asked him what he wanted to do with his life, he said, point blank, that he wanted to be an astronaut.

I asked him if he was an engineer or in the air force and he said that he helped his dad run an antiques business, but that he knew enough about machinery and engines to make it to NASA.  He said that he wrote them letters every few months, and that he had gotten in touch with someone there who seemed interested in his candidacy.

He spent the rest of dinner telling me how he kept wanting to apply to be a counselor at Space Camp, as apparently, NASA handpicks good camp counselors to be inducted into their astronaut program.  He talked about taking a road trip down to Georgia to apply in-person.

When I asked him what his five-year plan was, he leaned back and said that he would be the first man to walk on Mars.

After dinner, we walked a little ways out of the small downtown and sat in a park.  He pointed out plenty of constellations and named them.  He told me that he spent a long time memorizing them, and that astronauts had to have a good memory.

Thinking that the entire thing was a joke (he was pushing 30, after all) I asked him what he really wanted to do with his life.  He repeated in full seriousness that he was going to be an astronaut.

Then, we were quiet for a little while and he apologized, saying that he couldn't make a long-term commitment to anyone, seeing as how rigorous the astronaut training program at NASA was.

I forgave him and wished him luck.