Alicia is strapped in the front seat beside me. I don’t have a car seat for her. This is an old school Chevy, it doesn’t even have shoulder belts. Alicia is of an age where there is still magic and mystery in the world. I don’t get much time with my granddaughter. We turn off a dirt road past the Installation. Signs warn against trespassing, and Government Land Keep Out. Alicia can read. She looks at me with mixed accusation/panic. We drive on. I put my hand on her shoulder to reassure.
We’re lying on a blanket, bundled in jackets, staring at the sky. Alicia finds a monocular easier to use than binoculars or telescope. There are few lights here so the stars are multitudinous, the air is crisp so the stars are bright. The Milky Way sings the music of the spheres. We are awaiting a phenomena. Once in a lifetime. Meanwhile we are looking at nebulae and constellations.
We hear gravel crunching and headlights spoil our night vision. We sit up, putting down all ocular tools. I stand up but motion for Alicia to remain seated. Installation Security pulls their truck to a stop, and gets out, leaving the door open and a pinging alarm.
“You can’t be out here” They start, flashlight washing over me, then Alicia. “You need to pack it up and go back to the main road. This is Federal Property.” They say with intoned authority.
“Yes, Officer. May I get my ID?” I ask. I do not want to make any sudden moves, Installation security is armed, most former military. They mean business. “My wallet is on the front seat of the truck”
The security officer shines a light in the truck, finding the wallet. Too bad they cannot read the parking sticker from the inside of the windshield. Alas. One handed I remove my ID from my wallet and hold it up. The officer steps forward shining the light on my badge.
“Dr. Parker, I didn’t recognize you. But you’re still not supposed to be out here.”
I recognize the officer: Alex Valdez.
“Alex, I don’t want to get anyone in any trouble, and I don’t want to cause any trouble, but could you possibly turn off your flashlight and the headlights?” I glance at my watch “And detain us for another 20 – 30 minutes – give or take?”
Alex seems hesitant, skeptical. But the flashlight goes off, the headlights go off the beeping stops. We’re once again bathed in the quiet dark. As our vision adjusts, the stars come back as clear as ever, heavenly jewels.
“Grandma, when will we see it?” Alicia whispers
Alex joins us on the blanket, I share our hot chocolate. The temperature has dropped, and the heat is welcome. I point out a spot on the horizon to Alicia. The spot begins to glow. Then like a bride trailing a long veil, the comet appears, slowly traversing the sky. Alicia is rapt.
“Bravo” says Alex, utterly transfixed.
— Lkai
We’re lying on a blanket, bundled in jackets, staring at the sky. Alicia finds a monocular easier to use than binoculars or telescope. There are few lights here so the stars are multitudinous, the air is crisp so the stars are bright. The Milky Way sings the music of the spheres. We are awaiting a phenomena. Once in a lifetime. Meanwhile we are looking at nebulae and constellations.
We hear gravel crunching and headlights spoil our night vision. We sit up, putting down all ocular tools. I stand up but motion for Alicia to remain seated. Installation Security pulls their truck to a stop, and gets out, leaving the door open and a pinging alarm.
“You can’t be out here” They start, flashlight washing over me, then Alicia. “You need to pack it up and go back to the main road. This is Federal Property.” They say with intoned authority.
“Yes, Officer. May I get my ID?” I ask. I do not want to make any sudden moves, Installation security is armed, most former military. They mean business. “My wallet is on the front seat of the truck”
The security officer shines a light in the truck, finding the wallet. Too bad they cannot read the parking sticker from the inside of the windshield. Alas. One handed I remove my ID from my wallet and hold it up. The officer steps forward shining the light on my badge.
“Dr. Parker, I didn’t recognize you. But you’re still not supposed to be out here.”
I recognize the officer: Alex Valdez.
“Alex, I don’t want to get anyone in any trouble, and I don’t want to cause any trouble, but could you possibly turn off your flashlight and the headlights?” I glance at my watch “And detain us for another 20 – 30 minutes – give or take?”
Alex seems hesitant, skeptical. But the flashlight goes off, the headlights go off the beeping stops. We’re once again bathed in the quiet dark. As our vision adjusts, the stars come back as clear as ever, heavenly jewels.
“Grandma, when will we see it?” Alicia whispers
Alex joins us on the blanket, I share our hot chocolate. The temperature has dropped, and the heat is welcome. I point out a spot on the horizon to Alicia. The spot begins to glow. Then like a bride trailing a long veil, the comet appears, slowly traversing the sky. Alicia is rapt.
“Bravo” says Alex, utterly transfixed.
— Lkai
What a vision! I remember flying one night in our small plane to see a meteor shower, but even up high, the spectacle was dimmed by all the ambient light.
ReplyDeleteI saw Kohoutek on a beach in Florida. That was pretty cool. This is a lovely story. Wondering (slightly) why a government (research?) Doctor with privileges of sorts drives such a car. Am happy about her gift for diplomacy and that her granddaughter gets to see the comet. ---Macoff
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