Stargaze

Part 1 - That Day in the Grocery Store

     Dear Dr. Manilow,

     We are delighted to inform you that you have been recognized as a candidate for the first ever manned mission to Mars. Out of thousands of qualified applicants from across the country, few had the skill and expertise our committee seeks in recruiting astronauts, especially considering the feat of reaching the red planet. Your extensive knowledge of astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, your numerous contributions to science and the aerospace industry, and your overall physical fitness present you as a highly qualified candidate for this mission.
     A timeframe in which we will be ready for a Mars mission is not set in stone as of yet, but we do hope that soon we will be able to venture further into the reaches of space, and we would be overjoyed if you were to take part in this monumental piece of human history.
     If you wish to take advantage of this rewarding opportunity, please plan to attend an informational meeting at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on the 15th of July this year. We hope to see you there, and we would love to have you on our team.

Sincerely,
The NASA Astronaut Selection Committee

     "Oh my god." Cassidy clutches the paper in her shaking hands. "Oh my God."

     She slams the paper down on the dining table and scrambles to the living room. She swipes the phone off its stand and jumps onto the couch, dialing the first number she could think of.

     The person on the other end picks up. "Hello?"

     "Mom! Oh my god, you are not going to believe this!"

     "What? Did you get in an accident? Are you hurt?!" Her mother replies, worried.

     "No! No, I'm alright! In fact I'm better than alright!" Her hands are still shaking in excitement. "Is dad there? He'll want to hear this too!"

     "Oh, yes! I'll call him over here." She clears her throat and then shouts, " FRANK! CASSIDY IS CALLING! SHE HAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL US!"

     Cassidy can her him ask "what did you say, Margaret?" on the other side. His hearing has been failing him for the last decade or so, so she's not surprised in the slightest.

     "Nevermind, I'll just go over there." Her mother says. After a second, she speaks again. "Alright, sweetheart. What is it that you want to tell us? Did you win an award?"

     "No, but this is so much more rewarding than any plaque or trophy I could get." Cassidy pauses for a minute, letting suspense settle between them, and then speaks. "I got a letter in the mail today. It's from NASA."

   Her mother whoops and hollers and the phone speaker crackles. "Mom!" She hisses. "Save your excitement! I haven't even told you what it said yet!"

     "Oh, darn, yes. Sorry!"

     "No, it's alright. But yeah, I got a letter from NASA, and guess what?"
     "What?"

     "I've been chosen as an astronaut candidate for the first manned mission to Mars!"

     Once again, her mother whoops and hollers, followed by her father asking "what?" again.

    Cassidy raises her voice, "DAD! I'M GOING TO BE AN ASTRONAUT! I'LL BE GOING TO MARS!"

    "Oh, that's wonderful, Cassidy!" Her father replies. "Congratulations! Will we see you on TV?"

     "Oh, probably! This will be one giant leap for my career as an astrophysicist!"

     "I see what you did there!" Her mother chuckles at her reference to Neil Armstrong's famous quote. He was the first man on the moon, and she'll be the first woman on Mars, so it only seemed fitting.