Do you remember what you were doing, 50 years ago today, July 20, 1969, just weeks after our graduation from THS? It was a Sunday about 10:30 AM. I think Eddie and I had floated down the Verde River on inner tubes on Saturday, the day before with Eddie Combs and Patty Westphal? But that morning, we got to skip church and watch the grainy landing, hearing Buz Aldrin of Apollo 11 say, 'One small step for man. One giant step for mankind.'
I was one of the few people on this planet that didn't get to see the first moon walk. I was working construction in Fairbanks, Alaska. They got all of the TV programs 24 hours behind the rest of the world. I did hear about on the one radio station they had in Fairbanks. They had no details, only that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon today.
I remember watching it with Denise Petty at her house. My Mom called in the middle of it and insisted I come home immediately to celebrate my birthday! She was was angry, and I was a nervous wreck. Not a fun memory.... but you asked.
So many 'big' things happened in 1969. Our world was changing rapidly.
That's good that you remembered that, Paulette, because all I had was a dim memory of sitting around the TV set watching the landing. (I envy you and other people who have such good long term memories. Mine has always been bad.) I'm glad I was watching with you! Sorry about your angry mom.
I remember I was at my boyfriend's house, and we watched it together. I could hardly believe that we had accomplished such a feat! We were so excited! When I was in grade school, I had a Golden Book that talked about Sputnik and Russia sending chimps to the moon, so it was hard to believe that we had actually had accomplished sending human beings.
I was in Japan on some kind of exchange program. The whole country was glued to the TV. It really felt other-worldly for me. Two days before, I think, I had learned about Chappaquiddick happening from a Buddhist monk in a temple I was visiting on top of a remote mountain.
