I Was There

There's been a lot of buzz surrounding the retirement of NASA's shuttle fleet, and for good reason. One rather interesting story is the ultimate fate of the remaining shuttles. One, the Endeavor, is destined to become a fixture of the California Science Center museum, and it's no easy feat to get it there from Cape Canaveral. Ultimately, it must bully its way along surface streets to reach the museum itself, but yesterday it completed to the leg of the journey immediately before that one: flying coast to coast while piggy-backing on a Boeing 747.

NASA kindly arranged a route which would bring the shuttle around to a variety of spots across the country which hold significance in the story of the shuttle program. The final destination was Los Angeles International Airport, but before it got there, the shuttle wandered to and fro all over the metro area. I entertained the idea of trying to be by the airport for the landing, but discarded it. I did notice, though, that it was to pass over Universal Studios, just a couple miles to the south.

This seemed like the place to catch it, as the barbecue area on the third floor of my apartment building offers a tolerable view of that area. The idea of witnessing history with as little trouble as walking down the hall was appealing, and I decided upon that course of action. I had some fears that I might somehow miss it or have a less than ideal view, but those were unfounded. I even thought I might be watching alone, but a smattering of people- friends and neighbors among them- were there.

It was a hell of a thing to see. There it came from the west, a bulky thing that could hardly seem to fly at all. It was accompanied by what looked like two fighter jets, but which I admit could have been something else for all that I know. I felt great awe at the sight and the knowledge of what history I was witnessing, but also felt deep sadness at the end of an era this signified. We can only hope that a new chapter yet unwritten lifts us up again as this one did more than it did not.