1960s: A Wedding, a Flight and an Inauguration
Waking up on the last morning he'll wake up alone, Arthur is quickly out of bed. The wedding is planned, the venue booked, and though his mother might be upset that the two aren't getting married in a church, Arthur is just happy that it's finally happening. The hours before moves at a snail's pace, and ticks away one long second after the other.
But then they're here, and it's finally time, and Arthur sees his bride in her dress for the first time. He's never seen her look so stunning before. Their families have gathered to watch them say their vows, his bigger than hers, but Arthur sees none of that, having only eyes for his bride.
But then they're here, and it's finally time, and Arthur sees his bride in her dress for the first time. He's never seen her look so stunning before. Their families have gathered to watch them say their vows, his bigger than hers, but Arthur sees none of that, having only eyes for his bride.
When the ceremony is over, the group gathers downstairs in the, perhaps slightly too big, ball room for food, dancing, cake and socialisation. The buffet tables are filled to the brink, the conversation flows freely.
When its time for the first dance the guest gather around to watch the couple, but again, Arthur hardly notice a thing.
But for Arthur the happiest moment of the day is when the guests all leave and he and Claudia can go to the room they've booked for the night and finally be alone as husband and wife. This is the part that Arthur has looked forward to. He's a bit nervous, as he's never really been with someone he's cared about before, but as soon as his "Audie" is in his arms, he forgets all about his nerves and allows himself to get lost in the moment.
When its time for the first dance the guest gather around to watch the couple, but again, Arthur hardly notice a thing.
But for Arthur the happiest moment of the day is when the guests all leave and he and Claudia can go to the room they've booked for the night and finally be alone as husband and wife. This is the part that Arthur has looked forward to. He's a bit nervous, as he's never really been with someone he's cared about before, but as soon as his "Audie" is in his arms, he forgets all about his nerves and allows himself to get lost in the moment.
The next morning, the two explore Del Sol Valley together. Arthur has not been able to take a vacation long enough for them to go on a honeymoon, and it would be difficult with the girls either way, but they do have the day together and once the X15 is flying well with the XLR99 engine, Arthur will be able to take more time off. Perhaps a trip to Mexico could be arranged? It's not that far after all.
But for now they intend to make the most of the day they have. They go look at the stars, and Audie is impressed by the fact that Arthur does not only have one family member with a star but two. "I've never read anything by him," she says, and Arthur has to admit that he hasn't read anything his grandfather wrote in its entirety either. "It was mostly poetry, and some sci-fi, but the turn of the century kind. I prefer modern books, though he had some far out ideas though."
When they return to the hotel after a long day of exploring the city, they take some time to enjoy the hotel pool and sauna before getting ready for dinner in a fancy downtown restaurant. As they turn in for the night, they agree that it's been a perfect day but that they miss the girls and are ready to head back home to them again.
Once back home, Arthur moves in with Audie and the girls. For the most part they keep her furniture and things, as Arthurs house was very sparsely furnished, but Arthur is not really happy with the feeling of living in another man's home with another man's family, so as they eat breakfast one morning Arthur brings up the topic of redecorating.
"Really?" Audie asks, sounding surprised.
"Why not? It's not like we don't have the money for it. Just fix this place up the way you want it."
And so Audie does. Over the next few weeks the house gets a real make over. New furniture, new curtains, new lamps and new wall paper. Audie even buys picture frames for all the family photos that they're going to take in the future. For the first time, Audie feels truly content in her house. It feels modern and contemporary, instead of dated, colorful instead of dreary, and not so filled with memories of her dead husband. In this house, they can truly move on as a family.
When Arthur returns home from work he's now met with a home that feels like his own, and two girls who runs to greet him and asks to play.
At work, times are busy. It's time for another test with the X15 and the XLR99, and tensions are high. Everyone is nervous and excited, hoping they've worked out the kinks and will finally see the plane fly as intended. It's not just for their own pride. If it works, the US as a whole will have taken a large step towards putting a man in space.
The XLR99 is the first liquid-fueled rocket engine designed for a piloted aircraft that can be throttled and restarted in flight. If it works, and can be translated into space flight, a pilot can be more than just a human specimen in space, but control his reentry to earth.
Of course the X15 is not a space craft, but a plane, but flies high enough that it's almost space, and so it's perfect to test the heating conditions for reentry, stability for hypersonic speeds (necessary to leave earth at all), and see how pilots react to near-space conditions. As the crew gathers in the control room they are all anxious to see this work, and near celebratory when it actually does. This time there is no explosions, no sudden pressure drops. The plane flies high and fast, as intended. When it reaches mach 3,5 it is faster than any other plane recorded, and yet everyone in the control room knows that there is more to give in the engine.
But as happy as the scientists at NASA are, just as clueless is the rest of the country. The news of the successful flight of the X15 does not interest the media much, especially not in a news flow that includes Kennedy narrowly beating Nixon in the election, the desegregation of schools in Louisiana as six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first black student to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, and the death of Clark Gable. None of that matter to Arthur, however, for him the X15 flying using the rocket engine he's worked so hard at getting right is the biggest event of his career and the fact that it didn't make the news matters little to him at this point.
As 1960 turns to 1961, John F Kennedy is inaugurated as president of the United States. It's the first . inauguration that is broadcasted live on television in color, but that matters little to those without color TVs. Still millions of Americans watches as Kennedy delivered his famous "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."
It's an inauguration watched by many in the family, even if they are as divided about this new president as the country as a whole is. Josephine and Nash, true southerners as they see themselves, voted for the Republicans for the first time in their lives as they can't stand the idea of a Catholic president. Anna on the other hand voted for him because of his stand on Civil Rights. Hazel and Warren for once agreed on something and both voted for Nixon, while Grace and David did the opposite. Thomas is torn, but ended up voting for Nixon while Betty voted for Kennedy. Audie, like Betty, liked the charismatic younger man for president and voted Kennedy while Arthur trusted Nixon's experience more, especially when it comes to the space race. As they watch the inauguration, however, none of them can argue that the speech isn't good. Perhaps this new president might just work out, after all.
But for now they intend to make the most of the day they have. They go look at the stars, and Audie is impressed by the fact that Arthur does not only have one family member with a star but two. "I've never read anything by him," she says, and Arthur has to admit that he hasn't read anything his grandfather wrote in its entirety either. "It was mostly poetry, and some sci-fi, but the turn of the century kind. I prefer modern books, though he had some far out ideas though."
When they return to the hotel after a long day of exploring the city, they take some time to enjoy the hotel pool and sauna before getting ready for dinner in a fancy downtown restaurant. As they turn in for the night, they agree that it's been a perfect day but that they miss the girls and are ready to head back home to them again.
Once back home, Arthur moves in with Audie and the girls. For the most part they keep her furniture and things, as Arthurs house was very sparsely furnished, but Arthur is not really happy with the feeling of living in another man's home with another man's family, so as they eat breakfast one morning Arthur brings up the topic of redecorating.
"Really?" Audie asks, sounding surprised.
"Why not? It's not like we don't have the money for it. Just fix this place up the way you want it."
And so Audie does. Over the next few weeks the house gets a real make over. New furniture, new curtains, new lamps and new wall paper. Audie even buys picture frames for all the family photos that they're going to take in the future. For the first time, Audie feels truly content in her house. It feels modern and contemporary, instead of dated, colorful instead of dreary, and not so filled with memories of her dead husband. In this house, they can truly move on as a family.
When Arthur returns home from work he's now met with a home that feels like his own, and two girls who runs to greet him and asks to play.
At work, times are busy. It's time for another test with the X15 and the XLR99, and tensions are high. Everyone is nervous and excited, hoping they've worked out the kinks and will finally see the plane fly as intended. It's not just for their own pride. If it works, the US as a whole will have taken a large step towards putting a man in space.
The XLR99 is the first liquid-fueled rocket engine designed for a piloted aircraft that can be throttled and restarted in flight. If it works, and can be translated into space flight, a pilot can be more than just a human specimen in space, but control his reentry to earth.
Of course the X15 is not a space craft, but a plane, but flies high enough that it's almost space, and so it's perfect to test the heating conditions for reentry, stability for hypersonic speeds (necessary to leave earth at all), and see how pilots react to near-space conditions. As the crew gathers in the control room they are all anxious to see this work, and near celebratory when it actually does. This time there is no explosions, no sudden pressure drops. The plane flies high and fast, as intended. When it reaches mach 3,5 it is faster than any other plane recorded, and yet everyone in the control room knows that there is more to give in the engine.
But as happy as the scientists at NASA are, just as clueless is the rest of the country. The news of the successful flight of the X15 does not interest the media much, especially not in a news flow that includes Kennedy narrowly beating Nixon in the election, the desegregation of schools in Louisiana as six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first black student to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, and the death of Clark Gable. None of that matter to Arthur, however, for him the X15 flying using the rocket engine he's worked so hard at getting right is the biggest event of his career and the fact that it didn't make the news matters little to him at this point.
As 1960 turns to 1961, John F Kennedy is inaugurated as president of the United States. It's the first . inauguration that is broadcasted live on television in color, but that matters little to those without color TVs. Still millions of Americans watches as Kennedy delivered his famous "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."
It's an inauguration watched by many in the family, even if they are as divided about this new president as the country as a whole is. Josephine and Nash, true southerners as they see themselves, voted for the Republicans for the first time in their lives as they can't stand the idea of a Catholic president. Anna on the other hand voted for him because of his stand on Civil Rights. Hazel and Warren for once agreed on something and both voted for Nixon, while Grace and David did the opposite. Thomas is torn, but ended up voting for Nixon while Betty voted for Kennedy. Audie, like Betty, liked the charismatic younger man for president and voted Kennedy while Arthur trusted Nixon's experience more, especially when it comes to the space race. As they watch the inauguration, however, none of them can argue that the speech isn't good. Perhaps this new president might just work out, after all.
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