Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Please Let It Be Batman

When General Mayhem was a small boy he had three big dreams. “When I grow up I want to be a pilot. Then I want to be an astronaut. Then I want to be Batman!” He told anyone who asked. The Boss was grateful that he had his priorities in order from the most likely career to the least likely. I thought being Batman was a pretty cool idea, except for the rubber suit. I bet that sucker chafes!

Lately, General Mayhem only speaks of his desire to be an astronaut. Becoming a pilot is a stepping stone to achieving that dream, although it isn’t a prerequisite for traveling in space. Last year at the weekend long Mars Academy program at the Kansas Cosmosphere, he was told that NASA knew that the men and women who will man the first expedition to Mars were currently sixth graders. He was going into his sixth grade year. The General wants to be on that trip! If he can be the first man to actually step on Mars…

It was not a surprise to me that he was the most enthusiastic Boy Scout on the trip to Hutchinson. His enthusiasm was palpable. He talked non-stop of the wonders of the space museum during the entire four hour drive. The Cosmosphere is his home away from home. If we lived nearby, he’d spend every free minute there. This summer, after two consecutive years attending the weekend long Mars Academy, he will attend the week-long Future Astronaut Training Program Level 1. The boy is thrilled.

The first item on the agenda when we arrived at the Cosmosphere was a viewing of the 2005 Tom Hanks documentary Magnificent Desolation. Buzz Aldrin used that phrase to describe the moon when he first set foot on it during the Apollo 11 moon walk. It occurred to me when I heard that phrase during the movie that those were the very words I had been searching for, for 20 years to describe Antarctica. The movie attempted to give the viewer a sense of what it was like to be on the moon. At the same time it captured the imagination and dreams of young children when they look into space and contemplate traveling there. I could not help but think of the General.

My difficulty arose when the movie showed a potential accident on the moon and demonstrated how two astronauts could hook their space suits together in order to survive while struggling to return to their space ship. No such problem ever occurred during a moon walk, but the possibility was always there. I couldn’t help myself from imaging the General on a manned mission to Mars and the dangers that could be faced on such a trip. My overall fatigue combined with the magnificent pictures, sweeping music, my love for my son, and an overactive imagination had me tearing-up near the end of the movie. I’ll do everything in my power to encourage and support General Mayhem in his pursuit of his dream for as long as he has it, but I think the Boss said it best when she told him, “If you go to Mars I won’t sleep a wink for two years that you’ll be gone.” I’ll be lying awake in bed next to her.

I am going to get online and search for the Future Batman Training Program Level 1. Maybe I can distract the boy from leaving earth. He’s already advanced in the martial arts. If he gets a little weapons training, learns some chemistry, and becomes a self-made millionaire, he’s got it made. NASA should have some ideas for Batsuits that breath, but if they don’t, I’m sure there’s some batpowder for the chafing. It may be a dangerous job, but at least it will keep his feet on Terra Firma. Except for when he’s in the Batplane. Shoot. I don’t think I’m going to get much sleep tonight…

3 comments:

CrossView said...

My vote is for Batman, too! You and the Boss will be close enough to help him when needed. Who knew that parenting was so hard??!! I asked my mom when you a parent stops having to worry about their kids. She said; "I'll let you know when I get there."

Kathleen said...

With a father who's spent time in Antarctica, you can't blame the boy for his Exploration Gene.

On the other hand, I have a boy who wants to be Spider-Man when he grows up, so we could get him and the General to fight crime together.

Anonymous said...

If you find a Batman training facility, let me know. I know of a husband who might be interested. You know, in case this civil engineer thing doesn't work out. -Hunnybeemay