I'm not sure that we ever really got it that if they needed to be rescued, he would also be in a whole lot of danger. He always prepared us for an immediate exit on his part. We just always thought it would involve a space shuttle disaster, which was unlikely. Well, as we now know, on the pad, unlikely. Back in those days, every launch was a test and everyone knew the danger.
My favorite of his stories is about the night he was in the command vehicle, possibly for one of the fueling tests. It was a cold night and he planned ahead for them. Early in our marriage, when I found out that he liked hot coffee almost all the time, I started buying him a thermos. Do people still use those things? He broke more thermoses than I can even count. Those glass liners just did not take the tossing around. One day I discovered this all aluminum, heavily insulated thermos and snatched that baby up. He loved it and toted it around for at least a couple of decades, if not more. It went on every road trip to Gatlinburg, and of course when he had cold nights out on the pad. It is still in great condition, though now coffee-less.
I can still hear him tell the story.
"I was stationed out at the pad. Man, it was cold that night! I was just sitting there, watching the bird (the shuttle on the pad) and heard this tap-tap-tap on my passenger window. I did not even know someone else was around. I rolled down the window a bit and this voice said - I heard there is only one guaranteed place to find a hot cup of coffee out here - and she hopped on in the vehicle"
It was Sally Ride! She took the thermos cup lid and poured herself some coffee. Mmmm. We sat and drank coffee and chatted for quite some time, until I heard a message on 'the net' (the radio network, I gather) "Sally please respond" "Sally, call in"
At which point, she said that they were evidently looking for her and she better get back.
Thanks for the hot coffee! And she hopped out of the command vehicle and disappeared into the night.
I'm sure that at some point he told me what they were talking about - politics, would be my guess - or travel, and likely, exploring the heavens. But I always loved the story. Roger was definitely known for his love for coffee. When one of the girls had to do a science report for school, he suggested Sally Ride as a really good topic. Along with a signed photo, of course!
Unless Roger ever made a pot of coffee for you, most people don't know that his favorite coffee was made in an old fashioned percolator. Karin and I were laughing about that! She really wanted a Kurig for her birthday or Christmas last year and even took him shopping to introduce him to this new fangled coffee maker. (Better than a Mister Coffee, which he also would never use) We were talking about how he only invested in things that he believed in, and he told her that without a doubt, that he would not be spending $100 or more on a coffee POT no matter how much she wanted one. "I have a percolator that has worked for 35 years and it still makes great coffee!" (Actually, almost 41 years, but who is counting!) What can you do but laugh? He was right.
Roger's Lesson: Just because it is newfangled and costs more does not mean that it is better.
That may be true, but as selective as he was about his Dunkin Donuts brand coffee, we never could figure out how he could stand it with the grounds in the bottom of the cup - percolator style.
But then, that is a whole other story unto itself!
Sally has passed on, as has Roger. Are they chatting in Heaven? I know Roger is, but I don't know about Sally. From all we know, she was a private person and kept pretty much to herself. We may never know, until eternity. I know he liked her and would like to be chatting with her again.
I can guess that if she sat in his vehicle for much time at all, the conversation more likely than not visited the heavens and the earth, God's amazing creation, and eternity.
One interesting thing about life is that as much as you know a person, when they are gone, you start finding out how much more you did not know. You also start seeing how some decisions really do have to be made when you are on this earthly journey toward eternity. Procrastination or just failing to make a decision is still a decision. It just is most likely that failure to decide likely won't get you the outcome you actually desired. Roger's exit was really fast. I'm glad his decision was made and he firmly believed in it long before he left us.
I treasure our wonderful conversations. While I might not be as interesting as good ole Sally, I had something she did not have. I had Roger all the time. I had his fun and his laughter and his quirkiness that makes for more memories than I can even count. And I had blessings beyond belief for more than four decades.
And I have the hope in Jesus that I will see him again!
Nothing is better than that! Not even percolator coffee.
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