Aardvarks to Planet X
Page 5
light bulb moment." Then Conrich led me out of the office and further down the corridor, to a door marked materials laboratory head technician Dr. Henry Mallow. "Come meet the team" he beamed, as he motioned me inside.
The door opened on to an Aladdin’s cave of equipment that far outstripped my own laboratory back at the university. I could see no expense had been spared to help me on my quest. "Let me introduce doctor Susan Hopson." I shook hands with the dark haired woman beaming back at me, who I could best describe as very neat. "Pleased to meet you Henry, I've read most of your papers in Chemistry Tomorrow, very informative." Susan turned back to the experiment she was conducting, while Conrich introduced me to Mitch Perry and Ron Wiseman. "Best lab tech's in the business." After that I allowed my colleagues to acquaint me with the equipment, while Conrich had a call on the intercom phone. Finally I had a good working knowledge of my available resources. Conrich bid me good bye for now, as he wanted to catch up with Frank.
"I assume we'll be investigating the properties of carbon fiber compounds Doctor,” stated Susan. "Please Henry. We’re all friends here." She nodded, "of course Henry, I've taken the liberty of mixing a few compounds, but we only set up this morning. We're just getting the ball rolling." Thus we began to discuss our plan of action while running through the mornings work. By noon we had made headway, but nowhere near our target strength, it would take time. I just hopped not too much for Conrich to win his bet.
Days stretched into weeks and try as we might, Doctor Hopson and myself couldn't get a compound strong enough. We'd been through the periodic table from Aluminum to zinc, various isotopes and were on to every combination of the elements. Conrich dropped by from time to time with words of encouragement. "Don't forget how many ways Edison learnt how not to make a light bulb, before he hit on the right combination." Still we couldn't find that elusive step that would lead to our goal.
Every day I watched the construction of the lakes, and ground terminus as they took form. Always mindful that on completion they would be left to stand, waiting for my team's efforts to bear fruit, and so months rolled by. I asked Conrich once if I was really the man for the job, he just gave me that X ray stare of his and said. "I have a knack of backing the right horse, always have done. So I know you're destined to pass the post. You've just got to jump a lot of fences." "But what about the bet?" I lamented.
"Son don't worry about a few million. This project is on the Trillion Dollar scale. The way I see it that night in the Roxy's ghost club was just a brainstorm. You need to cut loose and dream sometimes. When the years up we can have a big show about the money, but I bet the next minute the guys will pass it on to a good cause. Good for P.R. and we all get a big dose of publicity. It's just the way things go, big things smooth their own way like a glacier. Besides Kennedy took eight years to just organize a day trip, our little ferry service is for good."
A bit startled by this revelation, but with a weight metaphorically off my back I thanked him, but why hadn't he mentioned this before? "I do like my thorough breeds to at least think I've a whip, even if I never intend to use it. I've an idea, how would you and Susan like to take a little trip with me. Sort of a mental shake down?" So leaving me wondering what he had in mind he bounded off.
The next day with a list of further experiments left for Ron and Mitch to carry out. Susan and myself sat in the back of a four by four, heading for the airport. Conrich was going to meet us at our destination. "Do they have a secure line to us in case of a break through?” I asked my companion as the thought popped into my head. "Don’t worry, Conrich assured me we'd know about any important updates, or I wouldn't have come." So we relaxed, chatting about anything but work for the first time in months.
The plane ride was uneventful, and when we touched down in Orlando Florida a car was waiting for us. The driver bid us inside and placed an envelope in my hand. Sat next to Susan I opened it and read the message. Henry and Susan, I'm sorry I can't be here to greet you, but other work calls. I thought you might like a day where dreams are made. You deserve a rest, but not too much. So blow off steam on me, your friend James.
Attached to the bottom were tickets for entry to the Disney world parks MGM Studios and Magic Kingdom. I shared confused looks with Susan who reflected, "never been there myself, how about you?" "No but it should be interesting." I looked down and noticed a P.T.O. at the bottom, turning the sheet over I read on. I particularly like; The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock n' Rollercoaster and Muppet Vision at MGM Studios. Where as I can never visit The Magic Kingdom without at least one ride on The Barn Stormer, It's a Small World, Splash mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Rail Road, finished off with a trip to Space Mountain. Enjoy the day and I hope to be there with you guys tomorrow.
Susan looked up from the sheet in my hands. "It looks like we're in for a fun day." Then we browsed through the park brochures, which were stuck out of a pocket behind the drivers seat. Soon we were stood outside the entrance of MGM Studios, our driver bidding us good-bye until later. "My phone number is on this card", he informed us as he turned to go. We shrugged our shoulders in unison and went to enjoy the day.
Working our way round the theme park we were soon giggling with pure enjoyment. We went on the roller coaster twice and The Tower of Terror five times in a row, as the queues were so short. Susan's pen which she kept on a chain round her neck, would float up as we plummeted down in the tower, making the souvenir photo taken on it seem like she had a spook trying to write with it. With the morning approaching it's end, we finally flopped down in an all you can eat diner and replenished our empty bellies.
After that rest stop I got out the Magic Kingdom brochure. "Shall we take Conriches second pill?” I asked. "Lead on McMallow" Susan laughed back. We soon found a free coach to our next port of call. "All these roller coasters sure put you through some gee forces", I pointed out to Susan as we got off Space Mountain for the second time.
By now we'd done the park and crossed of all the rides on Conrich's list. Hungry again I called our driver for what to do next. He suggested a bite at The Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney. "It's run by the current Earl,” he informed us from the drivers seat. We took his advice, and after a stroll around the shops to let our meal go down, he whisked us off to a hotel in the Disney complex. Having checked in I bid good night to my college, who was billeted next door to me, and settled down for a well-earned sleep.
The next morning I awoke to a knock on the door, accompanied by the muffled tone of Susan calling out. "Wake up sleepy head, lets get a swim in before breakfast." The sun stung my eyes as I pulled back the curtain. There stood the doctor in her new swimsuit and a beach towel. We could hardly resist splashing out on a new wardrobe last night; after all we had little to spend our considerable earnings on back at the lab. So with bulging bags we had become walking adverts for the Disney Corporation. The pool was in the shape of a grand piano, making the swimming of lengths impossible. So we splashed about and had soon worked up an appetite. Returning to my room I readied for the day ahead, whatever that may hold.
Joining Susan again we discovered a dinning area, and filled up on a hearty breakfast. Our driver approached the table. He asked if when we had finished our meal, we could pack up and meet him in the lobby for today's itinerary. Then he left us another brochure. "Kennedy Space Center", I read out to Susan looking at it. After we'd packed our bags and checked out, we were shown to our car, and settled down for the journey.
"I wonder" postulated Susan. "If Conrich is giving us this break as a set of new experiences. I read about a psychologist in Denmark, who was doing a study on the effects of challenging one's perception with new experiences, and our ability to be creative." I laughingly replied, "It does sound like him, perhaps when we get back we will find some new way of looking at the problem." We continued to speculate as our car ate the miles up, and soon we were stood in the Kennerdy Space Center car park. "See you later Bill,” I bid farewell to our driver, but correcting me with a knowing smile he replie
d. "I'm done now, but Mr. Conrich has another driver organized for you." And with that he drove off.
Bemused we entered the park and headed strait for the Shuttle Launch Experience, keen to emulate yesterdays thrill rides. As we approached it I looked at the map where quite clearly the Space Shuttle Explorer should be sat in our path, but the low building blocking our way to the ride could never hold such a large craft. We asked the guide stood outside, who looked at us as if we were hicks strait from the hills.
"I'm sorry sir, but unless you've been living in a cave, you've surly heard of Mr. Conrich?" We nodded our assent. He continued "and about the sky tower?" Yes we agreed again. "Then surly you know he's renting the whole fleet off NASA, recommissioned the lot. He's even building two more, The Spirit of Endurance and The Spirit of Challenger. I remember his speech, their spirits shall rise again." He wiped a tear from his eye and continued. "He's even got the International space Station on board, says he can build a newer bigger one once the sky lift's in action. But why not stop in at the sky lift attraction for a full view of the project." Then he motioned us inside the