My Fascinating Exploits in Space, Part 1

My least favourite part about falling is the bit where you hit the ground. This effect, of course, is only caused by Earth trying to keep us safe from the cold, dark universe. I often, however, think about the idea of falling, or rather drifting slowly, softly, gently through the air--you know, flying. Unfortunately, flying is not that easy.

When I was three, my babysitter was watching my brother and I play in the front yard. We were playing the jumping game. He would jump off the porch step into the grass; then I would jump; then he would go up a step and jump; I would follow. Naturally, any of the consequences of this would be his fault, reason being that he was setting a bad example. I decided to skip the in between steps. Who needs those, anyway?

Long story short: I broke my leg. Spiral fracture. I had a cast from my foot to my hip. I didn't cry until we left the hospital. My mom bought me a cat. My babysitter did not have any long-term psychological injuries.

I am not afraid of heights. In fact, one of my jobs involves wandering around 20 feet over people's heads and hanging 25 pound lights from pipes under my feet. At the theatre, my favourite seat is on the top of the ladder. At the park, my favourite seat is on top of the truss. Three days after I broke my leg, my mother caught me climbing a tree, cast and all. My leg is not broken anymore.

One day I hope to go hang gliding. I plan to soar through the air and feel the wind in my face and see the little tiny people down below, and imagine that I am hang gliding through the stars, with stardust blowing through my hair and gazing at the little planets down below. I will catapult through nebula and surf over the gravitational winds. I will narrowly skirt the lip of a black hole and swing out towards a lonely wandering planet where I will make a vacation cottage on the edge of a volcanic lake.


Then I will invite my cat, my whole enormous family, and all of my extra families, and all of my friends to come visit and we will have Christmas on another world, and when we go home it will just be like a dream- the best dream ever.