19 July 1969. Okay Neil, come down the ladder and when you reach the bottom turn slowly and say the line.
Lights! Camera! Action!
Lovely, Neil.
‘It’s one small step for man, one giant leap …’
Cut! Cut! Cut! Neil lovey. Get the line right: it’s ‘One small step for a man.’ One person. Singular. Right, everybody, we’re going again.
Down the ladder, slowly. Turn to the camera, say the line.
‘It’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’
Neil, Neil, no, no, darling, that’s wrong again. How difficult can it be?
No, we can’t go again. Just carry on, we’re running out of film.
You three guys waft the dust around over his boots. Neil, do those kangaroo jumps just like we rehearsed. Somebody, steady those rocks, they’re blowing in the wind. Where did that damned Coke bottle come from?
Excellent. Now pan across the parking lot. Keep those shopping carts out of shot. Watch that Walmart signage.
Now we need to turn the sun on. The spotlight! The spotlight! You fool.
Great! Let there be light, he said, and there was. Oooh, I’ve gone tingly all over. This is such a religious moment.
Now, plant the flag. Careful with the god damned wind. That’s gonna complicate things: we should have brought a cardboard flag. Don’t worry, maybe we’ll edit it out later.
It’s a wrap. Thank you everyone. Now, let’s all meet across at The Man in the Moon; the first round is on me.
Words: Richard Rooney
Illustration: A.I.
Flash Fiction 250
Flash Fiction 250 