Terry, I've just got to come back here and comment on the title of your story, because I've just realized how brilliant it is! In 1980, when I was twenty-five, I read Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff. It's about America's first seven astronauts ever, who were the heroes of the so-called Project Mercury and who were sent into space - really only Earth orbit - in the very early sixties. What I seem to remember of that book - which isn't much - is that the astronauts felt a constant need to prove how tough and indestructible they were. I believe Tom Wolfe said that one way they did this was by drinking heavily and making a point of how unaffected they were by all this alcohol! With my religious background, where alcohol was a definite no-no, I was shocked. (Ah, but being able to hold their liquor was certainly only one of the requirements these astronauts had to meet. They had to be less than 40 years old, less than 5 feet 11 inches tall and they had to be in excellent physical condition. They had to have a bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent, be a test-pilot school graduate, have a minimum of 1,500 hours flying time, and be a qualified jet pilot. The right stuff, you know.)
Now consider Lois! Less than 40 years old - check. Less than 5 feet 11 inches - check. Excellent physical condition - check. But a bachelor's degree in engineering? Test-pilot school graduate? A minimum of 1,500 hours flying time? A qualified jet pilot? No, no, no and no. But she is a most excellent reporter. A tough and brave astronaut reporter - the write stuff! Brilliant, Terry!
Ann
