I loved being a kid when we were launching things all over space. My imagination took off with The Robinson Family, Kirk and Spock, Moonbase Alpha and Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, even Edgar Allen Poe. As for the title, I’ll explain it after the story.
Mission Commander Rochelle “Rocket J. Squirrel” Wisoff-Fields welcomes you to the world of Friday Fictioneers (in case Russell didn’t report in, I gave her a name for the week … thinking of YOU, Cuzzin’ Shelly!).
On the ground, John Nixon who gave us this photo. Thanks, John! I grew up around trees that grew this way.
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The two boys couldn’t wait to run out to the odd-looking woods near the neighborhood.
“I’ll play Kyle and you’ll be Derrick and our spaceship just crashed here.”
“Right. We can pretend to build a campfire.” They stacked sticks and twigs.
Their moms stepped outside the house. “Time to come in now, boys! You can continue this tomorrow.”
“Kyle’s” mom looked at “Derrick’s” mom. “Imagine that. Since that thing crashed-landed, every kid is playing spaceman.” Holding the newspaper, she opened it up to the headline. “Oh, look. More news on it.”
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Title explanation: when they sent the Voyager up, they sent a record called The Sounds of Earth. On it were all the recorded sounds of language, animals and music of the world. This included the Chuck Berry song, “Johnny B. Goode.” On Saturday Night Live (an American TV satirical comedy program, for those outside the States), they did a news sketch where they reported the Voyager probe had been found by aliens and the aliens listened to the record and sent a message back, “Send More Chuck Berry!” 
wmqcolby 
Reminds me of how we would take sticks and outline our dream homes on the lawn, Then we would play. Thanks for the memory! 🙂
Sounds like fun!
We were constantly playing Lord of The Rings in the woods around my house, but space exploration sounds fun too! Sweet story.
Thanks. LOTR is one of the greats!
When I think about playing when I was a child, I think about how free we were to run all over the neighborhood, playing army or cowboys and Indians or ball in the streets until cars came by. Now kids can’t play anywhere by themselves and too many of them don’t play outside that much anyway.
janet
I would hope there would be a return to that one day. I guess my ending was too subtle.
The moms were aliens, right? Sorry, I got a little off-track talking about playing way back when I was a child. 🙂
Haha. Yes. The graphic I have at the end isn’t very good because wordpress has weird things about it. I might make a better graphic and attach it as photo. Pretty good story for Leonard Nimoy’s birthday, wouldn’t you say? 🙂
I love how many of this week’s stories are about playing outside – maybe we are turning the tide on Janet’s observation and bring our own kids more of the joys of our childhoods.
Jen, I don’t know what the weather has been like in your neck of the woods, but it sounds like the three of us are just ITCHING for some decent weather to get outside and play, too! Thanks for stopping by. 😉
-7 today, and yes. perhaps we should have a FF get-together in … say, Hawai’i?
THAT’S what I’m talking about! 😀
Just as long as you don’t try to go to Hawaii without me! 🙂 Nice job, wmq! It’s always great to remember our youthful games … maybe as adults we need to ‘play’ more too?
I’ll notify Doug and have him set the table for 100. 😉
I was about to suggest …
Excellent plan. Count me in!
Dear Cuzzin’ Kent,
Gort Klaatu Barada Nikto which now we know means Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans…
Shalom,
Rocket J
Hahahahaha! Good one!
I love the SNL reference. Not only did we find signs of intelligent life, but they have good taste in music, too 😉
Indeed!
I’m not sure I’m getting this, but I enjoyed being puzzled for a while. Are the hieroglyphics at the end meant to be alien-speak, or is it a message from Voyager 1. Or am I hopelessly out of my depth here? 🙂
Yes, the symbols are alien-speak. In fact, it is what the headline in the newspaper looked like. This is where a graphic would have been much better because of wordpress’ constant re-arranging of things to their proper order. I wanted to title the story something else, but I got in a hurry. 😦
Love it. I love the idea and the energy behind it too.
Thanks, Linda.
Space exploration sounds like fun. Brought back few good old memories.
Amazing how many of us did that as kids.
Ah to play space … can’t say we did it a lot as kids.. hmm maybe a little…
Yeah, maybe a “little” from time to time.
You expertly captured the way kids play make believe, Kent. I loved this little tale 🙂
I guess that, even on a far-away world there is something universal … or some crap like that! 😀 Thanks for reading, El. I have been enjoying your stories, too!
Dear Kent,
Thanks for covering me with the “Rocket J. Squirrel” sobriquet. I’m sure the aliens were wanting to hear a few verses of “My Ding-a-Ling.” 🙂
HAHAHAHAHAHA! Anytime, Russell. Since Rocket and I live in neighboring towns and you live (comparatively) closer than everyone else, we got each other’s backs.
Gee, I feel so warm and fuzzy inside. On the other hand I think it might be something I ate. In which case, the feeling will pass. Thanks, guys.
I got it. And they want news about the Friday Fictioneers also!. And send some Beatles too, of course ….
Of course!
What an intriguing story! I love the concept a la “Invasion of the Body Snatchers!” Creepy and comical at the same time! Awesome piece!
Hmmm. I never thought of that. What really happened was the Voyager crashed on another planet and the information they got from it was turning into a game of “let’s play earthling.” I’ll have to explore that a little. Thanks.
Oh I see. I apologize for my misunderstanding. Regardless, it’s a phenomenal story!
I’d want more Chuck Berry too! Fun story. Ron
Thanks, Ron. I started playing Chuck Berry after that. Hadn’t heard him in awhile.
i didn’t play space when i was a kid, unfortunately. but the whole story made me smile and miss my childhood as well. 🙂
I don’t miss my childhood in this way … it never left! Well, the imagination never did. Thanks, KZ. 😉
Those of us who know Kent can vouch for the truth of this. He’s still enjoying childhood. 😉 Nanu nanu.
I remember the SNL sketch! Your story is great and reminded me of how my boys used to play Star Wars when all of it came out. They sure had fun as did my husband, and they still say “SSSHHHHH Luke I am your Father SSSHHHHHHH” My sad attempt at Darth Vader’s hard breathing. Pathetic I know, but your story is a real winner! Oh yea, send some Elvis, and the Righteous Brothers too!
SWEET! That’s what I’m talking about! I LOVE it. Seems this subject touches a nerve with a lot of people. Yes, that SNL sketch was funny. Do you remember if they actually had Chuck Berry on the show that night? I doubt they did, but it would have been great if they had (sketch or not, right?). Thanks, Nan.
This certainly reminded of childhood when there were lots of trees to play around. Nowadays trees and forest are vanishing rapidly. Very nice fun story.
Thanks, Indira.
Ah! To be a kid again. Nicely done. Did find the SNL transcript but the video is blocked outside US 😦
Thanks for reading. 🙂
The video was blocked outside the US? I couldn’t find it at all and I live in the US! I’ll keep looking, though.