March 2000: The Taxpayer

           HewantedtogotoMarsontherocket.HewentdowntotherocketfieldintheearlymorningandyelledinthroughthewirefenceatthemeninuniformthathewantedtogotoMars,Hetoldthemhewasataxpayer,hisnamewasPritchard,andhehadarighttogotoMars.Wasn’thebornrighthereinOhio?Wasn’theagoodcitizen?Thenwhycouldn’thegotoMars?HeshookhisfistsatthemandtoldthemthathewantedtogetawayfromEarth;anybodywithanysensewantedtogetawayfromEarth.TherewasgoingtobeabigatomicwaronEarthinabouttwoyears,andhedidn’twanttobeherewhenithappened.Heandthousandsofotherslikehim,iftheyhadanysense,wouldgotoMars.Seeiftheywouldn’t!Togetawayfromwarsandcensorshipandstatismandconscriptionandgovernmentcontrolofthisandthat,ofartandscience!YoucouldhaveEarth!Hewasofferinghisgoodrighthand,hisheart,hishead,fortheopportunitytogotoMars!Whatdidyouhavetodo,whatdidyouhavetosign,whomdidyouhavetoknow,togetontherocket?

           Theylaughedoutthroughthewirescreenathim.Hedidn’twanttogotoMars,theysaid.Didn’theknowthattheFirstandSecondExpeditionshadfailed,hadvanished;themenwereprobablydead?

           Buttheycouldn’tproveit,theydidn’tknowforsure,hesaid,clingingtothewirefence.Maybeitwasalandofmilkandhoneyupthere,andCaptainYorkandCaptainWilliamshadjustneverbotheredtocomeback