Spaceman Jack loved everything there was to love about space. He spent more time in his spaceship than he did at home, usually coming back down to Earth for just two reasons. The first was when his father called him in for a special event, such as a birthday party or a family dinner. The second was when he needed to go to the bathroom because, unfortunately, his current spaceship was far too small to have one built inside it.
Spaceman Jack’s travels had begun two years earlier, when he heard that Earth was about to be destroyed by a giant meteor. Scientists from around the world were searching for someone willing to fly into space and blow it up before it entered Earth’s atmosphere, and Jack decided he was the person for the job. His mother had always told him he could be anything he wanted, so he wrote them a letter and, at the age of six and without any training at all, the Mayor of Greenvale officially crowned Spaceman Jack as the world’s youngest astronaut.
After single-handedly defeating the meteor and saving Earth from destruction, Spaceman Jack made a trip into space every week. He enjoyed the silence and the control he had over what he did and when. Up there, every problem had a button, a switch or a complicated piece of equipment that could be repaired.
Soon he was going every day and, before anyone knew it, Spaceman Jack was spending most of his time in space. There were gadgets to fix, planets to explore and name and the pure joy of being alone while looking down at Earth.
At first, Jack’s family loved hearing about his adventures. His sisters asked him to name planets after them, and his father sat at the kitchen table and listened while Jack described every journey. As time passed, however, they grew worried. His bed remained made and family dinners went cold.
One afternoon, Jack returned home looking happier than he had in many months. He went straight to the cupboard, took out some snacks and packed them into his lunch box. His father sat at the kitchen table.
“I’ve finally done it, Dad!” Jack said, setting it down.
“What have you done, little man?”
“I’ve finished my new rocket ship! It’s ready to go right now. I can travel past all the space rocks that were stopping me from going further. I can explore more than anyone else ever could.”
His father stared at the lunch box between them.
Jack took two walkie-talkies from his pockets and placed them beside it. He pushed one towards his father and put the other inside.
“This one’s yours, Dad,” Jack said. “You’ll be able to talk to me from anywhere.”
Jack did not wait for an answer. He picked up the lunch box, ran outside and climbed into his brand-new rocket ship. His father followed, but his voice was drowned out by the engines as Jack prepared for lift-off.
“I’ll come home soon, Dad!” Jack called. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone. There’s so much to see and do up there, and the world needs me!”
His father stood in the yard and watched until there was nothing left to watch. He lifted the walkie-talkie and held down the green plastic button on its side.