Chapter sixteen
The Miracle.
1970-1980
I do some therapy work with Carole on her anxiety problem, and then she is able to get off the tranquillizers and back to work. She gets a relieving job at first and then a full-time hairdressing position. Then later on, she also starts teaching hairdressing at night school. Life seems a lot happier now when I'm learning about psychology and therapy.
I'm also very interested in space travel. From time to time Frank Warnock and I sit up late at night listening to the broadcasts, whenever the U.S.A. launch a spacecraft. During the weekend of the 11th of April 1970, the U.S.A. launch a manned spaceship towards the moon. Then on the way to my hypnotherapy class on Monday evening, I hear the following news broadcast on my car radio.
“Houston, we have a problem.” The voice is that of John Swigert, co-pilot of Apollo 13. It is a gross understatement, as they are in big trouble. One of the oxygen tanks has exploded and the insulation has caught fire. Command pilot, James Lovell, reports that one fuel cell is dead and a second is losing power.
When I reach night-school, I say to the other students, “Did you know that the moon mission is off?”
“It can't be. They're nearly there,” Frank De Borde tells me.
“That's true. They're four fifths of the way to the moon but nevertheless the moon mission is off. It's now a rescue mission.”
James Lovell, John Swigert and Fred Haise take refuge in the lunar module. Four days after the explosion, Apollo 13 and crew arrive home safely.
Now I need to spend a lot of time studying for my course, so I get a job (J68) as a cleaner at the Chelsea Sugar Works. I spend a lot of time shoveling sugar up, that is needlessly spilling onto the floor. I block up the hole and this gives me time to read my notes. But when I take a day off work, the boss accuses me of looking for another job.
“No, I wasn't looking for another job, Ron,” I tell him.
“Well where did you go then?” Ron asks.
“Well, we didn't want to tell anyone just yet, but if you must know, my wife and I are tryi