Monterey and the Junior Astronauts

It was one of the last remaining days of summer with the sun shining down and warm on their bodies. They had plans to go swimming later in the afternoon but for now Sarah was content to sit under the big oak tree listening to the cicadas chirp as Jason read aloud the story of the first flight to the moon. Even though Sarah could not read she loved when she and Jason had time to sit out in the shade, away from her mother Sandra, who was always busy with meetings and luncheons now that they had settled into their new home and she had met some of the local townspeople. Jason, a few years older then Sarah, lived next door and they had become best friend.1

Jason's mother Mary was a teacher and was busy getting her classes ready for the first day of school which was only a few days away...She taught science and his dad John, along with Sarah's father Kevin, were scientists so both children had a natural interest in things of that nature. 2

After Jason finished reading her the story about travel to the moon they did what they always did at the end of a story. They lay on the grass, looking up at the sky, each trying to see how many space ships or astronauts they could see in the clouds. Occasionally they would even see a UFO. Usually Jason wins this little contest they play, but some times Sarah can see something Jason missed. Today was one of those days.3

Off in the distance, behind the nuclear research plant where both their fathers worked, billowed a most interesting cloud of...... smoke? Sarah saw it first and pointed it out to Jason. Now why would smoke be coming out of the plant? Jumping up in unison, as if their minds and bodies were connected, both Jason and Sarah started running to see what was going on behind the plant. As they ran both were talking at once. Was something on fire? Was Monterey in danger? Monterey was the rhesus monkey that was kept in an "off limits" area behind the plant.4

Jason and Sarah had heard their fathers talking about Monterey. They were not suppose to know about him but some times the sound travels up the chimneys of old houses like the ones they lived in and the kids over heard them talking about Monterey. They never did figure out why Monterey was such a big secret. After all he was just a monkey.5

After a hard run up the hill and almost losing Sarah when she stumbled on a rock, the children finally came to an area along the fence where they could see the 'smoke cloud' behind the plant.6

Out behind the building there are tracks like trains travel on and they run right up and into the building's huge doors and this is where the strange cloud of smoke was coming from. But when Sarah and Jason got closer they realized it wasn't smoke after all. It was steam and it was being made by a strange looking contraption, something from outer space perhaps. They didn't know what it was but they knew it was like nothing they had ever seen before. 7

Together Sarah and Jason moved farther up the hill and along the fence to a place where they could see better, knowing they were taking a chance on being caught where they were not supposed to be. They strained their eyes and watched as men in shiny silver suits, almost like the astronauts wear, walked around the strange contraption talking and laughing as some of them carried large green cylinders into the building. Suddenly they were spotted by one of the men in the funny looking suits. 8

"Hey, what you kids doing out there?" He called. "Don't you know you're not supposed to be up here." he yelled as he came closer.9

Both Jason and Sarah were afraid to move, afraid to run and yet afraid to stay. They knew if their fathers found out they were going to be in big trouble but still they could not run away. So they just stood there waiting and watching. They just had to know what was happening and if Monterey was okay. 10

The guard was almost to them when Jason, knowing they needed to get away and quickly, grabbed Sarah by her hand and together fled down the hill where they had come from. Running as fast as they could, running until they could hardly breathe they ran until they could not run any farther. Finally they stopped and stood gasping for air. 11

When they finally could breathe and talk at the same time they started asking each other what was going on to create all that steam and where was Monterey? Was he in danger? What was that strange contraption sitting on the tracks and why were those men wearing those funny shinny silver suits? They even wondered where their fathers were in all of this commotion. 12

After talking about it for a while, until they could not think of any more questions they needed answers to and not being able to figure out the answers to any of them, Sarah and Jason decided to head on home. They were really hungry. It had been a long time since breakfast and both wanted to get something to eat. After that they would figure out how to get all of their questions answered with out getting into trouble with their parents. But for now they would just go home, eat lunch and meet back at the oak tree in about an hour. Then they would go back to the fenced in area behind the plant and see what else was happening. Only this time they would be more careful and not get caught.13

An hour later the children were back at the fence but now nothing was out of order. There was no steam, no strange contraption and no men in funny suits. It was just eerily quiet with only the cicadas breaking the silence of the late summer afternoon. 14

They waited for a while but nothing happened so they decided to go swimming before it got too late and the pool closed for the day. It would not be long until school would start up again and they would not get to swim every day so they did not want to miss out on one single warm summer afternoon at the pool. 15

That evening Sarah and her parents were having a cookout with Jason and his parents at Jason's home. The adults were sitting around the patio having a cold drink and talking about the latest happenings at the nuclear plant when suddenly their conversation caught the attention of Sarah and Jason who had been playing croquet in the yard. They were talking about Monterey and the contraption that made steam. 16

Trying to be unnoticed the two children moved closer to their parents so they could better hear what was being said. 17

"Did you see that old steam engine that the Mason brought in today" Kevin said to John. "It sure puts out a lot of steam when it's fired up. Makes a lot of noise too"18

Then turning to Mary and Sandra he told them about the old antique steam engine that their boss had bought. "Mason is a train buff and this came along just at the opportune time and the plant has a large unused area where he can store it. He is going to see if it can be rebuilt using nuclear rods for creating the steam. I think it is a far fetched idea but he said it is a dream he always had. They delivered it today and parked it inside the building. He has hired a crew and they will work on the design when the plant is closed for the night."19

"That is such an interesting idea, to use nuclear power to move our trains along the tracks. I sure hope it works out for him." John replied. "Is that why those men were wearing the radio active proof suits?" 20

"Yes," said Kevin. "They looked like astronauts with them on. They needed to wear them since they were carrying some radio active canisters into the storage area." he explained to Sandra and Mary. John, being a scientist, knew this already. 21

"I didn't get a chance to get down and see what all the excitement was behind the plant today but I did get Monterey taken care of", said John. "I think I mentioned before how he has been so restless but now, finally, we figured out what was wrong. He was just lonely. He has been living alone in that remote area of the plant since Mason found him abandoned when he was on that safari 4 years ago. Brought him back with him to live here in California and he's been here ever since. Well, last month Mason went and bought him a play mate from some place in South America and she arrived today. Same time as the engine was being delivered so I missed all of that excitement, but out in Monterey's compound we had a bit of excitement ourselves. The two of them took to each other right off and became instant friends...her name is Seraphina. She moved right in and started bossing him around just like a typical wife." He laughed as he glanced at the two ladies sitting together. 22

Mary and Sandra just gave him that 'look', the kind parents give to each other, and continued on with their conversation about school and shopping and all the preparation necessary to get the kids started again in a few days. 23

Jason and Sarah went back to their game of croquet, laughing at themselves for getting so excited over a steam engine and aliens in space suits but happy that Monterey has a new friend named Seraphina and that they have each other as best friends, much like Sarah and Jason. 24

Tomorrow Jason has a new book to read to Sarah about the latest probe into space with pictures of Mars and all the planets. Then, before they head for the pool, they will lie on the grass looking up at the clouds and dream of a universe they will some day get to travel to as Junior Astronauts.25