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GRANDPA’S FABLE
The sputnik circled overhead transmitting beeper signals and reminding us daily that the Russians were first in space!
This was the middle ‘50’s and Cape Canaveral was a beehive of space engineering activity. I was the Projects Manager for a large electrical contractor that had contracted to install the electrical wiring for several missile launching, test sites. We also contracted for the intricate control wiring from the control panels in the blockhouses directly to the launch pads.
We were running scared and we were playing catch up!
The astronauts were in training and waiting to take a ride into the unknown. In the meanwhile they were basking in the limelight like movie super stars. Other VIP’s, political figures and their wanna bees were making daily nuisances of themselves competing for the media publicity.
The engineers, the draftsmen, the plumbers, the electricians, the carpenters and all other trades were busily designing, building and erecting the answers to the Russian challenge. They did a magnificent job!
In the midst of this frenzy of activity it was my pleasure to take part in a business luncheon with the brains of this endeavor and those responsible to get the job done. This included Dr. Werner von Braun, his chief engineer and Donald Eppert head honcho of the Army Corps of Engineers.
The luncheon and the conversations were interesting to say the least. We rambled through a wide range of subjects and someone spoke up and asked. "Why in the hell are we doing this, anyway?"
Pointing his finger to the heavens Dr. Braun replied. "Son, we’re going home. Man came from the stars and he is bound and determined to go back. This is merely our first step!"
Dr. Braun and I discussed the possibilities of my Grandpa’s Fable to some length.
My Grandpa was a wise old man.
He told me tales with zest and mirth.
But the one that I liked best of all
Was how they colonized the earth.
Grandpa allowed, there was no one here
And a rocket ship flew by,
Saw the great potentiality
And dropped people from the sky!
Papa Zog and Mama Zug
Floated gently to the ground.
They telepathed the mother ship
They were pleased with what they had found.
Their twin son’s, Zig and Zag,
Seemed to like it too
Also their, prospective brides
Twin sisters, Zo and Zu!
The mother ship then flew on by
On it’s journey into space,
After planting seeds upon the earth;
A potential human race.
No word was ever heard from it
Once the ship had turned about
And the seeds that it had left behind
Would either die or sprout!
Now, Papa Zog and Mother Zug
Were determined to survive
And the only way to accomplish this
Was to keep the seeds alive.
So, they matched up Zig with Zo
And likewise Zag with Zu.
Mother Zog jumped right in
And planned a big to do!
Zog and Zug were tradition bent
But they done the best they could
Zig and Zo were considered bad;
Zag and Zu were considered good
The future seeds would no doubt be
Like their mother and their dad.
Good would naturally follow good
And bad would turn out bad!
But Mama Zug got all confused
On the fateful, wedding night.
When directing brides to conjugal beds
She mixed her left up with her right.
She sent Zu to sleep with Zig;
And Zo, to sleep with Zag!
She then laid down and dreamed about
Her grandchildren playing tag.
The breakfast feast Mother Zug prepared
Would climax the big to do.
The young men came with appetites,
Followed close by Zo and Zu.
Zo smiled at Zig! Zu smiled at Zag,
Then sat down by their own mate
Unaware that good and bad
Had been mismatched by fickle fate!
To the first born son of Zo and Zig
Sired by his brother Zag,
Zog bestowed the name of Zip.
You should have heard him brag!
He then bestowed the name of Zap,
To the son of Zag and Zu!
Fate had changed the whole damned crop
But those seeds really grew!
Before he could tell what happened
To the lads called Zip and Zap,
I’d always slumber off to sleep
Curled up on Grandpa’s lap.
But all my life I’ve zigged and zagged
And fought one great big fight
And I don’t doubt that Grandpa knew
His left hand from his right!
I’m not to sure about other folks
I meet most every day.
They all seem to zig and zag,
But most have found the way
To separate the bad from good
And with a smiling, friendly hug
Unravel some of the mess we’re in
That Grandpa blamed on Mother Zug!
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