Major Tom

Major Tom


There was a six-year-old boy named, Tommy. His dad called him, Major Tom. Tommy didn't know why exactly, but it had something to do with a song his dad heard while he was in the Marines.

Tommy loved his dad very much and wanted to be just like him.

"You have to go to school first," his dad said. "Then you can be anything you want."

So, he was all set to go to school that year. In fact, he was so excited, he could hardly wait.

But then something happened . . . something terrible.

It all started when Tommy's parents said he couldn't go to school after all. They said all schools were closed because of something called, Coby-19, and everyone was told to stay home in Quarter-tine. So, Tommy was locked up in his house for over a year.

"Why do I have to stay home?" he asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"It's not just us, Tommy," his dad said, "it's everybody."

"That's not fair!" Tommy yelled.

As the year rolled-on, Tommy got more and more unhappy. He couldn't have any friends or cousins over. He didn't even get to see his grandma and grandpa. Tommy wasn't just unhappy, he was very sad.

Then he heard on the TV that people were dying all over the world because of Coby-19, and that everyone had to wear a mask. Tommy didn't understand. "A mask?" he asked his mom. "But it's not even Halloween."

"I know, Tommy," she said. "But it's the new law."

"Whoever made that law is crazy mixed-up," Tommy whined. "They can't take away Grandma and Grandpa. They can't make us stay in the house forever."

"The world is different now, Tommy," his parents said. "The world is sick and not a safe place anymore. We have to be cautious and careful or we'll get sick too."

That was when Tommy knew he had to make the world better again.

So, he and his dad built a treehouse in the backyard. His dad let him use a hammer, and it was Tommy's job to whack every nail his dad pounded in to make sure it was in good and tight. They used every nail and board they could find around the house, built a ladder and hung a rope all the way from the top.

"What will you do now, Major Tom?" asked his dad.

"I'm going to turn that treehouse into a spaceship," he said. "Then I will fly into space above the world, and fix everything just like it was before."

"You know, there's gonna be an eclipse tonight," his dad said. "We could watch it from your treehouse."

Tommy wondered if the the moon could be sick too, and if he could cure it from its A-clips. He knew he had to go to the moon. It's what Major Tom would do.

In the dead-of-night, around eight-o-clock, while his mom and dad watched the news, Tommy gathered food supplies for the trip. In a plastic grocery bag, he put rice crispy-treats and otter pops and squishy applesauce tubes, and then climbed up inside his treehouse. It was going to be a long trip and his mom and dad would probably think he was lost. So he used a red crayon and left them a note on the kitchen table.

gon to the moon.
be back soon.
don't worre.
-luv tommy

It was windy that night. The branches that held the treehouse shook like lions manes and the leaves rattled and fluttered like a kaleidoscope of butterflies. Tommy was a little scared, but he clambered up the ladder and entered the treehouse. He located his old pair of goggles and a football helmet he had stored there earlier and slipped them on. This is it, he thought.

"This is Major Tom to Ground Control. We are ready for takeoff. Starting the countdown! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Blastoff!!!"

The wind blew harder then, and the tree swayed. The tiny treehouse snapped and popped with the motion, but held together. It was a rough ride for Major Tom.

And then the wind suddenly stopped, and everything was still and quiet. Tommy knew he was in deep space and on his way to the moon.

He looked up at the stars and saw the moon passing in front of the sun. "The A-clips!" he exclaimed. "Just like Dad said."

To Tommy, it looked like the moon was eating the sun and it had a 'ring of fire' all the way around it. But as it passed it became a regular full moon again.

"I've done it!" Tommy said. "I've fixed everything!"

"Hey, what's going on up there?" his dad called-out. "I thought we were going to watch the eclipse."

Tommy peaked over the edge of the treehouse. "I saw it Dad!" he said. "And I've fixed it!"

"Of course you did," said his dad. "You're Major Tom."

Tommy beamed with pride.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"Now I've gotta save Grandma and Grandpa!"


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