“Leaving on a Jet Plane” – Peter, Paul and Mary
Tuesday class schedules were like Thursday and different than Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Kent. Most night classes were held between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and were often taught by adjunct faculty who were recognized experts in their fields but had day jobs.
Mike and Don walked into the small industrial-looking classroom in the basement of Van Deusen Hall. The class was called Ambiance Control and was focused on the environmental systems of the space capsules, how they were built, why they were designed the way they were and what factors had to be considered when designing the state-of-the-art capsule. The United States had just landed on the moon and returned safely to earth in July, so the curriculum was extremely current. The professor had as many years in space travel as there were to be had in 1969 and was the lead engineer on the lunar landing module. Mike and Don enjoyed this cutting edge class even though the outlook for a job in aerospace was as bad as it could get with the end of NASA’s Saturn program.
They walked into the classroom about five minutes ahead of schedule, sat down and placed their books under their desks.
“I think we’re going to hear what’s on the final tonight. I’ve heard it’s basically a research paper,” Don said in a lowered voice. “Maybe we should spend Saturday at the Cleveland library. Dr. Melon has a modified way of grading on the curve, so we don’t have to be faster than the bear just faster than the other guy.”
“Really? Okay, you’re on,” Mike replied.
Dr. Melon was a much respected engineer with Goodyear Aerospace and focused on teaching his students how to apply what they had been learning for four years to the types of problems they would confront when they graduated.
“Gentlemen,” Dr. Melon began, “on your final exam you will be given a problem to solve that has never been solved before. Just like when you graduate, your employer isn’t going to give you a book with all the answers in the back. The Saturn space program put only two men on the moon and one man in an orbit of the moon.
“Your challenge will be to convince me you have grasped all the critical factors I have presented in this class and that you understand the basics of design. You will not have to calculate pressures, temperatures, weights and the like. You will have to develop a design that will keep six astronauts comfortable on a trip between the Cape and the moon that lasts a total of ten days. This is well beyond sending up three people for a few days, isn’t it? Now, let me tell you how to get an A and how to avoid an F. I will read your handwritten test booklet . . . you may want to bring several blank ones, along with three good working pens. Every time I see a valid point made by you, I give you a check mark. If it’s something that is both unique and valid, I give you two check marks. Unique in this case means I didn’t think of it first . . . you’ll have to trust me on that one. Then I list everyone’s name from the most checkmarks to the least checkmarks. The top 20% get an A, the next 20% get a B, the next 20% a C and the rest earn an F. Any questions?”
A student in the back of the room raised his hand. “That’s not fair,” he stated.
“Think of it like a job interview and the company is only hiring A’s today. That’s real life, son. If you have a complaint, talk to Dr. Hudson, the department head.” Dr. Melon glanced toward Don. “You work for Dr. Melon don’t you?”
“I do, every day.”
“What do you think his opinion will be that someone thinks I am not fair?”
“I wouldn’t challenge you.” Don smiled and shook his head.
“I suggest you gentlemen start your preparation early. Think of it as a term paper. One more thing, you can bring your reference materials with you. Your challenge will be how to select the relevant issues, design solutions and options and organize them to cover all the issues in a priority manner.” Dr. Melon looked around. “Anything else?”
No one dared to ask any questions or make any more comments.
“With that, you are free to go home tonight, or I suggest the library. This Thursday night we will talk about what to do with human waste on a several week long mission when there are no garbage trucks or sewer systems, and no you can’t just dump it out into space. See you Thursday at 6 p.m.” Dr. Melon packed up his papers and books.
“How fast can you write Don?” Mike asked.
“Don’t know. I do know I have to write neater,” Don answered as he breathed out through pursed lips. “You want to grab a beer since we’re out early?”
“Sure. Eddie’s? I need some quiet.”
Tuesday night at 7 p.m. the dinner crowd was clearing out at Eddie’s Stag Bar downtown. Don didn’t have a car and had spent untold hours walking the two and a half miles each way to and from the house in every type of weather Ohio could throw at him, so getting a ride in Mike’s car was greatly appreciated.
“Where do you want to sit?” Don asked.
“How about here?”
Don sat down and Mike sat across from him.
“I think I’m going to get an order of fries,” Don said. “You can have some.”
“You’re on. It’ll pay for the extra gas carrying your ugly ass around.”
The server, showed up with her tray and order pad and two menus. “Gentlemen, I’m Amy, what can I get you to drink?”
“Two Bud drafts, right?”
Don nodded.
“I’ll give you a minute to look at the menus.” She dropped them in front of Don and Mike and was gone.
“Sort of fast, wasn’t she?” Don noted. “So how’s Barbie doing? Can she get off work for the homecoming party?”
“She’s doing great. I think homecoming is far enough in advance that she can get someone to cover for her. Hell, she’s been covering for everyone else on every holiday, weekend and anytime she’s been asked for a long time.”
“Before she started dating you.”
“Yeah . . . I’ve been a bad influence on her.” Mike smiled without remorse.
“How’s her dad? Have you met him yet?”
“Steve? Couple of times. He tried to bust my chops the first night but Barbie stood her ground. He’s really protective of her.” Mike leaned back when Amy delivered their beers.
“What can I get you gentlemen?”
“An order of fries,” Don said.
“Make it a large. I saw an order walk by and they looked really good.”
“A large order of fries, I’ll have it right out.” Amy spun around and walked away, nearly clipping a customer on his way to the restroom.
“Well, I give Barbie’s dad credit for being cautious. Most townies are suspicious of us crazy students.” Don smiled and took a drink.
“Can I tell you something? It can’t go any further . . . not to anyone in the fraternity or Lisa. No one.”
“Sure, you know you can,” Don assured him.
“Your whole life you kind of imagine the girls you’ll meet and even who you might one day marry. And you sort of think about what your parents will say and you want them to like, even support your decision because you and they will have to put up with it forever.” Mike took a long drink from his mug of beer, now about two-thirds empty.
“Go on.”
“Well, Barbie had something bad happen to her that I’ve had a hard time dealing with.”
“But you got over it, right?”
“Yes, but it was tough. A couple years ago Barbie was attacked and raped. She knew the guy, but she couldn’t stop him.” Mike’s eyes narrowed as he re-lived the event she had described to him.
“Where’s that guy now?”
“Long gone.”
“When did she tell you all this?”
“On our first date.”
“Why then? What if you guys hadn’t hit it off?”
“She didn’t want to invest any time in a guy who would dump her because she was raped. I guess that makes sense . . . doesn’t it?”
Amy showed up with a heaping plate of fries on her tray and a bottle of catsup. She placed the plate down in the middle of the table, along with napkins and forks. “Do you have everything you need?”
“Two more drafts please,” Don answered and Mike raised his eyebrows as if the second beer idea was a surprise. He reluctantly nodded.
Mike and Don ate a few fries and finished most of their beers before picking up where they had left off.
“This is a girl question . . . isn’t it?” Don grimaced. “I’m no expert. I’ve been dating the same girl for the last three years.”
“I know, but I’d like your opinion.”
“Well, by telling you early on and not waiting until you guys are all in on this relationship, I think she saved herself and you some pain. Listen, we’re in aerospace together. Finding a good . . . no, a great woman can be like jumping out of an airplane and the woman is the parachute. You may need her, but if the first time you want her she’s not there, you won’t need her again. I think Barbie took the leap without you. Gutsy move.” Don sat back, impressed with his analogy, hopefully one that would help his friend.
Mike sat there a minute while Amy returned and exchanged the empty mugs for full mugs and took away the empty French fry plate. “Thanks Amy.” Mike looked at Don and nodded. “Makes sense to me.”
“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Mike took a drink of his beer. “Listen let’s double date and catch a movie and dinner in Cleveland. You up for it?”
“Am I? I think Lisa’s pretty fed with up with second-run movies and local pizzas and burgers. I’ll check with her, but I’m sure she’s good for it. Different topic . . . what do you think of Kevin as Pledge Master?” Don asked.
“You know I hate finding fault with somebody; I’d rather find a solution. But the fact is Kevin is like a child . . . and childhood is like being drunk. Everyone remembers what you did, except you. Yet, we still approved him to be Pledge Master. These new kids aren’t going to understand what it’s like to be a member of this fraternity because of anything Kevin has done . . . hopefully. His personal life is a wreck.”
“That is a problem for another night and another beer,” Don concluded. “You ready to go? I’ve got Jet Engines 400 class lab tomorrow. We’re test firing the engine. I need my energy.”
“You’ll have fun with that. You’ll have to tell me what happens.”