The year was 1976 in the month of July. Our nation had just celebrated its bicentennial birthday on the fourth. All across the country people were rejoicing that we had freedom for 200 years. Backyard barbecues, firework shows, and symphony orchestras playing our patriotic songs were mainstays of the celebration. Our family was no different. We enjoyed my parents barbecue feast, swam in the pool, and hung out with our friends at the community playground. What a day it had been!

But today we were celebrating something else. It was my mom’s birthday. Her actual birthday had been last Sunday but only mom and dad had celebrated with a special dinner out. Today, Saturday the 24th the whole family was celebrating. Dad told us to get up and get dressed. We put on our nice casual clothes then went downstairs to consume pancakes, eggs, and bacon that mom and dad made together. We all piled in the car full of excitement.

After a couple hours journey we arrived at a large brick building with huge white letters on the front that spelled out NASA. I remembered those letters from the rocket launches I had seen on TV. I told the boys we were going to see spaceships. We did. We saw the Apollo 13 space capsule, wax figures of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, as well as lunar rovers. There were lots of exhibits to explore and interactive displays. We all enjoyed our trip there.

We left NASA and went to dinner. After a great meal we stopped at the store where mom and dad brought a surprise for us kids. The ride home seemed extra long because we could not wait to see what they had brought us.

When we arrived home. They gave us the bag. Inside was a skateboard! With cries of joy and happiness we ran off to show our prize to our friends. All of the boys and girls gathered around. We were the first kids in our neighborhood to get a skateboard. Everyone wanted a chance to ride it. Taking turns, we learned to ride that day but not without some bumps, scrapes, and falls. Fortunately there were no broken bones just lots of squeals of pleasure. Reluctantly we all went in as our parents called out for us to go home.

Unbeknownst to us, it would be the last time we would all play together as a huge group just having fun. The boys and I fought over who would take the skateboard to their room. I decided to let them have it because I loved them and wanted to let them have the joy of having it in their room. I am glad I did. They died that night in a fire that also burned up the skateboard. But I will forever have the joy of knowing how much we all loved that treasured gift and the fact that they got to have the joy of having it with them on their last night on earth.