The Astronaut’s wife
Transcript written by and used with the courtesey of Angela Sugden
Jillian I hate this part. We’re still here but I know you’re going, and I hate that.
Spencer Well, I’ll call you, baby.
Jillian Don’t tease me. I miss you so much when you’re gone.
Spencer I miss you too, baby. Listen. Last time Streck told me if I bellyached about you for one more minute he was gonna toss my ass right off the ship.
Jillian You tell Streck your ass belongs to me and he can keep his hands off it.
Spencer All right.
Jillian My class wants you to come by when you get back.
Spencer I think I can arrange a visit, if you’re nice.
Jillian How nice?
Spencer You like fruit?
Jillian Yeah.
Spencer Well, come here a minute. Come here. Ain’t that a peach?
Jillian Is that for me?
Spencer That’s for you.
Mission Control Victory, this is Mission Control. All systems are go. Flight Commander, all computers are functioning. The crew of Victory has been given a go for orbit operations by the Mission Control Centre. Crew members are doing well and all systems of the orbiter are performing satisfactorily. Three. . . Two. . . One. . . Zero, and lift off.
Spencer (voice) Mission Control, we have left the pad.
Mission Control Roger that, Victory. You are go to throttle up.
Spencer (voice) Mission Control, this is Victory. We have throttled up. It’s a fine day for flying, Houston. All systems are go.
Children Pineapples!
Jillian What do they have in Kansas?
Children Corn!
Jillian Yes, corn, and what about. . . Georgia? What do they have in Georgia?
Children Peaches!
Jillian Very good. And what do we have here in Florida?
Children Oranges!
Calvin And rocket ships.
Jillian Yes, Calvin, and rocket ships.
Brian Mrs Armacost, you have a phone call.
Jillian Thank you, Brian. Okay, let’s go to page seven. And work quietly, okay? Hello?
Voice (phone) Mrs Armacost.
Jillian Yes, this is Jillian Armacost.
Voice (phone) Mrs Armacost, NASA communications. We have your husband for you. Go ahead, Commander.
Spencer (phone) Jillian?
Jillian Spencer?
Spencer (phone) Yeah, I told you I’d call. It’s amazing, isn’t it?
Jillian Yes, amazing.
Spencer (phone) Hey, Jill.
Jillian Yeah?
Spencer (phone) What are you wearing?
Jillian Spencer.
Spencer (phone) Come on, now. Ain’t nobody else listening.
Voice (phone) Not exactly, Commander. Including Houston and J.P.L. there are about three hundred folks on the line today.
Spencer (phone) It’s a nice day down there, huh?
Jillian Beautiful.
Spencer (phone) Can you see outside, Jill?
Jillian Yeah.
Voice (phone) Fifteen seconds, Commander.
Spencer (phone) I’m right above you. You lookin’ up, honey?
Voice (phone) Ten seconds.
Spencer (phone) Won’t you smile for me, huh?
Jillian I already am.
Nancy He called you from outer space?
Jillian Well, technically from Earth’s orbit, but yes. He called me from the orbiter.
Nancy Stanley won’t even call me from the Beef ‘N’ Burger, and you get a call from outer space. . . the Earth’s orbit, whatever. Technically speaking, Jill, you scored. I don’t get it. We grew up in the same house. You land Johnny Rocket Boy. I keep getting different versions of Throws-Up-On-Himself Elmo. I bet, I bet he’s good at the little things, too, isn’t he?
Jillian What little things?
Nancy Just those little things that mean so much. It’s true. You know men, men are like parking spaces. All the good ones are taken and all the available ones are handicapped. What?
Jillian Spencer.
Voice (TV) And now back to our programme.
Jillian Oh, man, something happened. Come on. Keep checking.
Reese Mrs Armacost, I’m Sherman Reese from NASA. Um, it’s about your husband.
Jillian What’s happened?
Reese Well, we’d like you to come with us. I have a, a car right outside.
Nancy There’s something about Spencer!
Reese Please, Mrs Armacost. Captain Streck’s wife. . .
Nancy Jill!
Reese . . .is already there. Er, the director wants, er. . .
Voice (TV) The condition of Armacost and Streck as well as the rest of the shuttle crew is at this time unknown. Reporting live from NASA. . .
Jillian Is my husband dead?
Reese Ma’am, I don’t know anything about the condition of your husband.
Jillian Is my husband dead?
Reese Ma’am, I just don’t know.
Jillian Then take me to someone who does.
Natalie He’s dead. I know he’s dead.
Jillian They’re not dead. They’re not dead. What have they told you?
Natalie Nothing. They won’t tell me anything.
NASA Guy Mrs Streck, Mrs Armacost. First, your husbands are alive.
Natalie Oh, thank God.
NASA Guy They’re back on the orbiter right now and we’re gonna bring ’em down immediately.
Jillian What happened up there?
NASA Guy Your husbands were outside the orbiter performing some repairs on a satellite. There was an explosion and, we lost contact with both astronauts for about two minutes.
Natalie What?
Jillian You lost contact? What do you mean you lost contact?
NASA Guy After the explosion, they drifted behind the shuttle. We had to bring the craft around a hundred and eighty degrees to get them.
Natalie They were all alone?
NASA Guy But now they’re, they’re back on the shuttle and they’ll be back down here just as soon as we can manage it. Ah. Mr Reese here will, will stay with you until we can get you to them.
Natalie They were all alone out there, Jillian.
Jillian It’s okay. They’re alive.
Reese This will give you a view from the shuttle as they land. Would you like me to get you the link-up? I’ll get the link-up.
Voice Twenty-five seconds to re-entry interface. Maintain descent. Wind sheer. . . this is minimum trajectory. Velocity at twenty-six hundred F.B.P. At two hundred-thirty knots maintaining descent. Eight at two-fifteen, five at two-ten, two at two hundred. One foot.
