“You know,” she said. “We never really landed on the moon.”
“Uh, yes – yes we did,” he replied.
“Well, I don’t think so,” she replied.
“Believe me, we did. What brought this up anyway?” he asked. “Let me first wake up with some coffee.”
“Drink this,” she said, handing her husband his morning mug. “Today is the anniversary of the 1969 so called moon landing. I was just thinking that it is possible to pull off an illusion. I mean, here you have how many people working at NASA and the truth has never been confirmed – the moon landing was really just a studio production. Amazing, don’t you think? All those people keeping the secret.”
“It would be amazing if it were true,” he said as he finished his coffee.
“What, the landing or the studio production?” she asked.
“The studio production and all the people that had to keep quiet. How can you believe all that conspiracy stuff? “
“Well, things can seem one way and really be another. I offer evidence. What about the American flag blowing in the breezeless environment of the moon? What about the astronauts’ footprints left on the moon while the landing vehicle left no mark at all?”
“You call that evidence?” He laughed.
“All I am saying is that it is possible – possible that things are not what they seem.”
“You sound paranoid!” he said.
“No, not paranoid. I always say, don’t be paranoid, be alert.”
“O.K. can we change the subject?” he begged.
“Fine, what time will you be home from work tonight?”
“About five-thirty.” Then he added, “No overtime lately.”
“Well, I don’t have to be at the hospital until ten this morning. Too bad you can’t take the morning off, huh?”
“It sure is,” he said, distracted by selecting a tie. “Which do you think looks better, the blue or the green tie – that is if you are certain these are real ties and not handkerchiefs in disguise,” he teased her.
“Blue,” she snapped.
“Well, I better go.”
She kissed him goodbye and said, “Have a good day hon.”
He pulled out of the driveway and drove around the city for about half an hour, ending up at the public library where he took off his suit coat and loosened the blue tie. Maybe tonight he’d tell her that it has been three months since he lost his job. He circled the want ads in front of him and decided, no, not tonight.