Man On The Moon

• Grace Valentine, Grade 7, Christian College Geelong
• Short Story
• 2015

Excellence Award in the 'Beyond Words 2015' competition

“I was only a child when I saw him,” I spoke, looking down at my fidgeting hands. I hear the continuous sound of the old grandfather clock ticking, not fast enough.
“Can you tell me what this man looked like?” Councillor Anne leans in, a concerned frown forming between her brows.
“Well, he had white hair and a waistcoat.” I lift my eyes up to see Anne trying to process what I had just said.
“Okay. When did you first see this man?” She looks down at her notes and sighs. I am giving her nothing.
“It was Christmas Eve 1997.” I am now realising how stupid I must sound. Who would believe a caitiff like me?
“How, on the whole moon, did you see a human being?”
“Well, on that Christmas Eve, my grandparents had dropped in to give us our gifts, as they were heading to the Greek Islands to spend Christmas with Uncle Ross and Aunt Jude. Instead of giving me dolls or fairy dust as an accustomed 8 year old would wish for, they gave me a telescope.”
“Go on,” Anne says, her voice just a whisper.
“I sound stupid, I know it.” My voice goes all of a sudden small and squeaky. “Why don’t you show me this ‘Man on the Moon’ if you are so persuaded that he is real?” I give a side smile. Maybe that is a good idea so I can show her that I am not crazy after all.
“I’ve got it here,” I say pulling it out of my bag. I hand her the long, fading box and sit down. Anne opens the box and peaks inside.
“Perfect. Alright then, do you want to set it up and try and find this ‘house’?”
I pull the old, dusty telescope out and smile. It was this that showed me that magic really does exist.
“I haven’t looked through this thing in years!”
“Well by the look on your face, it could’ve been a century!” I smile and look back down.
I pull it out and start setting it up. I peak through the lenses, looking around a bit before spotting the same dark patch that caught my eye all those years ago.
“I’m almost there.” I twist the knob to zoom in further and see it. A little wooden roof standing alone. I squeal exactly as I did when I was eight. “I see the house! It’s here!”
All of a sudden, he walks out. “Look, look!” I yell in a high pitched voice. I push Anne forward to look. Squinting, she looks through the lenses.
She gasps, her jaw almost hitting the floor. “Oh my. T-there r-r-really is a m-man on the m-m-moon.” She stutters, unable to finish each word properly.
She looks back at me and smiles, “I guess you’re not so crazy after all.”