From: DeHBeaver0 (dehbeaver0@aol.com)

Subject: Back from 108, with only one Story to tell 

Date: 2001-11-30 19:31:50 PST

Well well, Im now 1 for 4. thats right, 1 for 4.

I suppose Im used to this. This was the worst of the three scrubbs I have been through now, because 1) I didnt even get to visually see the shuttle at all and 2) this mission was all but scrubbed before I even left yesterday morning.

What more can I say about that? [Fuc*** piece of string, which no one can even see, blew my whole trip, thats what!!]

One note....I prepared to hard for my photo log of this launch. Well, I did not take a single photo of anything down there at all. Didnt even take my camera out of my bookbag! Amazing as far as Im concerned.

I made the most of Thursday afternoon and it was pleasant. In the eve, I had dinner with my friend Howard and his g.f. Suzie (he is the manager of teh KSC photo lab). Very nice..at at teh Lobster Shabby in Cocoa Beach, a large clearly popular place. That was my first time in Cocoa Beach, and I must say

it was a nice little town, though a bit out of the way to get to from Titusville. Interesting...Howie was explaining that the lab is in the process of switching over to all digital; the photography staff will go from 2 to 5 people!

But heres my interesting story...or, Story if you will. Story Musgrave was at the Encounter. Unlike what everyone keeps telling me, it doesnt seem to matter what astro is there: No autographs! Well I planned to be persistant this time...

First, these two women who worked at the AE got things started. One happens to be the wife of Sam Durrance. They were asking silly questions and giving autos of Tom Jones for answers. According to them, Jones was at the Encounter that morning! Even more, John-Loup Chretian (sp.?) gave a hello for a minute; Musgrave made him come out.

Musgrave talked for about 5 minutes, then there was about 10 of Q and A. I found it surprising that he openly stated, when asked, that he was forced to leave NASA because they felt had "had enough flights, and it was time to turn the baton over." But hey, Im right

there with him. If Diaz and Ross get a 7th now, he should too...and he deserves it!

After the Q and A, I waited on line to at least try for an autograph. In the end, I wound up with Musgrave and another woman, escorted to his private office! I couldnt believe it; I ask kindly for an autograph, I wind up in his office. This other girl turns out to be a photographer, who asked him a question while taking a photo with Story, and he invited her back. For about 20-30 minutes, Story was talking to us, mainly about photography. I didnt know this before, but he seems to be one of the true photographers from on the shuttle. Most of his outward conversation was directed to her, and in the end he asked her to join him for dinner that night in Cocoa. (feeling a bit uncomfortable then, I found out after that Story is a single man. Well duh! I wont hold it to him.

I mentioned, being from NY, that I knew he would be here next week for some medical conference in Manhattan. I couldnt say another word before he told me to show up as his "personal guest", no fee to pay. "Ill be there!" Despite being a tad self-absorbed, Story is a nice calm guy. And of course, he signed my Hubble EVA photo, which I will scan later. He then threw in another one without me even asking, and the spokeswomen gave me a third, unsincribed one. To my EVA photo, it was "reach for the stars", "come fly with me" to the portrait. I dont care how common they write that, it was quite the experience!

Im still not sure about yesterday; I ask for a little autograph, I wind up as his 'personal guest' next weekend.

I think I got it all..

All in all, no launch, but a pleasant day.

-Ben

Story Musgrave

All about Story- Click here