I asked my mama to tell me three stories, one about her witnessing the famous Rendez-Vous in Space, another about a dictionary, and finally one about an American dime. Here goes . . .

I don't remember the exact year but it was in the early 60's when NASA was just starting to venture out into space. They launched two space ships into space and supposed to have what they called rendez-vouz in space. I don't know the name of the mission nor the name of the space ships, I don't know exactly what they did but I watched the sky at night (above the equator, in the Philippines, Sto. Tomas, of course).

I remember that it was a clear, starry night, I saw in the sky the two lights going around in wide circles and at some point they would seem to meet or at the same spot or near each other. I could hear the faint sound from above of what seemed like jets. It was like watching two big distant planets (because the lights did not flicker red, white, and blue like the stars) going around in circles.

I was outside at night with one or two neighbor kids who were not interested or had no idea what I was interested in. I must have been a wierd kid at that time because I seemed to have been to only one interested and fascinated with astronomy. I used to borrow a very powerful telescope from a thief in our town,(who knows where he had stolen that stuff, but that's another story that I have to tell you another time--about the thief, that is) and look at the moon, the stars and some planets.

About the dictionary: I was in first year high school when I got that as a birthday present from my sister, your auntie M, for a birthday present. She had always encouraged us younger kids to read books. I was so happy to have that dictionary and I carried it around with me around the house. My sisters teased me and likened me to a Jehova's Witness*.

I don't know anything about the American dime. Maybe you are thinking of your uncle Johnny. He used to borrow money from me and never paid me back. He would say, "Ading, can I borrow your dime and I promise to pay you back. " He never paid me back!

*If you're wondering, the Jehova's Witnesses have the reputation for always carrying a Bible around wherever they go. My mama was carrying a dictionary. Kuwatit!