Chapter Two
"Your in perfect shape for someone your age." said Dr. Bellows.
"That's great," said Tony, Jr. "Thanks."
"Well I recommended a through checkup before you go off to college in the fall."
"What do you think my chances are?"
"Chances are? Chances of what?" asked Dr. Bellows.
"You know. Getting into the space program, like my dad."
"I see. I do not believe you will have any problems with that. I mean, looking over your records, there's nothing overtly wrong with you."
"Overtly?"
"I mean that your reflexes are off. Inexplicably off. Your reaction time is somewhat faster than normal. Again, inexplicably. And then there's this x-ray from last year." Dr. Bellows held up an x-ray, the picture was out of focus.
"That always happens like that," said Tony, Jr.
"Yes, I see," said Dr. Bellows. "At any rate, Tony, I don't see any these- things- as disqualifying you from being an astronaut. Physically and psychologically your able to become a astronaut. Psychologically, I'd say, you a lot healthier than . . . some of your contemporaries." Dr. Bellows had almost said Colonel Nelson, but corrected himself at the last minute. He thought his files full of the strange things that Nelson had been involved in, and how he was never able to find out the secret behind them. Not as many strange events had gone on the past ten or twenty years. Dr. Bellow thought Colonel Nelson's marriage to Jeannie had been a steadying influence. He approved of Tony, Jr. If he hadn't, Tony Jr. would not had been dating his daughter. He was, compared to Colonel Nelson, very normal. But then again there was the x-ray . . . well you couldn't expect any son of Colonel Nelson to be completely normal.
"In fact," said Dr. Bellows after a pause. "I would be glad to personally recommend that you be considered to the space program."
"Thanks," he said again.