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[The Blog of Phileas Fogg: 1883 onwards] Boxing Day 1885

From: Harry Hayfield <harryhayfield~at~googlemail.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:20:01 -0800 (PST)
To: jvf~at~gilead.org.il

I am beginning to come to the conculsion that the Doctor needs little
(if any) sleep. How did I come to this conculsion? Well, today is
Boxing Day and as tradition dictates, all the leftover food from
yesterday (along with some small gifts) are put into clay boxes and
distributed to the tenants on the lands of the country (and this year
that meant me). So you can imagine my suprise when I woke up this
morning and went downstairs to make Passepartout's breakfast (a
tradition I have done since I had a manservant), I was amazed to find
the Doctor waiting for me with a tray of food saying "I believe this is
for Passepartout and all your Boxing Day deliveries have been done!"


Following our breakfast, the Doctor stood up and announced that he too
had a Boxing Day gift for us all and reached under the table and placed
five goldfish bowls on the table. I thanked the Doctor for his gifts
but said that I felt that goldfish were a little understated for a
house this size. The Doctor looked puzzled at first but then burst out
laughing when he explained they were not goldfish bowls but a helmet.
We all looked at each with a little amazement and then were presented
with bright orange clothes. After we had changed, we left the house and
made for the Doctor's TARDIS and entered. This time it was my wife's
turn to be amazed and after she had recovered, I asked the Doctor where
we were going. "For a Boxing Day trip!" he announced and pulled a lever.


Once we had recovered from the journey (which was just as bad as the
past ones), the Doctor encouraged us to put on the helmets and then
attached them to a backpack. "There" he announced, putting his helmet
on, "Communications" and with that he flung the doors open wide and
stepped out. "Come on out!" he beamed, "The Moon's lovely!"


Well, William didn't need a second invitation and dashed out and was
soon bouncing high into the sky with myself and my wife a tad more
cautious and Passepartout absolutely dead set against it. "What if
those Selenites come after us?" he asked. The Doctor dismissed his
concerns stating that the Moon we were walking on was not the same Moon
we visited in July last year which left Passepartout scratching his
head slightly. The Doctor explained that the Moon we were walking on at
the moment was the Moon in July 1969. William who was bouncing nearby
suddenly stopped in his tracks. "July 1969?" he exclaimed, "You mean
the future?"


The Doctor explained that whilst we were the first people to land on
the moon because of what happened to us, the Torchwood Institute deemed
it was best not to tell anyone. "And with good reason!" I added, so as
a result our landing was never recorded and so in the mid 20th century
when the US President announced an intention to land on the moon there
was nothing to suggest that it was possible. "In fact" he added,
pointing up at the sky, "see that star moving quite fast?". We all
nodded. "That's the lunar module coming now. I reckon we have an hour
or so before it's due to land, so anyone for mooncastles?" he asked
producing a bucket and spade.


As the star came closer it was now possible to make out that it was a
metal object that was quite large. The Doctor advised that we all hid
behind a large rock to a) prevent us from being seen and b) to prevent
being hit by moondust when the ship landed. I have to admit though I
had no idea until I felt the moon underneath me wobble that the ship
had landed. We all peered over the rock and gasped at it. It was like
nothing any of us had seen and I just had to take a picture of it






Not that long after it landed, a hatch opened and a person stepped out.
The Doctor fiddled with our backpacks and we could hear what the person
was saying:
That's one small step for a man; one giant leap for mankind

I grinned slightly remembering how Mr. Barbicane had criticised me for
my efforts. The man spent a few more minutes looking at the surface and
making observations before getting back in. When the hatch closed, the
Doctor stood up and told us that we were privy to the start of human
colonisation in space and with that we all headed back to the TARDIS.

When we got back home I asked the Doctor if it would be possible to
pass a message to the person who had stepped on the moon. He hummed and
hawed for a moment but eventually consented. This is the message that I
have prepared for him:

Sir, I wish to congratulate you on being the first man to step onto the
surface of the moon. You do not know me, but I felt honoured to witness
your steps. Yours, an appreicative fan from England.

--
Posted By Harry Hayfield to The Blog of Phileas Fogg: 1883 onwards on
12/26/2009 10:32:00 PM

Received on Sun 27 Dec 2009 - 10:53:49 IST

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