[by Samara]
One time we were driving back from a family vacation in Florida. I don't remember knowing that we were going to do this but when we got near Cape Canaveral, Dad stopped on the side of the interstate—alongside dozens of other cars—so we could watch a space shuttle launch. In that moment, I was the most excited kid on the planet. I was fascinated by space. (That was short-lived.) I couldn't believe how cool my dad was. More than an hour later, bystanders started loading into their cars. Slowly but surely, we realized the launch wasn't happening. At some point, a police car may have stopped by to confirm it. I was disappointed, but Dad was devastated. He was sad and angry. It bothered him more than it bothered us. I think it's because we were so excited about it and he hated to see us disappointed. Over the next several years, we tried to time it just right again but no cigar. I cried last month when I watched the SpaceX shuttle launch. He would have thought that was so cool.
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