Fly Me to The Moon plus 40

July 20, 1969.

The eyes of the world broke away from the Vietnam War, the Paris Uprising, and the Mets challenging the National League. Most people's vision was fixed on the Moon, as TVs and radios reported the lunar landing of Apollo 11 to an anxious planet.

This space mission had been inspired by the late-President Kennedy and Neil Armstrong immortalized the epic moment with the words. "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

July 20 1969 was a Sunday.

I had no school the next day.

The next day I was working at Ma Bell.

A summer job.

I was 17, but have no recollection of watching the astronaut's first steps on the surface of the moon, which should have been as indelibly etched into my memory as the JFK assassination and losing my virginity and this memory lapse lent credence to those conspiracy theorists claiming that Man never landed on the Moon, but let's face the facts.

The Lunar Landing was televised by every channel; ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS.

Teenagers watched almost 30 hours of TV on the 1960s and being a teenager if the Lunar Landings had been on TV, then I should remember seeing them, instead recalling nothing.

Ergo no Lunar Landing.

NASA has yet to refute my analysis, but for further research into the Moon Hoax, check out this URL

http://www.redzero.demon.co.uk/moonhoax/

One theory is that I could have been making out with my girlfriend.

On the weekends her mother permitted us stay at their house unchaperoned and Janet Stetson was certainly more important to me than a silly moon landing.

Even now.

Berth on Nantucket

Frank Sinatra brought his 21 year-old bride Mia Farrow to Nantucket on a rented yacht. My family was holidaying on that mythic isle at the same time. Mia had just finished filming ROSEMARY'S BABY.

Mia Farrow was five years older than me.

Not like Frank Sinatra, but my love was reserved for Janet Stetson, who was the head cheerleader for my hometown's football team. I was true, but when my mother insisted on a holiday detour to view Sinatra's yacht we were rewarded with a sighting of the two super stars.

Mia was so young.

So beautiful.

21.

So unique.

I tried to make eye contact with the wiafish blonde, hoping she would invite on board, so we could sail the Seven Seas.

I failed in my quest.

Later that week Janet asked if I thought she was beautiful.

"Not as beautiful as you."

"She smiled, knowing a lie when she heard one and laughed thinking that I was hers.

It was good to be young in the 1960s.

As long as you weren't in Viet-Nam.