The Project Gutenberg EBook of First Man, by Clyde Brown

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: First Man

Author: Clyde Brown

Illustrator: Wood

Release Date: May 7, 2010 [EBook #32281]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST MAN ***

Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

FIRST MAN

By CLYDE BROWN

Illustrated by WOOD

[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction
April 1958. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the
U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

[Sidenote: _He obstinately wanted no part in achieving the goal of
generations--but the goal with equal obstinacy wanted all of him!_]

To keep the record straight: Orville Close was first man on the Moon.
Harold Ferguson was second. They never talk about it.

It started on that October morning when the piece came out in the
Parkville _News_. Harold grumbled that they'd gotten the story all
wrong, calling his ship a rocket ship, and treating him like a flagpole
sitter or a man going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. His wife took
their sad, thin little girl and went to live with her brother. The city
police blocked off Elm Street, letting no one through except the
residents. The neighbors were getting up a petition. But Orville refused
to become excited.

What was going to happen?

Why, nothing.

Harold would probably crack up completely, but this evening that thing
would still be standing there, solid as the Washington Monument.

Nevertheless, Orville's wife Polly was going to her sister's, across
town. _She_ wasn't going to stay there and be blown up! While she was
getting ready, Orville picked up a package by the sink and carried it
outside to the alley and dropped it in the garbage can. He wore his
double-breasted fall suit. He strolled to the boundary fence and leaned
against a post.

A reporter was taking angle shots of the spaceship. Flashbulbs were
scattered over Harold's garden.

It really does catch the eye, Orville thought. Smarten th