The challenge

Twenty-four years ago today, I was standing in line at the Cook County building, waiting to file some sort of documentation for the law firm at which I was working at the time.

Someone in line behind me, talking to an acquaintance, said, "Didja hear about the shuttle?"

For some reason, I didn't need to hear any more than that. I felt ice in my gut. I knew.

I still grieve when I see the image of that white plume and the two solid booster rockets spiraling away, looking lost. We lost more than seven brave adventurers and a good ship that day. It was true end of the Apollo era, a time when we were all convinced of America's technological invincibility.