The Moon Rises

"Wave everybody," called Jenny. "My cousin is watching on the videophone."

The Moon was just coming up. They had been looking at the stars and planets through the telescopes. The work sheets on those they had finished. They could now do the one on the Moon. However, they had to keep Jenny happy first and greet her cousin Ron, who lived on the Moon.

Mr Moke had set up a videophone camera so that Ron could see them and talk to them.

They all waved madly. Jenny had a huge grin on her face.

"Hello Ron," she said. "Let me introduce you to everyone."

So she sat each class member in turn in front of the camera and told her cousin about him or her. She started with Mr Moke of course. If Mr Moke had been the blushing sort he would have from all the praise Jenny heaped on him. The same applied to Mrs Moke, who came next. Jenny put the rest of the class in alphabetic order, so that Ben was about in the middle of the group. He did blush, but no one seemed to notice. Everyone was enjoying the night a lot. This was Mr Moke's gift to Ron in return for the Moon rocks.

"Have you finished with the telescope?" asked Ben.

"Yes, thanks," said Rando.

"Are you okay, Rando?" asked Ben.

"Yeah, I'm okay," said Rando.

"Are you in trouble with Mr Moke," said Ben.

"No, he just told me I had to be good for the rest of the time or I wouldn't be coming on another of these trips," said Rando.

"The ocean did look great, didn't it?" said Ben.

"It hurts me to remember just how good it looked," said Rando.

"It's no wonder Margaret River used to be world famous for surfing," said Ben.

"I've seen some of the old videos taken down there. It must be just great to surf," said Rando.

"My uncle goes surfing, but he is a Surface Dweller," said Ben.

"When I get old and have had my kids and they've grown up that's what I'm going to do," said Rando.

"Are any of your relatives Surface Dwellers?" asked Ben.

"None of them. They all play a lot of sport and take their health very seriously," said Rando.

"You didn't really think you could get out of the bus today, did you?' asked Ben.

"Of course not. It just made me so mad that we were cooped up in a tin box when the world was just so beautiful outside.

I wish the idiots who dropped those bombs were around for me to give them a good belting," said Rando.

Ben thought he had better change the subject. He asked Rando about the things he had to see on the Moon and soon the bus trip was forgotten. Rando was a very good student as well as being a good sportsman. On his picture of the Moon Ben marked North City. He could easily see it in the telescope. He added, "Where Ron lives" to his label.

"How big do you think the sign is?" asked Ben.

"No idea," said Rando, "but it must be huge for us to see something on the Moon that says 'North City'."

"It gets a lot of Earth athletes to visit the Moon to compete, particularly gymnasts," said Ben.

"Yes, Sport Town, North City, Moon, is famous for games," said Rando.

"Have any of your family gone there?" asked Ben.

All members of Rando's family were good at sport. Many had competed in the Australia Games, held annually at Sydney Town.

"No, I hope to be the first. It would be great to jump half a kilometre, said Rando.

The Moon pulled objects down with only one sixth the force of the Earth. A person weighing sixty kilograms on the Earth only weighed ten kilograms on the Moon.

"Can you imagine lifting a horse on your own?" said Ben.

"Earth people have a big advantage in the weight lifting events. Moon people don't have as much strength," said Rando.

"They certainly do well in the gymnastics though. They are born in the low gravity and they look really tremendous on television," said Ben.

"Wouldn't you like to meet that girl from South City? The one who does a dozen twists and turns when she flies up in the air. And she's only our age!" exclaimed Rando.

"Do you have anyone to stay with if you go to the Moon?" asked Ben.

"I have a cousin who works in the stadium in North City," said Rando.

"That place is huge, isn't it?" said Ben.

"If I do go, this is where I will be staying," said Rando.

Rando showed Ben the address of his cousin on the Moon. Ben read

Miss Emma Spark

#517

APT 1-915

Sport Town

North City

Moon

"She lives near the Stadium," said Rando.

"Does she get on television?" asked Ben.

The whole world watched the sports events in Sport Town. They were even broadcast on Mars and in the Asteroid Cities.

"No she doesn't. Her boyfriend does. He comments on the gymnastics. He has also interviewed many famous athletes," said Rando.

"What about swimmers? Has he talked with any of them?"

Ben was a keen swimmer. He followed the performances of the famous swimmers.

They could have swimming races on the Moon.

The water shortage had been overcome after water mining started in the Asteroid Belt.

"A few. He talks mainly with the athletes though," said Rando.

Ben added more labels to his picture. The other features were the craters and mountains on the Moon.

Ben finished the questions. They walked over to see how Jenny was getting on.

Rando was the last person to be put in front of the camera.

"I would like to see you if I get to the Moon to compete in Sport City, " said Rando.

"I'll be glad to show you around North City if you get here," said Ron.