When I First Stepped Foot On Mars

  When I first set foot on Mars I had a fleeting memory of my old Volvo. I turned and looked back at the sleek, silver rocket that had brought me to the red planet. Nothing at all like my old car those years ago.

  My only regret was my visit was to be so limited. Place the XM device, set it’s signal frequency and take three small  jars of of surface ‘soil.’ Fifteen minutes at most. Fifteen minutes of a euphoric and surreal feeling never known by any other man.

  Back in my ship I reluctantly pushed the button that would start the engines that would power the trip back home. Nothing. I pushed the red flashing button again. Nothing. For three days nothing happened. The engine compartment was sealed shut as it was ‘foolproof.’

  Again the image of the old Volvo flashed into mind. It too had started once and never again. I set the sleep mode that would last until I entered Earth's atmosphere.

Of course that would never happen but I could dream.