Project Gutenberg's Where I Wasn't Going, by Walt Richmond and Leigh Richmond

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Title: Where I Wasn't Going

Author: Walt Richmond
Leigh Richmond

Illustrator: John Schoenherr

Release Date: January 29, 2010 [EBook #31116]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Transcriber's Note:

This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction October and
November 1963. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.

"WHERE I WASN'T GOING"

"The Spaceman's Lament" concerned a man who wound up where
he wasn't going ... but the men on Space Station One knew
they weren't going anywhere. Until Confusion set in....

WALT AND LEIGH RICHMOND

ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN SCHOENHERR

[Illustration]

_I studied and worked and learned my trade
I had the life of an earthman made;
But I met a spaceman and got way-laid--
I went where I wasn't going!_

THE SPACEMAN'S LAMENT

* * * * *

Making his way from square to square of the big rope hairnet that
served as guidelines on the outer surface of the big wheel, Mike
Blackhawk completed his inspection of the gold-plated plastic hull,
with its alternate dark and shiny squares.

He had scanned every foot of the curved surface in this first
inspection, familiarizing himself completely with that which other men
had constructed from his drawings, and which he would now take over
in the capacity of chief engineer.

Mike attached his safety line to a guideline leading to the south
polar lock and kicked off, satisfied that the lab was ready for the
job of turning on the spin with which he would begin his three months
tour of duty aboard.

The laws of radiation exposure set the three-month deadline to service
aboard the