My favorite hobby is going to Joosemin to spend the day in the Public Library, wandering through books and magazines and taking a few books home. I used to go once or twice a month. But since I became manager of The Store and helping Sky with her business, the opportunity is not available as often. Last week I had my chance, and it had an interesting twist.
To make a long story short, I found a want ad in the local newspaper about a used telescope. I phoned the number and talked to an elderly fellow. He bought it a couple years ago-and it didn't generate the interest he thought it would. He wanted $250. So I did a little internet search on telescopes: this one sounded like a good deal. I cut my library visit short to meet with the fellow.
The telescope looked almost new. Sky and I usually talk about spending this kind of money, but I didn't think this telescope would be available much longer.
Sky was a little annoyed. But as she was watching me and her father put it together, she started seeing the purchase as interesting. The Nation never had anyone with a telescope before.
The telescope had modern features. It adjusted for Earth's rotation and had internet guidance for finding interesting night sky objects on any particular time and night. Saturn was amazing. So too the Milky Way. Sky and my in-laws were up until midnight, looking at things that I had found for them.
Next day at work, I should have been doing manager stuff. Instead, I was on the internet reading more about the night sky.
Then a few more nights on the telescope.
Sky said, "You can't keep this to yourself, Eli. You have to teach."
So I approached Rochelle Surry, the school principal, about setting up a telescope night by the fire pit outside the school. Justine put out a notice to our TDG social media.
