Long before man landed on the moon, when I was seven years old, someone bought me a tin, Made-In-China, mechanical astronaut. It was operated by two batteries in its backpack and had a nifty light in its helmet. It was my favorite toy for a long time. I kept it through 2004, then finally placed it up for sale in our Elvencraft shop since none of my children and grandchildren wanted it. My spiritual son F. eventually bought it.

I recall that, when I was seven, I turned the toy on and set it loose under the bed every night, and that was what I went to sleep by. It always made me feel that I was safe and well-protected, with an elementary roaming the floor below me.