The Astronaut Pharmacist!
Close but no cigar
A pharmacist would have been a very handy person to have as a mission specialist on any Apollo mission, at least that’s what My Tim thought back in the days of the Apollo space era. Perhaps everyone wanted to be an astronaut after the flurry of the moon landing on July 20, 1969. Imagine 40 years ago. Maybe everyone wanted to be an astronaut in the late ’60′s and early ’70′s but not everyone applied to be an astronaut. My husband, Tim, a pharmacist, DID!
Applying to be an astronaut is not an easy task. Attaining the paperwork, filling it out, getting it notarized, medical checkups and clearance, background checks, finger prints, and sheriff cards, financial statements, references, etc., etc., etc. were all part of the packet. Tim pursued it with zest and dreams sprinkled with stardust and soon became a full fledged astronaut in waiting.
During the years of waiting our family visited: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., NASA, Johnson Space Center Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center, and any rocket or space site between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
When Tim Harrington, R.PH. turned 55 years of age, he received a letter from NASA that they regretted informing him that his applicaiton for admission into the astronaut program was not longer applicable. It was not a sad day for Tim or our family, however, it was a proud day. Tim was our Astronaut Pharmacist. He didn’t have to go to the moon to prove his value here on earth. He didn’t have to plant a flag in rock or conduct experiments in floating labs.
Tim served his country in the United States Air Force and he flies a flag on every holiday in the front of our home. He saved the lives of many by filling their prescriptions and consulting with their medical concerns. He distributes food at a food bank at our church pantry and he serves meals to the homeless on holidays. Tim buys school supplies for children who would not outwise have them and anytime he gets the chance he speaks about space and the men and women who pioneered it.
The ones who were lucky to go to the stars and see them up close. The ones who went faster and further than any other people on earth.
I say to my Astronaut Pharmacist, yes, those men and women who were selected to be astronauts did go further and fast and they saw the stars up closer but they are no nearer to the honor of a man than my Tim.
