Many people can clearly remember July 20, 1969, when Astronaut Neil Armstrong first set foot on the surface of the moon. The first words he spoke when he stepped down on the lunar surface are etched in the hearts and minds of people all over the world - "That's one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind."
Unfortunately, most people are unaware that 55 minutes later when he prepared to re-board the Lunar Lander - before his last foot left the surface, Neil Armstrong said loudly - "Good luck, Mr. Gorsky."
The engineers and support technicians at NASA thought that causal remark was something to get the ire of the Soviet cosmonauts. Never, ever did Neil Armstrong explain or reveal this remark until July 5, 1995.
On this hot Wednesday afternoon during a press conference, a senior reporter who had covered the space program for many years asked Neil point blank about that often forgotten Gorsky comment on the surface of the moon. "What was that about? Was it really to make a jab at the Russians?"
Neil smiled with that wonderful grin of his and said, "Well, I can probably explain that remark now; Mr. Gorsky passed away a few years back and I don't think he would mind."
"You see, when I was a kid in a small Midwestern town back around 1938, I was playing baseball with some friends in my backyard. One of the guys hit the ball hard and it flew over the fence into a neighbor's yard and I ran over to get it."
"As I was walked into their yard, I heard our neighbors - Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky - in a very heated argument. I had no idea what caused the argument and I did not stay to listen; but I distinctly remember hearing Mrs. Gorsky tell Mr. Gorsky the next time you'll have sex with me is when that little Armstrong kid next door walks on the moon."
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