When Frank Sinatra sang those lyrics in 1965, the mood was purely romantic. Today, uttering those same words would have Elon Musk or Samuel Peralta signing you up for one of their forthcoming space missions.

If you don’t know who Elon Musk is, you’ve clearly been doing the Rip Van Winkle thing. But who — you might well be asking — is Samuel Peralta? That was my question when I stumbled across an article several days ago about something called “Lunar Codex.” I had never heard of that, either, so I read on.

In all honesty, the technical aspects of it are light years beyond my comprehension. But here’s a brief description of Mr. Peralta’s stated goal:

“I dreamed of going to the Moon and one day it was possible. I’m sharing that dream with many of the artists, authors, musicians, and filmmakers whose work I love.

”Welcome, my name is Samuel Peralta. The Lunar Codex is that dream realized, a collection of works from tens of thousands of creative artists across the globe, launched in time capsules to the Moon.”

Okay, then.

Science fiction? Apparently not . . . or not for long, anyway, according to Mr. Peralta, who sees his plans intersecting with those of NASA in sending scientific instruments and other payloads to the Moon between this year and 2026 under the aegis of its “Artemis” program. I’d have to hear more of what NASA has to say about that, but for now, let’s just take Mr. Peralta at his word.

So this of course started me thinking about what else I’d like to find waiting for me when I relocate to a nice little retirement villa on the Moon, beyond his string of art galleries and movie theaters. And this is what I came up with.

First, because the Moon’s gravitational pull is so many degrees less than Earth’s, I’m hoping someone will have designed some sort of magnetic footwear to help us keep our feet on the ground — literally. Something comfy in a size 8M for me, please. I have enough problems staying upright already, and I do not need to be floating around, bumping into my neighbors, their pets, or the nearest oak tree.

As a senior citizen, I would be most interested in employing a personal robot who would keep my little house spotlessly clean and prepare my simple and delicious meals for me. It would also be nice if she enjoyed playing Scrabble.

The TV schedules would be filled with quality programming for people of all ages and interests, and not just a steady diet of sex and violence. And those, if they’re included at all, should be limited to late-night viewing after the kiddies are asleep.

Next: Flowers. Lots and lots of flowers, flowering trees and shrubs, and parks everywhere. I’ve always wanted to live in a garden.

There would be lovely little shops, run by friendly, helpful people, and selling beautiful, unique goods. Sort of like Cape Cod. And an ice cream shoppe on every corner, please.

All of the streets would have moving sidewalks, and there would be no steps anywhere. There would be bicycle lanes, and people would adhere to the traffic laws, as they do in Copenhagen, Denmark, where there are far fewer traffic accidents than in our cities in the United States. And if it snows on the Moon, all of the streets and sidewalks would be heated in the winter.

For the young and able-bodied, we should have beautiful spaces for outdoor activities: hiking, camping, swimming, fishing, golf, tennis, etc. And walking trails in the villages for less strenuous exercise.

Parents and teachers shall be required by law to teach children respect, manners, honesty, care and consideration for others, and the virtue of obeying their elders. Discipline shall be fair but stern, and children shall be taught to take responsibility for their own behavior. Actions shall have consequences.

The Moon shall consist of one large country, so there will be no need for wars or “special military operations.” In fact, there shall be no need for military anything — just local police forces to uphold the laws. There shall be no guns or other weaponry — not for the police or for any citizen. When life is good, you don’t need guns. *

* Note: Just yesterday, it was reported that India has successfully landed a spacecraft on the south pole of the Moon, so I may be stretching it a bit to wish for one big country. Crap! That means all my other wishes would apply only to the American territory. And here we go again . . .

The government on the Moon should be established in strict accordance with the original Constitution of the United States and its Amendments. No messing around, no special interests, and any politician caught breaking or circumventing any law or regulation would immediately be banished and sent back to Earth.

Taxes shall be no more than necessary for the efficient operation of the government, and every person shall pay the same percentage, with no special tax shelters for the rich.

Medical care and prescriptions, as well as health insurance, shall be reasonably priced, and of the highest quality. This is not socialized medicine; you still have the right to choose your own doctors, and the doctors do not work for the government.

There shall be free education for all, through four years of college. If Finland can do it on Earth, we should be able to manage it on the Moon.

*. *. *

There’s probably more, but this is all I can think of right now, except for one very important first item: When boarding the space ship that will take us to our new home on the Moon, there will be a gigantic sign reading, “No bias, discrimination, fanaticism, injustice, racism, sexism, ageism, unfairness, narrow-mindedness, partiality, or hatred of any sort permitted on the Moon. WE MEAN IT. Only happy people are allowed. And pets, of course, because they’re perfect.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
8/24/23