Max's Lunar Selfie

The year is 2077. Max, a freckled-faced kid with a wild imagination, had one goal: to go to the moon, just like his astronaut father. So, he devised a plan. A daring, slightly crazy plan.

He knew his dad, Commander Leo Maxwell, was leading the next lunar mission. Somehow, some way, Max was going to be on that ship. After weeks of sneaking around, observing routines, and packing astronaut ice cream, he did it. He stowed away in a supply closet just before launch.

The journey was bumpy, loud, and utterly thrilling. He stayed hidden amongst the zero-gravity juice boxes, clutching his dad's old space explorer action figure, until they landed.

When the hatch hissed open, Max figured it was his moment. He floated out of the closet, ready to explore the lunar surface. Unfortunately, his timing was off. Commander Maxwell turned, saw his son drifting in the corridor, and his face went from excited anticipation to complete shock.

"Max! What in the name of Neil Armstrong are you doing here?!"

Max gulped. He hadn't thought this part through. "I… I wanted to see the moon, Dad."

Commander Maxwell sighed. He couldn't help but be a little impressed by his son's tenacity. But rules were rules. "Well, you're here now. But you're grounded. Lunar-grounded."

He wasn't really grounded, of course. The commander wouldn't leave him alone on the moon. But to make a point, he tasked Max with taking some geological samples right outside the lunar module. Max, still wearing his too-big space suit, trudged into the dusty landscape.

He looked around. The Earth hung like a bright blue marble in the black sky. The landscape was desolate, magnificent. Grinning, Max pulled out his phone. He snapped a selfie – a picture of himself on the moon, grounded but free. It was the ultimate 'wish you were here' moment.

Later, that selfie would go viral. Max became known as "The Moon Kid," the boy who took the ultimate selfie. And though he got into a bit of trouble, he also got to live out his dream – even if it involved a little bit of lunar-grounding.