Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist
Memoir
Date Published: June 21, 2022
Publisher: Pawpress
Narrow escapes from bouts with The Potato were just the beginning
Having had a number of odd brushes with death, Author Chester (Chet) L.
Richards has always boldly gone where few have dared. His mantra: view all
that comes your way - the good, the terrifying, and the ugly - as a series
of adventures. Here are a few snippets his book, From The Potato to Star
Trek and Beyond: Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist:
"It took much practice, and many accidents, before I got the hang of
it. Even then, The Potato, in its death throes, did not always behave as a
Proper Sacrifice should and blazing hot molten lead would explode out from
the bubbling caldron." From The Potato
"He swung his rifle around and pointed it towards my belly, his finger
nervous on the trigger. I froze." From Land of Troubles
"One day, Judy and I were taken for a walk. We wandered around for a
bit, climbed a narrow flight of stairs and were ushered into the Sanctum
Sanctorum. There, waiting for us, was Gene Roddenberry." From Star
Trek
"My last vision of the raft, before I was driven to the black bottom
of the silty river, was of Terry, half overboard, his outside leg caught
between a maverick oar and the side of the boat." From Lava Falls
"'Three...two...one...fire!"...Hisssss...Pop! 'Uh, oh!' said the
technician as the meters all swung to zero and red lights lit up down the
length of the long control panel. My signals also had disappeared...'We just
blew up the [rocket engine] test stand.'" From Rocket Science
The loss of the love of his life, Sarah, knocked the stuffing out of Chet
initially. But writing these, the stories she loved, brought him back. May
reading them bring you the zest for life the author regained from recalling
them.
