He walks into the crowd and a space is quietly made for him, only the children and the old shuddering as he passes by. They laugh and shout as the floats and bands march by. He watches the children’s balloons bounce gaily as their parent’s hold them up to see the old space capsule roll by, surrounded by an honor guard. Satisfied, he turns and reads the banners, each saying the same thing, ‘Welcome Home, Major Tom, Welcome Home’. With a smile, he walks up to the battered, blackened shell and walks beside it, leading it home, his old friend.