Rocket Man by William Elliot Hazelgrove

As I approach that time in life others have said should be "gentle time, learn to laugh" I am more inclined to go with Dylan Thomas' "rage, rage at the dying of the light, do not go gentle into that good night." After reading Rocket Man by William Elliot Hazelgrove I realized that Thomas had the right idea. Yossarian, from Catch 22 fame, meets middle age in the suburbs: "That men would die is a matter of necessity; which men would die is a matter of circumstance."

Rocket Man is one of those novels that brings together drama and comedy in perfect form to make it true life art. At some point in your life, you are going to meet each one of the characters Hargrove brings to life, maybe not in the same relationships as he describes, but believe me, you will know them when you meet them. From the book you'll receive a reminder of life from what it was like when you were a child growing up; to the gnawing impact of middle age; and a glimpse of life as you enter the alleged mature retirement years... "the glory of altruism may be nothing more than walking out and going home."

The characters are well developed but not predictable and just when you think you know where something or someone is going, the story turns on you and leads you down another path for more fun, drama and retrospective personal moments.

It was either or both Charlie Brown or Jean Paul Satre who said "Hell is other people" and through his prose Hazelgrove brings that feeling to light. Whether it is those people we meet in coffee shops; the mall or through our jobs; in social or semi-political organizations; or our children's lives, one day you realize - as Dale senior tells us - "The world wants your balls and usually gets it." But he also reminds us "Everybody has their day in the pickle barrel, and this is yours, but you'll get out."

As I finished the book, I remembered way back in time when I had gone to the school's back parking lot and submitted a rocket I had built for a science project for launch. I was there by myself so, until now, I had no one to share the joy of watching the rocket take off, rise into the clouds, reach its final height and like magic out popped the parachute that brought it back to me.

I kept that rocket for years, packing it with loving care each time I moved. As Wendy said, "It's beautiful, Dale." So belated thanks to Dale, my science teacher Mr. Thane and William Elliot Hazelgrove for the memories.

Nearly 2500 years ago Aeschylus could have been talking about Rocket Man when he wrote in The Oresteian Trilogy:

By cunning we die, precisely as we killed.
Hand me the man axe, someone, hurry!
Now we will see. Win all or lose all,
we have come to this - the crisis of our lives.

I won't tell you how Rocket Man the book ends as I'm not sure it really will ever end. But once you read it, you will have to decide how your own personal version of Rocket Man ends; or at least whether on the path in life you choose you will seek continuing adventure or stop and climb a tree and spend your life counting the leaves.

Robert "Ice B" Gorham

Photo: flickr (carleyware)

See also: http://troybear.blogspot.com/2009/04/harmony-review-of-rocket-man-novel.html