The Illustrated Man

A junkman, Fiorello Bodoni, dreams of riding a rocket. When he is certain his “kind wife” Maria is asleep (245), he sneaks out at night to watch them. On one such evening, he shares with an elderly neighbor, Bramante, that he will ride a rocket one day. Bramante shoots him down, arguing that rockets are only for rich people. Bodoni tells him that he has saved up enough money over six years to send one member of his family on a rocket trip, but Bramante calls him a fool again, saying that whoever gets to go will be envied by the others. He advises Bodoni spend his money on something he needs for his business instead and let his family “be content with being poor. Turn their eyes to their hands and to your junk yard, not up to the stars” (245-27).

Nevertheless, the next morning at breakfast, Bodoni tells his family that he has enough money to send one person to space. At first, they argue over it, then draw straws, but slowly each member of the family realizes that they could not bear to go without the others. Disappointed, but selfless, they decide no one should go.

In the junkyard the next day, a man named Mr.