Street Talk 2-6

Question: Where were you when you first learned about the Columbia space shuttle disaster? What has been your reaction to what happened?

Ruth Fishman, Montclair, NJ, retired, 71

“We were watching television and I said, ‘Oh my God, I think the shuttle blew up,’ and my husband said, ‘No it didn’t. They just lost contact.’ Then, like most people, we just sat riveted and it was, yet again, another horror to sit glued to the TV watching unfolding. I hope they don’t find out it was a cost-effect measure not to repair something. If so, I hope they tell us, but I doubt it.”

Erv Fishman, Montclair, NJ, retired, 72

“We were in the Holiday Inn at Punta Gorda surfing the TV for news and we saw a reference to it and it kind of took me aback and then I realized, within a minute or so, that the shuttle on reentering had started disintegrating. Then I went from news channel to news channel. I don’t think it will affect the country’s morale. It’ll be a media event for a couple of days then go away.”

Celeste Cooper, Chicago, program manager, 36

“We were on a cruise ship to the Bahamas. We walked around and CNN was on all the TV’s on the cruise ship. It certainly darkened things. So tragic. It’s a tragic thing. I hope it doesn’t stifle the space program. I hope not, but I think it will slow things down.”

Charles Johnson, Des Moines, IA, sales, 29

“I was in my hotel room watching it on CNN. It had just happened. I flipped back a couple of times during the day. It didn’t affect me, not really. I was surprised by how much coverage there was. There’s not much in the news right now and people are sick of the Iraq story. It was bad for the families of the astronauts and the space program, but it didn’t affect me personally, no.”

Bruce Gould, New York City, child psychiatrist, 34 

“I was sitting in my friend’s apartment when my girlfriend called and said the space shuttle exploded over New Jersey. (She and her family are very Jersey-centric.) I immediately turned on CNN and saw the horrifying video and saw that it was Texas. I watched on and off throughout the day. I’m saddened, but I also understand the risks of space flight and the benefits justify the risks.”

(photos & interviews by Tony Guzman)