Moon Monsters

            On Sunday morning I worked out the chords for the first verse of “J'ai déjà donné” (I Already Gave) by Serge Gainsbourg and the instrumental part before the second verse. I think all the verses are the same, so now it’s only the instrumentals that I need to figure out. 

            I weighed 85.9 kilos before breakfast. 

            I worked for a little while on my essay. 

            I weighed 86.2 kilos before lunch. I had an avocado, Campari tomato, scallion, cucumber, lettuce, and olive salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. 

            In the afternoon I took a bike ride to Yonge and Bloor. On my way down Yonge Street at around Gerrard, I stopped at the light and a young Chabad Hasidic Jew in a big black hat, holding what looked like a stack of little pizzas, approached me and said extremely quickly, “HappyPassoverareyouJewish?” I hadn’t seen this group out for a few years. They are famous for their outreach campaigns trying to draw secular Jews into the orthodox fold. I shook my head and moved on. But maybe if I’d said yes he might have given me one of his little matzo pizzas. A little south of Dundas Square they had their big van blasting music and someone was preaching over a loudspeaker. This group is unique because Jews are not usually into proselytizing. I stopped at the Horseshoe Tavern to pee on the way home. 

            I weighed 85.7 kilos at 17:20. 

            I worked for about an hour on my essay. I had a lettuce, avocado, cucumber, Campari tomato, scallion, radish, mushroom, and olive salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing while watching an episode of Astro Boy. 

            This story begins with Dr. Elefun being transported to the Moon but the ship goes missing just before it reaches orbit. Astro Boy is sent to the Moon to try to find his mentor. When he steps off the rocket he has to dodge a thrown sword. It was tossed by Filbert, the member of the Junior Squadron that was sent to pick him up. Filbert explains that he didn’t know at first if Astro Boy was an invader. On the way to the base, they come across a sentry post that has been attacked by invaders from outer space and all the guards have been taken. 

            Astro Boy meets the commander and his assistant Luna Moona. The commander explains that the Moon is constantly under attack by creatures from outer space who have also abducted Dr. Elefun. Astro Boy is to join the Junior Squadron to help quell the invasion. Suddenly they hear crashing sounds and run to investigate. It is Filbert fighting with another ranger named Tex over which of them is a spy. Astro Boy is given a squadron uniform and Filbert takes him to train. Astro Boy excels at the toughest tests such as obstacle courses and sword fighting robots. 

           Tex comes to continue the fight with Filbert and Astro Boy asks why they are always fighting. Tex explains that they are natural enemies because he is a McCutin and Filbert is a Catfield. The lieutenant stops them and asks why they are fighting this time. Filbert tells him it’s still over which of them is a spy. Astro Boy announces that there is no need to wonder who the spy is since his electronic brain detected the alien among them shortly after he arrived. The lieutenant demands that Astro Boy tell him who the spy is but Astro Boy says he can’t reveal that information yet. Just then the alarm is sounded and the squadron is sent to rescue a sentry post that is being attacked. 

            The aliens have wings and carry spears that also serve as ray guns. Astro Boy and the Squadron chase off the creatures but one of them remains behind because he is wounded. Astro Boy won’t let anyone harm the injured alien and because Astro Boy is kind to him he reveals where Dr. Elefun is being held. They go to a cave in Archimedes Crater and find the alien base. Dr. Elefun is trapped in a vertical tube. They fight with the monsters at close quarters until one of the creatures points his spear at Elefun and tells the squadron to drop their weapons. 

            They are all placed in glass tubes wearing headgear that serve as intelligence absorbers. Astro Boy radios the commander and tells him the situation. He asks him to make sure he brings Luna Moona with him. When they arrive Astro Boy smashes from his capsule and distracts the aliens while Luna Moona shuts down the tubes. There is a battle and the creatures escape but Elefun is rescued. 

            The commander announces that Luna is one of the creatures and she was transformed into human form and sent there as a spy. But Luna revealed herself to be good and the commander began to love her as if she were his daughter. 

            As they leave the crater they are surrounded by a fleet of alien saucers. Astro Boy acts as a decoy and begins attacking the ships. He leads them on a chase while the others escape. Then the squadron arrives and what alien spaceships they do not destroy are chased. Before leaving Astro Boy makes Tex and Filbert promise to stop fighting but afterward, they fight over who always starts the fights. 

            This episode was the only one in the 60s Astro Boy series to be shot in colour, although the one I watched is in black and white. It was a back door pilot for a spin-off series called “Seven”, about the adventures of the Junior Squadron, but the series was never made.