 What finally helped Ben make his final decision?
And yet, at the same time, to be filled with a terrible, gnawing fear—a fear locked in my mind during the day and bursting out like an evil jack-in-the-box at night. Perhaps if I start at the beginning, the very beginning.... The Academy, with its great halls and classrooms and laboratories, lay hollow and silent, an exhausted thing at sleep after spawning its first-born. And perhaps most important of all, they'll make other men think of the stars and look up at them and feel humility—for mankind needs humility." Just one, which I'd sent to Charlie Taggart. He was a veteran of Everson's first trip to the Moon nearly twenty-five years ago, and he was still at it. I remembered how, as a kid, I'd pestered him in the Long Island Spaceport, tagging after him like a puppy, and how he'd grown to like me until he became father, mother, and buddy all in one to me. The Universe was mighty big, but with two of us to face it together, it would be only half as big. And you, Laura, were with him. "Ben," he called, "don't forget that offer. A moment later Mickey said, frowning, "What was he talking about, Ben? That's what most of you want, isn't it? Then your last words came back and jabbed me: "That's what Mickey used to want."
 looking at the box Charlie left him
 finding out Charlie was dead  spending the evening with Laura  looking at the box Charlie left him  talking to Dean Dawson on the visiphone