Fairground on the Moon

There was once a little girl who lived by a park. She dreamed of a fairground on the Moon, and told her parents she would like to go there one day.
"Oh, no," they answered. "You may play in the park, but don't ever cross the road by yourself!"
The little girl grew up. She went to school and even finished it, but she still didn't like to cross the road by herself.
"You may take the bus to the city," said her parents, "but don't stay there alone after dark. It's not safe."
Later, she graduated and got her diplomas. But she still didn't like being in the city alone at night.
"You can go to Europe if you like," said her professor. "But do you want my advice? Don't stay there. It's better here."
So she went to Europe, and then she came back home. But after a while, she went back to live there, even though she felt guilty for not taking advice.
Her friends were sad, and they told her, "Whatever you do, don't marry a German. You would have to stay there forever!" So she didn't. But she still hated to be alone.
Years later, she went to the new Moon colony for a holiday.
"That's fine," said her boss. "Just don't go any further!" So she walked around on the Moon.
She found the fairground she had heard of as a child, and decided to try low-G trampoline jumping. She got in the harness and jumped higher ad higher. Then – snap! – the rubber cable broke, and the force of the jump carried her up into space. People down below ran about shouting, and some rushed off to get a spaceship while she sailed off into the blackness. She heard nothing but the sound of her own breathing. At least there was plenty of air in the tank.
The Moon grew smaller beneath her, and she saw the Earth beyond, and the sight tugged at her heart.
All my life, people have told me things I shouldn't do. Mostly I did them and felt bad. I crossed the road when I was big enough; I was in plenty of cities alone after dark; I did not marry a German, but I did go to the fairground on the Moon. And finally I am now beyond the Moon. I always had a guilty feeling, but I did these things anyway. And where did it get me? Out here all alone. I think it's time to go home.
Peering at the Earth, she waited, and prayed.
Presently a ship came and got her, and she returned to the Moon. Then she returned to Europe, packed her cat and quit her job, and went all the way home to the house by the park.
Later she married the boy next door, and crossed the road whenever she felt like it. And she told her children: "If you want to search earth and sky for love, go ahead. But I'll tell you a good place to start: Love thy neighbour!"