Chapter 19

[Preservation – Jim in Salt Lake City]

"If it's okay with the Colonel, then I guess we're in."

Bill got up, went over to the table where the Colonel was eating, and talked a minute. The Colonel looked up and saw Sheila and Linda. He stared a moment and then nodded. Bill said something and then returned. He said, "It's official. The Colonel says you two are part of the radio team."

We went back to the radio room. I explained the equipment to the sisters. They both quickly understood the setup because of their father's station. Sheila asked a number of questions that revealed a considerable knowledge. Linda sat down in front of the radio and tuned to the eighty meter band. She stopped at various frequencies and called CQ. She had a low, melodious voice that would work well over a radio. If anyone were there, they would have responded. I know I would have quickly.

She got up and Sheila took her place and tuned to forty meters. She worked through the frequencies calling CQ at a number of points. If you hadn't heard Linda's voice, hers would have entranced you. She was still a close second to her sister in sound.

"Guys," I said, "it looks like they know what they're doing. You had best work on learning fast to catch up."

Will and Bill both nodded. They looked a bit sheepish.

Linda smiled mischievously, "Don't worry. We'll help you." The guys grinned at that. I did, too. Both girls were attractive, though not beautiful. I thought of Cathy and realized that being busy had helped keep me from thinking of my loss. Tears came to my eyes.

Sheila gave me a hug and said, "What's wrong, Jim?"

I was crying now as a startled Sheila let me hug her. Bill said, "He lost a good friend. She was shot by the marauders. We buried her. They had traveled together from the east coast all the way out here."

My tears were slowing. I hadn't realized how much I had missed her presence until just then. "Thanks, guys. She was a good friend. I miss her and didn't realize how much until just now." I looked over at Bill and said, "Did the Colonel tell you to keep me busy?"

He nodded, "Yes, he wanted you to get us on the air but he also felt you needed to be busy and get over your loss. We have all gone through it since the Day. I suggest you talk to Mrs. Harriman."

"Who's she?"

"She is now the Colonel's wife and is a good person to have around." He looked up and said loudly, "Mother, could you join us?"

A tall, skinny woman came up. Rail thin, she was over fifty and looked severe until you saw her eyes. They drew you to her and made you realize that no problem was too big for her. "Bill, what's going on? Can I help?"

Bill said, "Jim, here, lost a friend and is helping us. I think we can take a break and give you a chance to meet him."

I looked up at her with my eyes still brimming with tears. "Young man, let's go over there and sit down. Bill, take the rest of you off and get a Coke." She went over to a sofa in the room and sat down patting the seat beside her. I sort of stumbled over and sat down next to her. She reached over and took my hand. She looked at me with those deep blue eyes and said softly, "Tell me about her."

I cried for a while again. "I wasn't her lover but we were friends, companions, in our travels." I went on to tell her my story even before the Day and up until now. All through it, she held my hand and looked at me with those eyes. You can lose a lot of sorrow in her eyes. Finally, I ran down.

She squeezed my hand gently but firmly. You will meet the right girl. You came close three times, two of them romantic, but it will happen. It is natural for you to be worried that you are bad luck and it's tough to lose people. We have all lost so many people. We have to go onward and continue to care and to help people. You are doing that here. You will meet the right person for you. When you meet her, you will know it and so will she." She eased her hand from mine and reached into a pocket pulling out a handkerchief. She dabbed my eyes gently. For some reason, I felt understood and that she cared for me and the world would work out all right.

She looked at me and said with a friendly tone, "Now, what are you trying to do with all these wires and electronic boxes?"

I grinned then realizing she was lightening the tone. "The wires are antennas and the boxes are ham radios. We hooked them up and talked to a man in Madrid, Spain, earlier. Later, I plan to talk to some folk that I met in my travels."

"Very good. If you don't mind, I would like to stay for a while and listen."

I actually smiled, "Ma'am, you are welcome to stay or do anything you want."

She smiled back at me, "Raymond said you were a smart young man. He's right."

I realized with a little shock that "Raymond" had to be the Colonel. I had thought of him as a bit of a martinet and a manipulator. I realized then that there was more to him than that public persona.

We sat together companionably for a few minutes until the radio team returned. Nothing was mentioned but they all got busy. Sheila and Linda sat together at the desk with the radios while the guys stood around them. Linda tuned to twenty meters and began calling CQ, waiting, and then moving on when there was no response.

Sheila looked over at me. "Was it always this way?"

"No," I replied, "before the Day, a woman's voice would always get a response. Most hams are male and women were always appreciated on the air and treated courteously."

I looked at the time. We had two clocks, one set to local time and the other set to Zulu or UTC time. I noted that it was time for Juan and told Linda to tune to 14.300 MHz and call for him.

"This is Linda in Salt Lake City, Utah, calling Juan in Madrid. Utah calling Juan in Madrid. Over." She looked up and said, "Did I do all right?"

"Yes, very all right?" Right then, a startled voice came on.

"This is Juan in Madrid. Where is AZQ? Over."

I took the mike. "Juan, this is Jim, KG4AZQ in Utah. Linda is one of our radio group. Over."

"Okay. You surprise me. Over."

Linda took the mike back. "Juan, there are four of us other than Jim in our radio group. Do you have any help? Over."

"No, but, with someone to talk to, they may join me. Over."

"We will do that. Over."

"This is Juan in Madrid. Is there anyone else on this frequency? Over."

Linda started to key the mike and then stopped. We heard dead air for thirty seconds or so. She keyed the mike, "I heard no one, Juan. Over."

"I heard no one either, Linda. Can you stand for a few minutes? I want to get some other people to come here and talk. Over."

"Yes. Linda is standing by."

"Linda, call CQ while we wait." I said.

"CQ. CQ. This is Linda in Salt Lake City, Utah, calling CQ and standing by. Over." We waited a long thirty seconds and she called again.

Faintly, we heard, "This is Arturo in Manila, Philippines. Do you read me, Linda? Over."

"Arturo, this is Linda in Utah. You are faint but clear. Over."

"Linda, it is good to hear someone. You have strong signal. We are twenty here in suburb of Manila. We have power out many times. We need help. Is government in US? Over."

"Arturo, we have no government here. We are fifty here. Juan in Madrid has twenty. He should be back in a few minutes. Over."

"Si. I understand. It is hard. Many people died. We leave Manila for farms. Food is problem. Over."

Linda hesitated. She looked around at the rest of us, "Isn't there something we can do for them?"

Mother Harriman frowned and shook her head, "Not yet, and probably not in time."

Linda took the mike, "I understand, Arturo. We have same problem here. Will you take radio and antenna with you? Over."

"Si. We will have radio and antenna. We will have batteries and hand crank generator to revive batteries. Over."

"Linda, this is Juan. I hear him faint. Over."

"Arturo, do you hear Juan in Madrid? Over."

"Juan, es Arturo en Philippine. Over."

"Arturo, you are faint but I read. Linda, is good to hear other person. I have four with me today. Over."

"Juan, this is Linda. We are six here with Jim and me. Over to Arturo."

"Juan, is good to hear you. Linda say you have twenty in Madrid. We are twenty in Manila. Linda, you have many people. Over to Juan."

"Un Momento." There was a pause as Juan's mike unkeyed. He came back on and said, "We have problem. I must go. Tomorrow at one six hundred Zulu. Over and out."

"Linda, this is Arturo. What happen?"

"Arturo, I am not sure. Juan had to leave. He said he would call tomorrow at sixteen hundred Zulu. That is all I know. Over."

"I understand. I call again tomorrow at this time. Okay? Over."

"I agree. Someone from our group will be here then. Linda out."

We discussed what might have been the problem for Juan. Finally, I said, "We don't know. It's late afternoon there. Hopefully, we will find out tomorrow. Let's go to forty meters and check on my friends."

I sat at the desk and tuned to forty meters with all four watching what I was doing. I tuned to 7.185 MHz and called CQ for Ben and then for Roger. Both responded. I told them where I was and what had happened to Cathy. Both expressed sadness for her loss. They asked me to tell them about Salt Lake City which I did. Roger explained that he was heading south. Ben said that they were in South Carolina and had found some farms that they were working. He said that they were trying to prepare for winter. I laughingly told him that winter in South Carolina was around forty degrees above zero and little, if any, snow. He sounded a bit surprised when he replied. "Maine was different," he said.

I introduced the radio crew and Bill, Will, Sheila, and Linda each took a turn at the mike. I told them that I expected to head east for Richmond soon. We all signed off.