... the dimming of the light... (part 10)

… the dimming of the light… (Part 10)

Peter Hunter

Day 9

We had never seen the Colonel so excited…
… he seemed ten years younger and his normal solemn face had the excited flush of a schoolboy… '… in the attic…' he almost was reduced to grasping as he held up an ancient-looking radio… 'This is my old short band two-way radio. A hobby when I was young… used to talk to other amateur radio enthusiasts all over the world. I was what they called radio HAM.'
Very appropriate was my unspoken thought, 'does it still work?
'Needs a battery' he answered 'could use the one in the car.
'I've a better idea…' suggested Chris, 'there's an old car battery in the garage 'one I replaced recently in the Toyota. It still has some charge left in it…'
'and we can use the solar powered tickle charge I use to keep the tractor battery topped up… even on these dull January days it should produce enough charge to allow the old car battery to drive that radio…'
While Chris departed to set up the battery and solar trickle charger… I used the opportunity to discuss what the Colonel thoughts were about what could only be described as growing resentment in the village…
… perhaps the population in general - towards those who had more than they in any struggle for survival. In particular I wanted his opinion on the morality or the need to share with others. Unsurprisingly, being an ex military man - he was hard line.
'I expect most will end up at each others throats' the old colonel had seen most of it… different countries and places… many situations. His words were worth listening to…
… 'When great problems arise - folk change… turn on their own kind. It becomes even more the survival of the fittest - gangs, tribes - inevitably violence. I suggest this is just the hint of the start of it. if this situation continues within weeks we will see the very worst of human nature…
… You have guns and I have a gun… before this winter is out I am sure we will have used them… hope you have plenty of cartridges… it wont be birds and animals you're using them on.'
'Not… a great future - OK. Not just a struggle to survive returning to a literarily dark age…
… But reverting to animals ourselves…' I mused.
'it could come to that.' Observed the colonel… 'But meanwhile I have to make a short wave radio aerial somehow…'

(To be continued…)

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