how about you taking on the role of
fresh meat and produce supplier for the community? Figure out a plan, and then we’ll find a way to
make it happen.”
Josh considered my proposal. He looked
around the group as if searching for another person who might be better qualified. I could see he
was wrestling with the task, looking around our
group for help, but also understanding he was the
best person to make it happen. “I’ll try to put
something together for tomorrow. You need to understand, it’s not going to be some highfalutin strategic plan, but I’ll put my thoughts down on paper.”
“Josh, that’s all I can ask. Everyone just
needs to do the best they can. The good news is we
have a lot of skills now, and I believe we’ll be successful.”
The techies were still busy making their
plans. They had found some blank sheets of paper
and were making sketches. George was clearly the
lead expert, but Jessie, Bill, and Greg were also
busy drawing.
The kids had been pushed off to bed. Margaret had found a baby crib in an upscale specialty
store on Fifth Avenue for Carla, but she said she
would put it together when we moved up to the
university. All of Blaine’s guestrooms were now
full, and we were doubling up in the rooms with
twin beds.
Blaine was busy in his office. He was sipping a snifter filled with some port wine. He poured
me a glass, and I sat down on the easy-chair in the
corner of the room. Blaine sat down and turned his
desk chair toward me. “We stopped by the Naples
airport today. I found a small Piper Cub with a
short takeoff run. I’ll be able to land it on any twolane road. I think it’s time to expand our search.
The internet’s not working, but I checked the university campus out on my car’s navigation system.
There’s a straight stretch of road on the campus
about 3500 feet long. The Piper Cub needs about
3000 feet to take off. I’m going to fly the plane up
there tomorrow.”
“Great idea Blaine. While you’re up in the
air, how about flying down to Marco Island to see if
you can find any survivors there?”
“I’ll do that. Oh, and by the way, I stopped
at a marine supply store and found some hand operated bilge pumps with extra-long hoses. We
should keep one in each of our cars. We can use it
to pump gasoline from underground storage tanks
at gas stations.”
Blaine and I walked back out onto the lanai. The techies were done. George called everyone
over. “We’ve got two projects for tomorrow, and
we’re looking for volunteers. I’m going to be working on the solar array system at the university.
We’re going to try to redirect power from the engineering campus to North Lake Village. That’s
where we’re going to live.
“Second project is to work at the water filtration plant. We need to start it up as soon as
possible. Tomorrow we’ll be setting up solar arrays
to allow us to generate electricity and operate the
well pumps. We’re going to need people who are
mechanically inclined. Everyone who wants to help
on the water filtration project, talk to Bill or Jessie.
If you want to help out on powering up our apartments, see me.”
Greg, Patty, Stan, Frank, and Josh reported
to Bill and Jessie. Emily, Sally, Margaret, Janet,
Mary and Ruth walked over to see George. Beth
volunteered to take care of the kids. That left me
without a commitment. “I’m going to go back and
forth between the two projects, and if anyone
needs supplies, I’ll be the go to guy. Tomorrow,
Blaine’s going to fly his plane over to Marco Island
to look for survivors.”
With everything set for tomorrow’s activities, we all wandered off to our bedrooms for some
much-needed rest. Memories of the last few
months continued to invade my attempt to fall
asleep. I wondered if they would ever fade away. I
tried to think of something pleasant, something
from my childhood, but even that didn’t work. I
finally fell asleep wondering whether my ex-partner
Bruce was still
fresh meat and produce supplier for the community? Figure out a plan, and then we’ll find a way to
make it happen.”
Josh considered my proposal. He looked
around the group as if searching for another person who might be better qualified. I could see he
was wrestling with the task, looking around our
group for help, but also understanding he was the
best person to make it happen. “I’ll try to put
something together for tomorrow. You need to understand, it’s not going to be some highfalutin strategic plan, but I’ll put my thoughts down on paper.”
“Josh, that’s all I can ask. Everyone just
needs to do the best they can. The good news is we
have a lot of skills now, and I believe we’ll be successful.”
The techies were still busy making their
plans. They had found some blank sheets of paper
and were making sketches. George was clearly the
lead expert, but Jessie, Bill, and Greg were also
busy drawing.
The kids had been pushed off to bed. Margaret had found a baby crib in an upscale specialty
store on Fifth Avenue for Carla, but she said she
would put it together when we moved up to the
university. All of Blaine’s guestrooms were now
full, and we were doubling up in the rooms with
twin beds.
Blaine was busy in his office. He was sipping a snifter filled with some port wine. He poured
me a glass, and I sat down on the easy-chair in the
corner of the room. Blaine sat down and turned his
desk chair toward me. “We stopped by the Naples
airport today. I found a small Piper Cub with a
short takeoff run. I’ll be able to land it on any twolane road. I think it’s time to expand our search.
The internet’s not working, but I checked the university campus out on my car’s navigation system.
There’s a straight stretch of road on the campus
about 3500 feet long. The Piper Cub needs about
3000 feet to take off. I’m going to fly the plane up
there tomorrow.”
“Great idea Blaine. While you’re up in the
air, how about flying down to Marco Island to see if
you can find any survivors there?”
“I’ll do that. Oh, and by the way, I stopped
at a marine supply store and found some hand operated bilge pumps with extra-long hoses. We
should keep one in each of our cars. We can use it
to pump gasoline from underground storage tanks
at gas stations.”
Blaine and I walked back out onto the lanai. The techies were done. George called everyone
over. “We’ve got two projects for tomorrow, and
we’re looking for volunteers. I’m going to be working on the solar array system at the university.
We’re going to try to redirect power from the engineering campus to North Lake Village. That’s
where we’re going to live.
“Second project is to work at the water filtration plant. We need to start it up as soon as
possible. Tomorrow we’ll be setting up solar arrays
to allow us to generate electricity and operate the
well pumps. We’re going to need people who are
mechanically inclined. Everyone who wants to help
on the water filtration project, talk to Bill or Jessie.
If you want to help out on powering up our apartments, see me.”
Greg, Patty, Stan, Frank, and Josh reported
to Bill and Jessie. Emily, Sally, Margaret, Janet,
Mary and Ruth walked over to see George. Beth
volunteered to take care of the kids. That left me
without a commitment. “I’m going to go back and
forth between the two projects, and if anyone
needs supplies, I’ll be the go to guy. Tomorrow,
Blaine’s going to fly his plane over to Marco Island
to look for survivors.”
With everything set for tomorrow’s activities, we all wandered off to our bedrooms for some
much-needed rest. Memories of the last few
months continued to invade my attempt to fall
asleep. I wondered if they would ever fade away. I
tried to think of something pleasant, something
from my childhood, but even that didn’t work. I
finally fell asleep wondering whether my ex-partner
Bruce was still
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