She opened the Bible to Psalms to read and pray. She read Psalms 128 and felt reassured.
It was Karen’s winter of despair. Each month she remained barren, and now she had lost Samuel.
134.
“I am going to build a radio broadcast station,” Doron excitedly announced Saturday night to the entire Nuclear War Club. They were all sitting around Mike and Chloe’s table, eating dinner.
“You can do it. I am not surprised, it’s just the next step after geek.peek,” Karen said immediately, when others seemed to be skeptical.
Doron researched the engineering, and then Mike and David helped him transport AM, FM, and shortwave transmitters to Beulah on flat bed semi-trucks, using cranes. He used the old Federal Communication Commission regulations on what was not permitted as his guide to blast his signal all across America. Mike invented several clever tricks to help him boost his signal, and spill it over several channels.
Doron ran cables to the Appalachian foothills, then erected a transmitter and an antenna on a cable strung across two peaks to make his radio station a “blowtorch”. It was amazing what could be done when you did not need to get any government permits for anything. He modestly called the radio station Radio America.
“We will broadcast on 550 for the AM station because the signal penetrated farther,” he told Mike.
“There are no rules, we can hog more than one channel,” Mike assured him. Radio America was operational on FM. Shortwave, and splattered all over the AM band within a week.
Once a week, every Saturday afternoon, Doron would broadcast for six hours from three pm to nine pm. The rest of the week the radio station was on stealth mode for emergencies, that is broadcasting silence so you could leave your radio turned on, and only be interrupted with any emergencies.
Usually he broadcast music, and then an old NFL football radio broadcast from the library he had found. It was always football season on Radio America. Sometimes he would broadcast an old World Series game, and he commented on whatever he was interested in that week.
“Doron, can I have a short, fifteen minute program broadcasting religious music?” Karen asked. She wanted to broadcast prerecorded songs that brought an uplifting Spirit from Rich Mullins, Chris Tomlin, and Revelation Song by Kari Jobe when she had been young in her pink housecoat, recorded long ago onto a CD from You-tube.
“Yes, if, in return, you agree to broadcast a live, fifteen minute talk show on women’s topics or whatever interests you once a week,” Doron countered.
“I have never been on radio,” Karen explained.
“You will be fine. It’s not like we have ratings competition,” Doron explained.
But Doron knew she would be a natural broadcaster. He had been surprised to discover he was not a natural broadcaster. Karen was passionate and enthusiastic. He would focus on getting advertisers through intricate barter arrangements, or payment in Texas Alamos, the new gold coins.
One day Karen was programming his computer for the songs, and she told Doron he should read a service for Jewish listeners from the Torah.
“I don’t believe the Torah,” Doron said. “I don’t even believe in God.”
“Doron, it’s not about you,” Karen explained softly, then dropped the matter.
Doron scoffed, but kept the idea in mind. Karen seemed to know these things, he remembered she had insisted he have a sidewalk for his parents. He actually wrote a radio script later with him reading from the Torah.
If he was going to fake a belief in any religion, it would be Judaism, he thought. He told Karen, who encouraged him, but then she said casually, “But Doron, do not claim to be a Rabbi.”
“Of course not,” Doron replied, rolling his eyes.
“I can see you thinking if you read the Torah on the radio, naturally you would qualify as one of the greatest Rabbis of all time,” Karen explained.
Doron thought that was certainly true, but he just waved dismissively.
“I wouldn’t comment either, just read the Torah, then sign off,” Karen pressed.
“Remember-even a fool is thought wise if he remains silent,” Karen quoted.
After she left, and he was sure he was gone, he struck the word “Rabbi” from his written introduction-“This is Rabbi Doron Cohen for Radio America”.
Doron did start a religious program following Karen’s each week, “Ten Minutes of Torah,” without once claiming to be a Rabbi. The show was dedicated to his Grandfather. He decided to only read the Torah- without his analysis- not because Karen said so, but because he didn’t have time to write comments.
Karen was only half right, reading the Torah was also for Doron, not just his audience. It began to sink into his mind. Ashley would discuss the readings with him at dinner, and Doron began to appreciate just how smart she was, how she had perspectives he had never considered.
Doron also began to replay in his mind Samuel’s Bible stories. He wondered whether they had been used to communicate truths specifically for him, through the selection of stories Samuel asked him to read. He decided that was absurd, Samuel was only 4 years old. But his mind grappled with the concept, as if he was missing something. Samuel may be too young, but perhaps it was not Samuel.
Karen would broadcast live from the rocking chair on her porch, or walking around the farm using the portable speaker mike Doron had attached to one of her cowboy hats. When Doron brought her the mike, Karen never forgot how startled he was, and how he tried to hide it, when he saw the Curious George stuffed monkey sitting on a chair at her kitchen table. Samuel had either forget it, or, more likely, left it for her.
Doron thought her stories were simplistic, but they were very popular. She would talk about things most women were interested in after the attack, her farm, delivering the new born foal, riding her horses, how the crops were growing, tips on the best ways to set up a hasty ambush, helpful hints on night perimeter defense, and visitors who had stopped by. Listeners could hear the cows, the chickens, the horses, or ride with her in her pickup truck. She would read children’s stories. She would talk about her butterfly garden and David’s bees.
One week she broadcast a live thunderstorm and ecstatically described the clouds, the wind, the rain, and how exciting it all was. It was unscripted, raw emotion. It was real and she quickly gained a very large, loyal audience. People said it was like a home visit.
Usually Karen was very upbeat, and excitedly shared the minutiae of life on the farm with David. It was exciting to listen to her, and her enthusiasm made the radio listener interested in whatever she was doing. There were no television satellites, and the radio theater of the mind was fascinating.
But one Saturday, Karen walked by Samuel’s room while she was miked up, got off topic, and started telling about losing Samuel, and how she still went to his room and cried.
“I kept some of his clothes. On bad days I get them out of the drawer and touch them,” she said.
“One day I found the little toy airplane he had dropped behind his dresser. He had looked everywhere for that plane, it was his favorite toy,” she said, trying to stop sobbing.
Doron was alarmed her audience wouldn’t listen to the crying, since he didn’t like it, but the number of listeners quickly skyrocketed.
She said her husband David coped better with Samuel leaving than she did. She said she heard her husband tell Doron that she would miss a broadcast because she was hurting from the “empties”. She explained how true that was. Samuel’s room was empty, the halls were silent, and she felt barren.
Later she explained, matter of factly, her concerns about being sterile after the nuclear war, and that she really wanted kids. Doron did not record her broadcasts, but the BBC did from a ship off the Atlantic coast as part of its weekly, hugely popular series, American Apocalypse.
The BBC rebroadcast Karen all over Europe and Africa. The BBC noted that even people who did not speak English started weeping before the translators caught up with her speech, because her anguish tr
anscended language.
In the United States, the distance the AM signal could be received varied depending upon atmospheric conditions. So some Saturdays people could get her signal all over America, even up to Alaska and Canada. Some Saturdays they could not get the signal. When they could get the signal, sometimes it faded in and out.
And some Saturdays Karen just didn’t want to broadcast, and Doron would announce ominously that she was “on assignment”. Doron quickly learned that many people tuned in just to hear Karen, so he would not announce she was “on assignment” until the end of the broadcast. This lent an air of suspense and reality to her broadcasts, like they were live from a war zone.
Doron even started opening his broadcast with “This…is America” like Edward R. Murrow in WW2 London.
All over America, survivors waited each week to find out what Karen had been doing, and whether she was pregnant.
Doron excitedly realized that if Karen ever had a baby, ratings would go through the stratosphere. Doron wished David would get with the program, and fulfill his duty.
135.
Just after dawn, a jeep drove up to Karen and David’s farm with a Captain, and three officers. David left the horses to greet them, when the Captain jumped out .
“Sarge!” David said,
“We are currently stationed in Tennessee, and I heard you were here,” Sarge replied. Karen rushed out of the house, and hugged him.
“I heard from Zeke. Some soldiers stopped by and told me he has a son. He settled in Free Canada on the Pacific Coast with a Native American Tribe. They gave me this picture and the letter,” Sarge said, handing Karen the letter.
Zeke had written “Karen and David- this is my WIFE, that is my married wife, and my son,” on the photo.
Karen smiled as she wept, and framed the letter and photo of her nephew. She hung them over the fireplace.
They sat around the table eating pancakes and scrambled fresh eggs. Sarge had brought some ground coffee, a rare luxury. David and Sarge were discussing the new military base, when Karen’s mind wandered.
Would Dr. Liu and Sarge work as a couple? Why not? They would be a great married couple. There was only an eight year age difference. And the age difference seemed less important now that Liu was a physician.
Dr. Liu had always seemed older, more serious anyway. And Sarge was a good man. Karen remembered someone had once said that life is what happens while you are waiting for everything to be perfect. She heard Sarge talk so she tried to focus on what he was saying.
“Can you stay for dinner?” Karen asked. “The Nuclear War Club would like to come over,” Karen explained.
“Sure,” said Sarge.
“I will go invite everyone,” Karen announced.
She rode her horse over to Dr. Liu’s house, bringing a spare horse.
“Dr. Liu,” she called.
Dr. Liu had told her she did not need to call her Doctor. Karen assured her people like to call someone who is cutting on them “Doctor.”
“Dr. Liu it’s for their benefit they call you Dr. Liu, makes them feel better, more confident in you,” Karen had explained.
“What are you going to wear?” Karen asked.
Dr. Liu seemed puzzled. Karen realized it was an unusual question Karen usually not only did not care what Dr. Liu wore, most times Karen didn’t even care what she was wearing herself.
“Well, its Sarge and several officers,” Karen explained. Dr. Liu smiled. Karen and Ashley always kept an eagle eye alert for any suitable husband material for her. She appreciated it, after all, both of them had succeeded in getting married.
She helped Dr. Liu pick out what clothes to wear. They ran into Ashley, Doron, and Joshua on their way back to Karen’s house. Ashley sent Doron on ahead, and stopped to talk with Dr. Liu and Karen.
“Dr. Liu, you look good, really good,” said Ashley with genuine approval.
“Where is your white Doctor jacket?” Ashley asked.
“Here,” said Dr. Liu, pointing to her medical bag that she always carried in case of an emergency.
“Now, your entrance is important, it sets the stage,” Ashley explained.
“Sarge hasn’t seen you in a long time. Remember last time he saw you, you were seventeen. He needs to understand you are now nineteen, a woman. So how about you walk in wearing your Doctor jacket over this killer dress you are wearing. You hang up you Doctor jacket on the coat peg by David’s gun rack, and set your medical bag by the coat,” Ashley said, holding her thumb and forefingers of both hands out to make a rectangular frame, like she was watching this on a camera monitor.
“This establishes you are now a serious, professional, very attractive, adult woman,” Ashley said.
Karen marveled, how did Ashley know she had thought about Sarge and Liu together? Karen brightened, what was clear to her was obvious to Ashley.
“Where do you have Dr. Liu sitting?” asked Ashley.
“Next to Sarge,” Karen replied.
“No, no, no!” said Ashley, clearly disturbed at Karen’s rookie mistake.
“Two seats down. That’s close, interested, and available, but not desperate. You leave room for Sarge to make a move. You need him to want to get closer to Dr. Liu. Remember the three basic stages,” Ashley said, raising one finger.
“First, you select the man. Second, you set the stage so that the man is obsessed with you. Third, you close the deal by helping the man understand it was all his idea. Your basic three part story, dates back to Aristotle,” Ashley said.
“Didn’t you do that with David?” Ashley asked.
“No,” Karen replied bluntly. “David blindsided me with the proposal. Dr. Liu remembers. But I like your approach,” Karen said, “it’s like funneling him into an ambush.”
“Exactly,” Ashley nodded.
“But I am not good at small talk. I am worried about long, awkward silences,” said Dr. Liu. Karen was amazed that Dr. Liu, who fearlessly faced any medical emergency, wilted at social contact.
Ashley smiled, “Don’t be. This will work to your benefit. The more interested you seem in what he is doing, and the more you get him to talk, the more fascinated he will be with you. Of course, we will help you make a list of several spontaneous questions before we get there,” said Ashley.
“And Dr. Liu, he will be fascinated with you and your medical experiences if he is the one. Sarge will ask you a lot of questions, just watch,” Ashley said.
“Now, these basic techniques are just the kindling to get the fire started. You still need compatibility, like the logs you add to a fire. But without the kindling, the fire never starts,” Ashley finished.
Karen watched in amazement as Dr. Liu followed Ashley’s suggestions. Sarge was stunned by Dr. Liu. And she was beautiful, intelligent, and fascinating. Sarge clearly liked being with her. Before long, Sarge had asked Ashley and Doron to switch seats so he could sit next to Dr. Liu. Ashley smiled knowingly at Karen, and moved.
Karen looked with gratitude at Dr. Liu and Sarge, and the full dinner table heaping with fresh farm grown vegetables everyone had brought. The table overflowed with tomatoes, corn, peas, beans, okra, peaches, apples, and smoked beef and chicken.
The officers hungered for the fresh vegetables. Fresh vegetables were still rare due to fallout contamination of farm fields, and the lack of bees. They looked at Sarge, who said “If they say they have plenty they have plenty! Eat up!”
Sarge found Karen in the kitchen, and asked quietly, “I don’t want to be out of line here, so I need to know, is Dr. Liu married?”
“No,” said Karen, without elaboration or encouragement.
Karen tried to feign indifferences to the question, but she wasn’t as skilled as Ashley. Karen noted Sarge did not ask, is she in a relationship? Sarge’s world was simple, and binary, you were either married, or not married.
He just smiled, and left.
Sarge and his men prepared to leave. Doron gave everyone a copy of the digital photograph he took at
tonight’s dinner. Doron had also cleverly traced the people in the photograph onto a separate piece of paper, then wrote their names on each silhouette. Doron wrote, “Home of David and Karen Phelps, Beulah, Alabama,” .
Karen’s eyes glistened as she framed and hung the photograph of David, Karen, Sarge, Dr. Liu, Doron, Ashley and their son, Joshua, Mike, Chloe, Brad, Cheryl, and the three officers who overflowed her whole house, and filled every room with laughter and joy.
Their house emptied right after Sarge left, except for Dr. Liu.
“Sarge asked to see me a week from Sunday!” Dr. Liu said excitedly, after she made sure everyone had left.
“How do you feel about him?” Karen asked.
“I really like him. Like Ashley said, he asked me a lot of questions, and seemed very interested in my career. I am nervous about his visit next Sunday. You and David are gone every Sunday, what will I do all day with Sarge?” she asked.
“The time will pass so quickly, you will be astounded when he leaves.”
But Dr. Liu did seem nervous, so Karen shut both doors and sat with her near the fireplace.
“I would take him with you on a couple of house calls,” she suggested. Dr. Liu made house calls because they had no full time, staffed hospital, and people recovered at home.
“Sarge can stay with the family, while you treat the patient. This will give Sarge a chance to see what you do.” She also knew Dr. Liu was at her best at work. Her patients absolutely loved her, and Sarge needed to see that.
“Next, I would walk down the river to the spring. I would plan what to feed him from the food your patients pay you with,” Karen suggested. “I would climb a mountain with him. Or you and Sarge can ride a couple of our horses.”
Dr. Liu walked to her medical bag, took out her notebook, and started taking notes of what she said.
“David and I sat together on guard duty one night, not talking for hours, and my heart raced just being with him. Yours will too, if Sarge is the one.”
“And Dr. Liu, if Sarge is not the one, there are more fish in the sea. You are a beautiful, intelligent woman,” Karen said.
Nuclear War Club: Seven high school students are in detention when Nuclear War explodes.Game on, they are on their own. Page 34