The May gathering of the Lost Island DX Society was starting
to wind down. The 807s were either empty
or getting warm, which was the sure sign that it was time for the meeting to
end. Just before the president could
call for an adjournment motion, Skinny Dennis stood up.
“Before we adjourn, I want to talk about Field Day.”
Silence meaning acquiescence, Skinny continued. “Every year it’s the same routine. Charlie
and I show up on Friday afternoon to set up. Four or five others promise to show
up and help out, but nobody ever does. So Charlie and I sweat out the day
putting wires in trees and setting up tents and trying to get the generator to
crank.”
Looking around the
room, Skinny saw a few members discreetly avert their eyes in a sign of guilt.
He continued, “Saturday morning we’re back at getting radios running and coaxes
run. A few of you guys show up around 10 or 11 o’clock, but by then we’re
usually about finished."
“Someone will show up with a big sub and a cooler full of
807s around noon and the crowd falls into it, between telling ‘war stories’. At
2 o’clock when the opening bell starts, it’s just Charlie and I sitting in
front of the radios trying to crank out some Qs while the rest of you blather
on.”
“Maybe around 3 or 4 somebody might offer to relieve us, but
they usually get bored after about a half hour and wander off to see about
helping with the grill for dinner.”
“If we want to have any kind of score, Charlie and I are
pretty much stuck at the radio. By dinner 10 or 12 others have shown up to see
what Chef Arnie has on the grill. After eating they all sit around telling lies
about the DX they worked and draining more 807s. If I try to get one of them to
operate for a while, they’ll usually say, ‘Oh, no, you got right ahead. I don’t
want to take away any of your fun.’”
“By 7 o’clock most of them have cleared out and headed home
for the evening. Charlie and I are getting tired listening to thunderstorm
crashes while hearing the hub bub of the crowd enjoying their 807s behind us. But
Charlie and I are stuck there the rest of the night trying to put Qs in the log
while everyone else is sleeping in their air-conditioned beds at home.”
“By morning someone will usually show up and bring Charlie
and I some coffee, but will they take a turn at the radio? Noooooooo.”
“By lunch some more have shown up with another sub and more
807s in a cooler. But by 1 o’clock they’ve all disappeared. At 2 o’clock when
Field Day ends, Charlie and I are by our lonesome again, left to take it all
down and drag it home where we collapse.”
Skinny Dennis looked around the room, where few would meet
his gaze. He hoped he had shamed them into showing up and actually helping out
this year. Just then the president spoke up.
“Well, I guess the Field Day plans are all in order, so do I
hear a motion for adjournment?”
The din of movedsecondedallinfavorayetheeyeshaveit erupted
in the room, followed by a quick departure of the membership by every exit
available. Skinny Dennis was left standing while Charlie still sat in his
chair.
“Guess I’ll see you in a couple of weeks, Charlie,” Skinny
said as he turned toward the door.
