THE SURVIVOR

Eileen Cichello

 

Years ago, I read an exciting book called LUCIFER'S HAMMER, a story of how people survived or didn't after a meteorite hit earth, knocking out all power and killing millions. Those who survived found themselves living in a world without any of the things we have become used to in modern life, such as electricity, computers, communication with other places and all the organizational structures.

I've decided, if that were to happen, my husband Sam is the person I'd want to be with. Aside for the fact that I love him, I think my chances of survival would be infinitely better with him.  He's a make-do guy, a tinkerer, who can cobble things together and keep them going. Our barn is full of discarded parts from TVs, washers, dryers and Lord knows what else. I should say the Lord knows and Sam knows. He can disappear in there for hours, coming out triumphantly holding whatever doohickey he went in there to get.

This same make-do that drives me to incoherence in our functioning world is what would keep us alive in a catastrophic world. I've spoken of Sam starting a car by opening the hood, taking off the filter, doing something with a pencil, getting in the car and turning the starter button, retrieving the pencil, putting the filter back on, closing the hood and driving merrily away. No mere power outage would stop Sam. He pulls down trees by making strategic cuts, tying a rope around the tree limb, attaching the rope to his station wagon and driving away, the tree coming down behind him.

Sam is tireless and willing to put up with endless discomfort.  I get in a snit if the timer hasn't turned on the coffeepot before my feet hit the floor in the morning.  Many years ago, Sam told me, "You're just not the camping type."  I don't know if he just didn't want me nagging him to take time to go camping, which would meet our budget criteria, or in fact if it was true. Probably a mix of both.

So…if a meteorite should hit anywhere in this vicinity and if we should survive, I have this image of Sam either finding something different to put in the gas tank if the gas pumps didn't work, or, if that was not possible, cobbling together some kind of cart on wheels. The cart would be filled with whatever we could salvage from around us. I would be enthroned on top, while Sam pulls us as we go to hunt for our kids and grandkids.  I think we might even possibly find some of them!