R҉A҉D҉I҉O҉ ҉-҉ ҉S҉T҉A҉T҉I҉C҉

˜*°•.˜*°• BuZz •°*˜.•°*˜ ˜*°•.˜*°• cRaCk •°*˜.•°*˜ ,ø¤º° ¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° S҉N҉A҉P҉ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

R҉A҉D҉I҉O҉ ҉-҉ ҉S҉T҉A҉T҉I҉C҉

. . . the sound of pure, unadulterated excitement

Every boy knew that thrilling C҉R҉A҉C҉K҉L҉I҉N҉G҉ sound

That rhythmic P҉O҉P҉ ҉-҉ ҉P҉O҉P҉ ҉-҉ ҉P҉O҉P҉P҉I҉N҉G҉ of a transistor radio

as it dialed in the frequency of pure exhilaration

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° Ｃяᵃ℃кｌє °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸ ђĮ𝓢𝓢°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

The tingling tones muffled and low

– like a secret mission tapped out in Morse Code

to my blanket clubhouse

antenna aimed at the stars

“Yessir,” I whispered confidently, accepting my dangerous assignment

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° 𝒵𝒾𝒵𝓏 °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸ ᏇᏂᎥᏒ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

the late-night airwaves burned with energy

– stirred with excitement

there would be time for sleep later

. . . but this? This was serious business!

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° βᵘŽ乙 °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

Cloaked by blankets

under the stealth of night

I leaned in closely to my

1959

RCA Victor

Transistor Radio

a marvel of modern engineering in a sleek plastic handheld communication device

Buck Rogers himself would be envious

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° B҉u҉Z҉z҉Z҉z҉Z҉z҉ ҉-҉-҉ ҉H҉i҉S҉S҉ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

That hypnotic static hiss promised intrigue

– vowed adventure

the assurance of another rousing tale

for us daring spirits!

My smile beamed

– these are the bold adventures boys live for!

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° S҉C҉R҉A҉T҉C҉H҉ ҉-҉ ҉S҉C҉R҉A҉T҉C҉H҉ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

Signal ebbing like a stormy surf

the ghostly S҉C҉R҉A҉T҉C҉H҉ ҉-҉ ҉S҉C҉R҉A҉T҉C҉H҉ ҉-҉ ҉S҉C҉R҉A҉T҉C҉H҉I҉N҉G҉ of intrigue

the pulsating signal chasing away radio interference with an ominous

C҉R҉A҉C҉K҉

delivering gentle rumbling static vibrations

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° ЯᑌᗰᗷᒪE °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

What adventure would the gods of the airwaves deliver tonight?

The night air grew thick with anticipation

– the station bleeding into static vibration

until . . .

‧₊˚♪ 𝄞₊ ♫ ˚⊹♪ 𝄞₊ ♫ ˚⊹ “BAA. . . . BAA. . . . BAA. . . . BAAAA” ‧₊˚♪ 𝄞₊ ♫ ˚⊹⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.

The foreboding pipes of organ music break the static frenzy

with the accompaniment of a

rhythmic T҉A҉P҉ ҉-҉ ҉T҉A҉P҉ ҉-҉ ҉T҉A҉P҉P҉I҉N҉G҉

cutting through the velvety darkness

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° H҉U҉M҉M҉M҉M҉ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

. . . a moment of silence, then

a gentle static P҉U҉R҉R҉ like raindrops on a tin roof

the kind of scratching rain that builds into T҉H҉U҉N҉D҉E҉R҉

. . . then

˜*°•.˜*°• BoOm •°*˜.•°*˜ ˜*°•.˜*°• cRaCk •°*˜.•°*˜ ,ø¤º°

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! . . . Hα Hα Hα Hα Hα!”

I لටꝈͲ upright in my bed with an audible ᘜᗩSᕵ!

. . . . that’s when I hear it!

“ROBBIE . . .

GO

TO

SLEEP!”

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° ʄɨʐʐʟɛ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸ ɠƖıɬƈɧ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

My mother had the ears of a screech owl

Nothing ever got past her!

NOTHING!

The jig was up!

. . . and I knew it!

I could hear her footsteps scurrying down the hall

░P░a░N░i░C░

My heart racing . . .

Enemy Incoming! Abort Mission!

【ＡＢＯＲＴ！】

radio off and quickly tucked beneath my pillow

I roll over and feign sleep

trying desperately to catch my breath

˜”*°•.˜”*°• ÇRÈÄK •°*”˜.•°*”˜

My door creaks open

“Robbie?”

SiLeNcE

“Go to sleep!”

a pause . . . .

“Yes ma’am,” I grumble sheepishly

¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° ᎶᎧᎧᎴᏁᎥᎶᏂᏖ °º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º° °º¤ø,¸

Tomorrow night:

“ᗩᗪᐯEᑎTᑌᖇES Iᑎ TIᗰE ᗩᑎᗪ SᑭᗩᑕE . . . ᗪIᗰEᑎSIOᑎ Ӿ-((Ӿ))-((Ӿ))!”