Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

Antenna Repair

I just don't understand it. For a family that spends as little time watching television as mine does to waste time and effort putting up an antenna seems utterly ridiculous. But that is exactly what we did one fine Saturday afternoon when there were several other things I would rather do.

The antenna was not new. In fact, it was quite old. It had been lying behind our barn for as long as I could remember, and I had my doubts as to whether or not it was worth anything.

We set the ladder up against the side of the house and I steadied it while Dad climbed up. The first major problem he encountered was screwing the fitting into the wall and clinging to the ladder at the same time.

I waited patiently for him to get done or for him to ask me to get something. “Hey Doug,” Dad shouted, "I dropped the screw."

I looked around down at the bottom until I found it, then I carefully made my way up the ladder. Dad took the screw and started working again. I climbed back down.

Just as 1 reached the bottom, I heard a shout. "Hey Doug, I dropped it again."

I thought I found the screw almost immediately. I took it up to him. "Hey," he exclaimed, "This is the screw I dropped when we were putting up the storm windows. It won't fit here."

I went back down and looked again. "I can't find it," I shouted after several minutes, "The grass is too tall."

"Oh, that reminds me," Dad called back, "You haven't mowed the lawn for quite some time."

Parents really have a knack for turning around everything you say. I didn't mean the grass was that long.

Finally the fitting was in place and Dad came down to get the antenna. Climbing the ladder was bad enough, but climbing with one hand while holding the antenna with the other must have been terrifying.

That's when it started raining, and there was Dad upon the roof clinging desperately to the antenna and swaying in the wind. "Having fun up there, Dad?" I asked.

He looked down at me, then a relieved look came onto his face. "Come up here Doug, I need some help," he shouted over the wind. When I got up on the roof, Dad gave me the rotator. "I forgot to attach this thing," he explained, "I have to turn the antenna upside down."

That was obviously impossible, with rain slapping in his face and the wind trying to blow him over. I guess no one told him it was impossible, because he finally managed it, although he did almost fall off the roof. I was glad Mom wasn't watching.

Then, as if rain and wind weren't enough, we began to see streaks of light flash across the sky.

I guess that was the extra incentive that made us finish up in a hurry.

When we finally got inside, we were both soaked to the skin. I changed into some dry clothes and came down to watch baseball.

"Shut that stupid thing off," Dad shouted, "Can't you see I'm taking a nap?"

More writing by this author

Blogs on This Site