I now have Russia under my bellt as I have QSO'd with a Moscowite.

I did it on my PRC-320 with a wire in a tree antenna.

I dragged the '320 out into the front yard and one of the neighborhood kids came by and wanted to know what I was doing. When I told him he decided to stick around and join the party. The kid is about ten or eleven. He knew what to do. He started turning the crank on the generator.

I grabbed the half-gallon Jack Daniels bottle full of of iced tea out of the refrigerator and took it to the radio and had a slug. Then I turned to the kid, "If you get thirsty help yourself," I said.

Just as the idiot down the street drove by slowly to see what was going on the kid picked up the bottle and had a pretty good sized snort. She stopped and her window came down.

"You're giving that little boy whiskey?" she asked in horror.

"Yeah. It washes the dope out of his system and we're rehabbing him for when school starts." I answered.

"That's not funny!" she shouted.

I turned to the kid. "Another self-appointed funny director," I said to him. "They appoint themselves to tell you what's funny and what's not."

"I have my father's permission to be here," said the kid.

"See? It's OK with his old man. Now leave us alone," I said and she drove off. I knew we'd heard the last from her.

A minute later I was talking to a Moscowite with a real clear and strong signal. I was impressed and so was the kid.

Just as I finished yakking with the Russian, none other than Nebby Larry hove into the offing and I turned to the kid. "Make damned good and sure that Nebby Larry sees you drinking out of that bottle," I said. I glanced at my watch and looked. I knew which one of the local gendarmes was on duty and it wasn't too close to watch change to ruin his day.

Of course, Larry saw the kid take a belt and got all goggle-eyed and told me it was against the law to serve liquor to kids. I told Larry that I was just helping the kid wash the dope out of his system so he wouldn't be jonesing and sick when school started. Larry's jaw dropped and he increased his pace.

I turned to the kid. "When the police car pulls into the driveway which it is sure to do, take a big drink in front of the cop. You won't get in trouble."

Sure enough, I was working some guy in Indiana when the cruiser pulled in. The window rolled down and the kid sucked down about a quarter-pint of iced tea. The cop laughed like hell and turned to me.

"Awful nice of you to help this fine youngster get cleaned up to start the school year off right!" he said.

When he said that I knew Larrry had flagged him down on the way over and given him the details. I didn't figure dispatch would relate all the details to the officer.

"Pic, that looks like hell!" he said. "Then again, it really is kinda funny."

We chatted a few minutes and he drove off.










my other blog is: http://officerpiccolo.blogspot.com/ http://piccolosbutler.blogspot.com/