The Nuclear Catastrophe (a fiction novel of survival) (58 page)

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Authors: Barbara C. Griffin Billig,Bett Pohnka

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“
Hello there,
”
he said.
“
How did you manage to get out here? This place hasn
’
t been used in months.
”

“
Good morning, Bernard.
”
Sara smiled warmly at the tall, thin physician.
“
I spotted this little nook on one of my frequent rounds through the corridors. It
’
s delightful.
”

“
But seedy,
”
he said, glancing around.

“
After that gloomy room, this is a regular heaven. Besides, I simply could not stay inside any longer.
”

He pulled out another chaise and took a seat.
“
Only five days, Sara. Are you positive that you aren
’
t pushing this a bit—this desire to leave us?
”

Her soft laugh flowed through the morning air with a touch of feigned gaiety. It was an unconvincing display of humor.
“
You may think this is the greatest spot on the west coast, Doctor, but I assure you that it is not. Oh, don
’
t misinterpret that, Bernie—I
’
m eternally grateful for all you
’
ve done for me. Believe me.
”

“
But five days... .I question if you should be this active and should undertake such a lengthy trip so soon after the birth,
”
he said with a hint of worry.

“
Dr. Archer believes that it
’
s perfectly all right. He says the quicker a woman gets out of the child bed, the faster she recuperates.
”

“
Archie is a horse
’
s patoot.
”

“
Oh Bernie, you couldn
’
t be that unchivalrous. Dr. Archer is a fine man.
”

“
Uh huh. But he
’
s still the south end of a north bound donkey.
”
This time she genuinely laughed.
“
Are you absolutely certain that you
’
re not too busy to drive me to the airport?
”

“
Not a chance, not a chance. I haven
’
t been out with a beautiful woman—in let
’
s see—about eighty years.
”

She looked at the fibers of silver hair growing in among the darker ones. With his small trim mustache, Bernard Parsons was a very distinguished-looking man.
“
How old are you, anyway?
”
she asked.

“
Ah now, have I ever asked you anything that personal, Sara? Or would you have answered me if I had?
”

“
Well,
”
she replied in mock annoyance,
“
it would be impolite to ask a lady her age. Besides, she
’
d lie to you.
”

Bernard chuckled.
“
I
’
m forty-one.
”

His age surprised her.
“
My goodness, you look....
”

“
Yeah. Older.
”

She had been thinking of ten years older.

His attention was caught by a wheelchair being pushed down the hall.
“
Hey! Hey, you two. Come out here for awhile and enjoy the sunshine.
”

He jumped up and shoved his chair aside so that Cecil could roll Althea into the sunlight.

“
We can only stay a second,
”
announced Cecil.
“
We have some important plans to make.
”

“
Haven
’
t I heard via the grapevine that you two are getting married?
”
asked Sara.

“
Yes, we are,
”
Althea replied.

“
Yes, we are,
”
echoed Cecil.

“
Congratulations to both of you. I hope you
’
ll be very happy,
”
Sara said.
“
Will you be leaving soon, Althea?
”

“
In another week. Another seven days. It
’
s awfully exciting, you know. Cecil has been working on the apartment. We
’
ll live in San Diego.
”
The words came rushing out of her mouth.

“
Uh, listen, I hate to cut this short, but we must get with it, Althea,
”
said Cecil fondly.

They bid Sara goodbye and left.

Sara sighed, and glanced at her watch.
“
It
’
s about time we were leaving, Bernard.
”

“
Hmm. Your folks will pick you up at Kennedy Airport?
”

“
My sister will. Dad hasn
’
t been well lately and he and Mom hate to travel into New York.
”

“
I was in Connecticut once. Overnight. I stayed at a friend
’
s house in Bridgeport.
”

“
Did you?
”
she asked with interest.

“
We had a clambake on the beach that night.
”

“
It
’
s beautiful state, Connecticut,
”
answered Sara.

“
Oh yeah. I
’
d like to see it again, sometime.
”

“
Well, if you do make it back East, you must be sure to visit with me, Bernie.
”

“
Do you mean that?
”
he asked.

“
Of course. You
’
ve been such a tremendous help to me, the very least I could do is offer to show you around my old home town.
”

“
You know,
”
he said thoughtfully,
“
I
’
m taking a month
’
s vacation in August. Maybe I
’
ll really drop in on you.
”

“
Good. I
’
d enjoy visiting with you.
”

“
Guess I
’
d better get your bag to the car, then.
”

“
Bernie?
”
She
’
d said his name quickly.

“
Yes?
”

“
I wanted to ask you about....the...
”
She hesitated. Should she ask? Did she really want to know? Would it better not to know? Sara looked at Bernard intently.

“
About what, Sara?
”

She fumbled with the gold wedding band on her finger, turning it slowly around and around. There was little new that could be said about her baby, she decided. Had there been more, this tender, gentle man would have told her. She reached out and placed her hand on his arm.
“
Will you come to see me?
”

Parsons smiled.
“
Plan on it.
”

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

On December 20, 1951, at the Experimental Breeder Reactor EBR-I in Arco, Idaho, USA, for the first time electricity - illuminating four light bulbs - was produced by nuclear energy. EBR-I was not designed to produce electricity but to validate the breeder reactor concept.

On June 26, 1954, at Obninsk, Russia, the nuclear power plant APS-1 with a net electrical output of 5 MW was connected to the power grid, the world's first nuclear power plant that generated electricity for commercial use. On August 27, 1956, the first commercial nuclear power plant, Calder Hall 1, England, with a net electrical output of 50 MW was connected to the national grid.

As of Jan 19, 2011 in 30 countries 442 nuclear power plant units with an installed electric net capacity of about 375 GW are in operation and 65 plants with an installed capacity of 63 GW are in 16 countries under construction.(2)

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned that the world must prepare for more nuclear accidents on the scale of Chernobyl and Japan
’
s Fukushima plant. He said the grim reality demands sharp improvements in International cooperation (3)

(2) European Nuclear Society web site home page.
www.euronuclear.org
, April 21, 2011

(3) Los Angeles Times. April 21, 2011.
UKRAINE - U.N.
’
s Ban gives nuclear warning

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Barbara Griffin Billig graduated from Washington University in St. Louis at age nineteen with a degree in biology and
a minor in
chemistry. She taught for several years in St. Louis before moving to Southern California. There she owned a variety of businesses including pet shops, restaurants, and a real estate brokerage firm. Deciding to take a sabbatical from the business world for several years she wrote, in conjunction with another teacher, Bett Pohnka (
1935-1991)
“
The Nuclear Catastrophe
”

to heighten awareness of the potential problems associated with nuclear power plants.
This fiction novel,
originally written in 1977, eerily
portray
s
what ultimately came to pass with 3 Mile Island, Chernobyl, and the Japan Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown.
The original hardcover first edition is still in libraries throughout the United States. This third edition was written post Fukushima.