As I mentioned a year ago (and my, how time flies: see Chic-chic-ky-boom) my initial plummet into radio started as a newsreader during what would have been the fall semester of 1994, evidently a rainy season where we were (more on that in a moment). The news broadcasts would eventually go through many changes during my four years as an undergraduate, something I knew would (or should) happen. Gee – even as a freshman, and even when I had no authority on such things, I evidently was looking to improve some aspect of the station. Troublemaker, wasn't I?
Well, not that "big" of changes. I mean, you would think there would be some sort of programming element – a zinging sound effect or a transitional music bed – to signify that the station is taking a break from loud music to educate the community on current events. Nope. Essentially, once the music was over and those recorded spots had played, the "morning show" DJ (and I use the term "morning show" very loosely) pointed through the glass into the "newsroom" (and I use that term loosely, too) and both people on either side of the glass hoped they were ready. If you weren't paying attention to the time, and if the DJ didn't remind you, you might have a matter of seconds to get behind the mic – and then forget about a practice read. If you missed the cue and looked up a split second later chances were there was dead air. Finally a voice would crack in and, for three days a week, it was me.
As you’d expect those first few weeks of my one three-minute news report every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday morning did not readily feature a confident newsreader. The only way to get more confidence was to get more experience and perhaps it was wise of me that I did sign-up for three shifts. After a few weeks I got into the routine, understanding my place in the station and how to compose a decent script (even if it was four brief stories of no local merit).
Anyway: on to the rain. There had been showers over the weekend and talk was of more on the way. Lots more. When I left for the communication building Monday morning it was already coming down nicely, and I made it the lead "local story" during the 7 a.m. news update. It was during that hour that my day changed. All that water from the previous days had collected in the low-lying areas; now, as more rain fell, all this water had nowhere to go. Flooding was eminent. First the station got reports of flooded low-water crossings and then high-water crossings and then calls came in about school closures. Then the big news: the university would be closed for the day, maybe some of the next, too. I dutifully forwarded each note to Hodge-Podge and Bandito and asked if it was okay to stick around for an 8 o'clock update. Sure. Whatever. I stayed there all morning in fact, giving my last update at 10 a.m. before deciding I had done enough. When all was said and done the county had over fourteen inches of water and I had logged more hours that day than usual. Those that noticed thanked me for sticking around, which probably led to my inability to leave in the impending years.
At home, the news that day showed all the flooding and its results: people stranded on rooftops, cars washed away, and creek beds that had been bone dry a week ago were now in full rage. Also, fish were shown floating in places where fish shouldn't be, which is what reminded me of this album cover, one I recalled seeing in the music library some years later. It may have been one of those albums used for the Pit show (see Kill the Crow), but I don’t know. In fact, aside from the fact that the Inspiral Carpets were from England, I don't know much the band at all (except that they're named for a clothing shop in their native Manchester).
All in all, certainly a flood of experience for me one October morning.
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Here Comes the Flood
(Inspiral Carpets)
Inspiral Carpets
From the album Revenge of the Goldfish
1992
The sky is red, and the sea is blue
God made the distance between me and you
Always walking the tightrope, always walking the line
Placing your head in the lion's jaws
HERE COMES THE FLOOD, IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN
HERE COMES THE FLOOD, IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN
FLOOD, FLOOD, HERE COMES THE FLOOD
Watching your river turn into an ocean
Sailing your ship off the edge of the world
Watching the sail as it carries you on
The wind twists like lovers in each other's arms
HERE COMES THE FLOOD, IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN
HERE COMES THE FLOOD, IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN
FLOOD (IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN)
FLOOD (IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN)
FLOOD, HERE COMES THE FLOOD
This is my future and this is my past
And they meet in the middle of nowhere
Won't you lend me a hand, stuck out in nowhereland
Waiting for someone to hear me
HERE COMES THE FLOOD, IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN
HERE COMES THE FLOOD, IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN
FLOOD (IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN)
FLOOD (IT'S JUST WASHING YOU DOWN)
FLOOD, HERE COMES THE FLOOD
Oh, here comes the flood, here comes the flood
Here comes the flood (7x)
