The Collapse XXII: A Quiet Waiting

06 August 20XX

My Dear Lucilius:

Have you been listening to the radio of late? I generally tend not to as I find myself becoming either aggravated or depressed (or occasionally, if I listen to the music of my youth, nostalgic) but after my shopping trip of a few days ago, decided that it might be worth “tuning in” (as they say) to see what people are saying.

I have to confess I find the whole thing rather alarming.

On the one hand, I listen to the local national news broadcasting stations. To listen to these, it appears that all we have been experiencing recently is a rather small problem, a “hiccup” in the economic engine of the United States (and the world, apparently) easily resolved in a few days. Certainly, there may be individual outages or slight inconveniences, but on the whole things are fine and carry on about your business.

To listen to the call in shows – either local or where I can find them on the InterWeb – is a very different thing entirely.

What I experienced seems to be not the exception but the rule – not only in the country in general, but almost everywhere (so far as I can tell) – in a few places better, in many places the same, in some places far worse. I am (once again) grateful that I live here, far away from any large population center that would give such events the place to flourish.

Have I noticed anything different? Not particularly – except that traffic has slowed to an unusual event now. I have perhaps seen 20 cars over the last two days when (in usual high tourist season) I would see far more.

Have I acted differently? Again, not particularly. I have not a made driving trip since my shopping trip six days ago, but that has been known to happen in the past. I have taken the liberty of reorganizing the workshop and going through items and storing them or putting them away, or at least making them not so obvious if someone were to look in. I have also completely recleaned my closet and reorganized the supplies there as well, more to just verify what I have in place rather than from any particular need.

The thing I have heard – at least in the radio shows with callers – is the fear in the voice of some of callers. I have not heard this sort of fear for many years.

It has made me sit up and take notice.

Your Obedient Servant, Seneca