BLACKOUT `94

ERLING:	The most recent host of The Great Eastern, Paul Moth, had his 
	most memorable moment in one of this province's most 
	memorable moments - what has come to be known as Blackout 
	`94.

	Here is Paul Moth, from the Great Eastern, Saturday, January 15, 
	1994, four days into his marathon broadcast.

PAUL:	... as we hit night on the fourth day here at BCN Blackout HQ.  I'm 
	your host by force, heh-heh-heh, no one can get in to or out of the 
	studio ... I guess most people are snowbound in their homes.  
	Please conserve your water and your food, aot hueo  uecrg.c,py 
	... sorry, folks, getting a little groggy here ... there is no let up in 
	sight to the snowfall.  All areas of the province have reported the 
	complete collapse of infrastructure.  All minor roads in the 
	province are blocked, and complete power outtages are being 
	experienced ...

SEGUE

	It's been over five days since I've seen another face besides 
	Hollis Duffett's, here at the BCN ... not that I'm complaining, Hollis 
	... mind you ... but we work at pretty close quarters here.  The 
	BCN is the solitary voice on the airwaves, due to our coal-fired 
	transmitter and our brave stokers ... all praise to them up on Mt 
	Scio ... at least they are warm ... as long as there is something to 
	burn up there, we'll be on the air ... hair ... air ball, hair ball ... I got 
	a hair ball ... ha ... ha-ha-ha ... (giggling fit) sorry ... must have 
	sleep ... Mom, I'm afraid, Mom ... the dark ... Rhonda, leave the 
	shoes on ... yum ... slurp ... pumps ... god, I'm sorry, did I say that 
	?  Must hold it together, must continue broadcasting ... must be in 
	to triple time by now ...

SEGUE

SFX:	RECORD ON TURNTABLE RUNNING ON INNER GROOVE

	Z-z-z-z-z, z-z-z-z-z, z-z-z-z-z ... wha' ... Oh my god ... Hollis, 
	wake up !  I'm sorry people, how long have we been asleep ? ... 
	Hollis is in the studio with me now, we're sharing body heat ... 
	there's no telling how long we've been out, the clocks don't run 
	here anymore ... no food left in the chip machine, we broke in to it 
	a couple of days ago ... have been living on chips and bars ever 
	since ... Hollis has a face full of pimples, and neither of us has 
	had a bowel movement in what ... three days, Hollis ?  It's pretty 
	desperate here, so I can imagine what it is like at your home.  But 
	keep the faith, friends, this can't last forever.
	
SEGUE

	Day seven, friends, we've played every record in the BCN library, 
	Hollis isn't talking to me ... he's left the microphone open ... I don't 
	know if there's any body out there who can hear me ... Hollis has 
	been looking at me strangely since yesterday morning ... we 
	haven't had anything to eat ... for ages.  And I must confess he is 
	looking good to me, too ... but there's not much left to burn ... 
	we're saving the drapes for tonight in case it snows again.
	
SEGUE

	Day nine dawns in Blackout `94.  Is there any body left ?  Can 
	anybody hear me ?  Perhaps every battery in every radio in every 
	home in every community in the province is dead.  Perhaps every 
	body is dead.
	
SEGUE

	I'm not a doctor ... I did have my appendix out once ... so make 
	sure you have plenty of towels, hot water ... tear up some 
	bedsheets or something.  Now, get a sharp knife, or a razor ... 
	well, let's see, the scar starts on the right hand side ... that's your 
	left !  yeah, right, just below my left nipple ... now, press firmly ... I 
	don't know what you're going to find in there, I was out when it 
	happened to me ... but whatever it is that's going bad should look, 
	what, enflamed or enlarged or dirty.  That's what you got to hook 
	out in one quick motion ... I guess ...
	
SEGUE

	And the lights have come on !  Thank god !  I can hear the 
	radiators bubbling !  Hollis, on your feet, man !  We can go home ! 
	God bless Nfld !
	
ERLING:	The patient ... and the province ... survived, thanks to Paul Moth.