«You wouldn't live in Meadowood. You'd have listened to the warnings we gave people, years ago, not to build houses there.»«I guess so. By the way, one of my people told me there's another community meeting over there tonight.»«In this weather? ««Seems they still plan to hold it, and the way we heard, they're cooking up something new.""Whatever it is," Mel predicted, "we'll hear about it soon." Just the same, he reflected, if there was a public meeting at Meadowood, it was a pity to provide fresh ammunition so conveniently. Almost certainly the press and local politicians would be present, and the direct flights overhead, however necessary at this moment, would give them plenty to write and talk about. So the sooner the blocked runway-three zero-was back in use, the better it would be for all concerned. "In a little while," he told the tower chief, "I'll go out on the field myself and see what's happening. I'll let you know what the situation is.»«Right.,~ Changing the subject, Mel inquired, "Is my brother on duty tonight? ««Affirmative. Keith's on radar watch-west arrival." West arrival, Mel knew, was one of the tough, tense positions in the tower. It involved supervising all incoming flights in the west quadrant. Mel hesitated, then remembered he had known the tower watch chief a long time. "Is Keith all right? Is he showing any strain?" There was a slight pause before the answer. "Yes, he is. I'd say more than usual." Between the two men was the knowledge that Mel's younger brother had lately been a source of anxiety to them both. "Frankly," the tower chief said, "I wish I could let him take things easier. But I can't. We're short-staffed and everybody is under the gun." He added, "Including me.9~ "I know you are, and I appreciate your watching out for Keith the way you have.»«Well, in this job most of us have combat fatigue at one time or another." Mel could sense the other choosing his words carefully. "Sometimes it shows up in the mind, sometimes in the gut. Either way, when it happens we try to help each other.»
