KMPR, Thursday, July 23

"… last night, an earthquake measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale rattled windows and woke several residents. They say, seismologists that is, it was an aftershock from July's 4.3 quake. They say that, because it was centered in the same area. Most folks don't feel small quakes. Actually, I was reading my earthquake book last night and …"

Max slapped both hands against the side of his face and quickly interrupted, "Oh boy, here we go again."

"No wait, this is interesting. Did you know that in China and Japan, they sometimes see red and white flashing lights in the sky, right before an earthquake?"

"Red?"

"That's what the book says. The flashes are sort of like the northern lights and they're so bright, they wake people out of a sound sleep."

Max scratched the top of his head, then the side of his face, "So okay, if I see a red light I should run, right?"

"Unless you're at an intersection."

"Very funny."

Collin reached in his drawer, grabbed a candy bar and began unwrapping it. "Did you hear about part of that new shoe store collapsing? Bet last month's shaker weakened it."

"Collin is eating again folks. That's what all that noise is."

KMPR's host ignored Max and went on, "Bet our Governor thinks so too. He's trying to get new funds to fix the Alaskan Freeway, you know the double-decker that runs along the waterfront. I say, tear it down and put in a park, Mister Governor."