Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [151]
After making breakfast for the kids and getting them off to school, Veronica poured her third cup of coffee and turned on the news. She was horrified to learn that Saudi military forces were crossing the borders unopposed into Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE as part of some protectorate thing she didn’t understand. The stories of gas lines, hijacked oil trucks, and rioting were depressing. One clip showed O’Hare Airport in Chicago and reported that over 70 percent of flights there had been canceled due to aviation fuel shortages. On that unhappy note, she put her coffee cup down and left the house for the first of two important meetings.
Bill Princeton, chairman of the Mankato Chamber of Commerce and owner of Princeton Manufacturing Company, stood ready to greet Veronica as she entered the Chamber’s offices. “Mornin', Pastor. You’re here early. The meeting doesn’t start for another half hour.”
“Hi, Bill. I came early so that you and I could have a few minutes to chat. I wanted to get your perspective on the co-op. Is this a good time for you?”
“Of course, Veronica. Always a pleasure.” He poured Veronica a piping-hot cup of coffee and waited for her to open the conversation.
“First off, Bill, I can’t thank you enough for your willingness to serve as the interim director of our co-op. As an employer with more than thirty employees and head of the local Chamber, you bring the kind of practical experience we need to get this off the ground.”
“My pleasure, Veronica, it really is. I’ve put Charlie Wiggins, my second in command, in charge at the company, so I can devote myself full-time to this effort. Believe me, the more I get into it, the more I realize how much it’s needed. People are really starting to hurt.”
“That’s the feeling I get too.” Veronica replied, “I’d expect we’ll have well over two hundred people attending our Life Challenges meeting tonight. Can you give me a quick rundown of how you see things progressing with the co-op?”
“Sure thing! At today’s meeting we’ll be covering a number of things. First, I want to make sure our energy matrix system is online by the end of this week. We know there are people who can’t afford to get from point A to point B. Our job will be to match them with a carpool in their area.”
Veronica thought about the frost on her window this morning and said, “That’s wonderful, Bill. The cold weather this morning also made me think about heating bills as well. How are we doing on that front?”
“That’s another issue we’ll address today. At this stage, it’ll be about communication and education. We’re going to ask everyone to turn their thermostats down to sixty degrees at night to conserve natural gas, propane, and other heating fuels. We’re also organizing quick-fix weatherization squads to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient. Nothing elaborate, mind you, but we’ll caulk windows, patch up drafty spots, and distribute literature on other ways to save energy.”
“Great! Will you have someone stop by my drafty house?” she asked, half-kidding.
“Glad to, Veronica! In fact, I’d be happy to do it myself.” He laughed before continuing.
“Our task force is making good progress on responses to the economic tsunami coming our way. We’re seeing the early effects already in the form of high energy costs, cutbacks, layoffs, and reduced consumer spending. Our local merchants tell me they’ve seen a 20 percent reduction in same-store sales. Layoffs are picking up, and the struggle to heat houses, buy food, and pay for gas is getting tougher.”
“This sounds challenging, Bill. What kind of progress are we making on this front?” Veronica asked, with a newfound respect for this modest man, a widowed spouse like herself.
“For