The Last Man

[Wayne23]

May, 2162: The storms are back. About a week ago we got some rain, and then suddenly it was a LOT of rain. The wind picked up. Then the wind REALLY picked up. Eventually the ship was rocking all over the place from 80 mile an hour winds and huge waves. As it continued Lacy was stressed and Amy was really scared. I stayed with them and tried to comfort them. I reassured them that the ship was designed to survive much worse weather than this, which was true. I also did my best to remain and appear calm.

Eventually the storm died down. At that point, after making sure the kids were calm enough to leave, I went around checking everything. Yes. The robots do that much more thoroughly than I ever could, but I do it anyway. Then I got the reports from the robots on the ship and the boats and arranged for the necessary repairs, all of which were minor, and for water which had gotten into both vessels (minor) to be removed.

Three days later we had another storm, which was not quite as bad as the first, and yesterday we had one that was a little worse.

I have re-activated our long range weather sensing equipment, and now we’ll get some advance warning when a storm is coming. It will also give us an idea of the storm’s severity. I had turned that equipment off because it had been so long since the last storm. I probably won’t turn it off again, no matter what.

Any is five now, and understands a lot more about how the world works than I remember five year olds understanding, but she doesn’t like these storms. We talk about it and I try to, not only reassure her, but explain how the ship is made, show her the design specs, the diagrams, and the videos that demonstrate how “storm proof” the ship really is… But I refuse to lie and tell her that the ship could never sink. I tell her the truth, which is that it would take a storm far, far more violent than any of the ones we have experienced to put the ship in danger, and that there have been no signs that such a storm will come our way.

I have considered moving the ship north or south in an effort to avoid the rough weather, and I have consulted with my holoexperts on the matter. I’ve only ever moved the ship east, west, or southeast.

The experts concluded that moving far enough south might take us out of the path of the worst storms and we set a course due south.

Day 3: We haven’t gone far enough south to avoid storms yet. As proof we got hit by a bad one during the night. The girls woke up and found me in the dining area monitoring the storm and the work of our robots. I brought them to my room. I could monitor just as well there, and we could strap in more comfortably to avoid being tossed about.

The storm lasted several hours. Amy fell asleep a few times but was awakened by the ship slamming into wave troughs each time. Lacy never fell asleep. She monitored with me. She knows how to use all the instruments and I mostly let her use them as she saw fit. Occasionally I asked her to move to a different view, or to look at the long range data so we could see if the storm had ended at its point of origin yet.

Mostly, she did all of that in a timely fashion without my direction. She continues to want to be a scientist, and she has more and more adopted the scientific temperament and persona.

Don’t get me wrong, at times she is a very typical 9 year old girl, but when she is “sciencing” she is all business.

Again, the storm eventually calmed, I did my checks and ordered the repairs, and we all got some sleep.

Next: Heading south

[Wayne23]

5/1: We buy the usual.

#2 preseason

6/5: No one in the transfer pool.

6/26: 2 scholarships. We want either 1 and 1 or 2 bigs. Looking at 14 guys.

8/7: 4 on the Norton list: C Wade Wain, #4, PG Mo Sims, #17, C Wes Lang, #37, and SG Key Few, #48.

8/21: We offer to 2 Cs.

9/18: Got ‘em both. #1 Kris Chub, and #7 Raa Doqq.

We’re going to the Sunshine Shootout vs. NC ST. This may be the most rigorous schedule any of my teams has ever had.

10/2: 1st day of practice. We’re going for that national title. Maryland is LOADED; they’ll be our chief competition, both in the Big 10 and overall.

11/6: Here’s the lineup:

Juco junior Key Few and frosh Mo Swims start at guard with junior Rob Lann backing up.

Junior Sean Tomm starts at SF.

Soph Wade Wain and juco junior Wes Lang start inside. Junior Gary Gore and senior Ryan Asby, who started last year, back up inside.

[Wayne23]

11/20: We played #5 and #3 in week one. 2 wins- 97-63 and 78-43. Fewq, Wain, and Sims look really, really good.

Both recruits sign.

12/8: 6-0, #3, RPI #2. 4 of the 6 were against ranked teams, 3 in the top 5. All were by double figures. Wain is averaging 20.0, 13.0, and 3 blocks. Guard Mo Sims is getting 15.2 and 3.5 assists.

Off to the Sunshine Shootout. We’re the #1 seed and we start with NC ST, 3-3.

12/9: 85-54. 25, 8 for Wain, 14 for Few, 13 for Sims, 14 RBs for PF Wes Lang.

#5 seed Villanova, 6-2, in the semis.

12/10: 84-60. 21, 8 for Wain, 15, 5, 6 for Simd, 11 RBs for Lang.

Starting SF Sean Tomm fractured his hand. He’s out until the post season. Gary Gore will start, and Ryan Asby will get increased minutes.

#3 seed Alabama, 6-2, for the title. We’re #1, RPI #2 in the latest poll.

12/11: 70-66. Not as close as the final score indicates. We led by 17 at the half, and by 21 at the 30 minute mark. I cleared the bench and let them catch up, and they hit a three at the buzzer. The game was never in doubt. 18 for Sims, 15, 8 for Wain. Gore and Asby did well in their new roles. +13 TOs, but we didn’t rebound very well.

12/25: 11-0, #1, RPI #1, +16.8 PPG, +8.4 RBs, +6.6 TOs. Wain averages 18.7, 10.5. We’re the only undefeated team in Div. I.

[Wayne23]

July, 2162: We’ve gone about as far south as my holoexperts recommended. From the long range weather monitoring I’ve done over the years, the old frigid, temperate, tropical zones don’t seem to exist since the planet experienced all of the climate change, and since it became completely covered by water. There are places where it is warmer and colder, and, as we’ve noted, places where it is stormier, but they don’t seem based upon latitude- or longitude, for that matter.

Anyway, we’re hoping we’re far enough south to avoid the worst storms. Time will tell.

Lacy’s education is more and more science and math based. I want her to read as well, literary works, nonfiction, poetry- all of it. She’s a reader, but mostly science related material. She can be reluctant to broaden her reading selections. I recommend books I think she’ll like that will help with that. Sometimes she reads them, sometimes not. She spends a lot of time in the HC with the holoexperts, particularly the physicists. At 9 ½ I wouldn’t think she’d have the necessary math yet, but I’m told she can handle basic calculus, and is working on even higher level math. That amazes me.

She is fascinated with the universe and how it works, and she has the opportunity to consult with holoexperts who have all of the knowledge that humanity managed to accumulate before everything went to pieces. She also uses the HC programs that take her out into virtual space. This allows her to explore, and to formulate ideas. I won’t call them theories, although in her discussions with the holoexperts theories sometimes emerge.

Amy, at almost 5 ½, is a sponge. She loves to read, especially fiction, and reads book sway in advance of her age. She does well at math, not as well as Lacy, but well enough. And she’s interested in science as well. But she’s still very young, so I just let her explore areas of interest, and try to make sure she’s getting a well rounded foundation.

I do history with the girls. I emphasize the positive but don’t hide the negative aspects of the way things were.

In my limited free time I have returned to doing some short hikes, 30-60 minutes. I am busy enough to not really need to do that, but I enjoy it. Sometimes one or both of the girls comes with me. I’m not mountain climbing. I can’t afford an accident that would lay me up.

I use some of the exploration programs as well. A lot of my free time is spent reading and writing.

Next: A strange encounter

[Wayne23]

1/1/2059: 2-0 start to Big 10 play.

1/15: 16-1, 5-1. We lost at Illinois. It was mostly due to fouls, and yes, lousy officiating. Still #1, RPI #1. In a 4 way tie for the lead in Big 10 play.

We’re at #2 Maryland in a couple of weeks. That could be a challenge.

1/29: 19-2, 8-2. Maryland beat us there. We’re still #1, RPI #1, and we’re in a 3 way tie for 1st in the Big 10 with #3 Maryland, and unranked Iowa. Illinois and Michigan ST are 1 back, 2 other teams are 2 back. We have a very favorable schedule the rest of the way though. +13.7 PPG, +8.1 RBs, +5.6 TOs. Wain is getting 17.7 and 11.0 (#2).

Wain is #3 and Mo Sims #25 on the Norton list.

2/12: 23-2, 12-2, #1, RPI #1. Alone in 1st, 1 up on Maryland, 2 on Illinois and Michigan ST.

Wain is #2 on the Norton list.

2/26: We end the regular season 27-2, 16-2, #1, RPI #1, +15.6 PPG, +7.1 RBs, +6.4 TOs. We win the Big 10 by 1 over Maryland, 3 over Michigan ST, 5 or more over the rest.

3/5: We lose Sean Tomm and Don Dye to the draft. I am thrilled that Wain is staying!

Wain is #3 on the Norton list.

[Wayne23]

3/7: #8 seed Ohio ST, 17-11, 9-9, in the quarters. We won by only 6 there three weeks ago. Not one of our better games.

3/8: 64-30. They scored 8 in the 2nd half. We held them to 16% shooting- for the game. 17, 15 for Wain. 53 RBs, 11 TOs.

#4 seed Purdue, 14-14, 11-7, in the semis. We won by only 8 here, then 9 there. They get their points outside.

3/9: 73-52. 11, 19 for Wain, 13, 7, 4 for Few. 55 RBs, 8 TOs.

As expected, it’s #2 seed, #3 ranked Maryland, 25-5, 15-3, for the title. They are very good at SG and PF. We probably have the edge at the other spots, and we think our bench is better. BUT, they beat us by 14 there.

3/10: 88-77. We led by 13 at the half. 28 for Few, 20 for Sims, 13, 17 for Wain, 12, 10 for Lang.

The win should ice the #1 seed overall.

3/12: 30-2, ACC champs. #1, RPI #1.

#1 overall. We play 17-14 Monmouth first.

3/16: 86-77. We led by as many as 23. 22, 17 for Wain, who has owned the boards lately. +13 TOs.

#9 seed Duke, 16-14, in the 2nd round. Duke in the 2nd is not a good draw, even if they are having a down year. We beat them by 10 in the 2nd game of the season. They’re very good outside.

3/18: In an absolute shock we lose 63-83. We shot 29% to their 45.3%. They made 16 threes. Wade Wain had 17 and 15 but no one else did much of anything.

I can’t believe it!

4/3: #3 ranked Maryland beat #7 Kansas by 13 for the title.

4/4: Awards: Wade Wain makes 1st team All American. I get national COY. In the Big 10 Wain is POY, Wes Lang is Defensive POY. Wain makes the 1st team. Key Few makes 2nd. I get Conf. COY.

4/23: We ask for a facilities upgrade. We get it and go from A to A+.

31-3 and a tremendously disappointing season when we go out in round 2 of the dance.

Overall I’m 889-189, .825.

[Wayne23]

February, 2163: Birthdays again, Lacy is now 10 and Amy 6. My girls are growing up.

The weather down here has been mild and not very stormy. The move seems to have been a good idea.

Two days ago something difficult to fathom happened. A small boat, maybe a 50 or a 60 footer came racing toward us. It pulled alongside. A man looked up, called to me. I called back.

He asked how many of us were on board. I said two children and me. At that point he simply took off and kept going.

I have no idea what to make of this. He hasn’t been back and I really don’t expect him to come back.

It did make me wonder how many other people might be out there. I doubt that there are very many, but it’s a big world, so it’s possible that there are others. Given that the entire planet is covered in water I could cruise forever and never run into anyone else, even if there are people out there.

Next: A mountain top

[Wayne23]

5/1: The usual reports.

Preseason #3.

6/5: No one of interest in the transfer pool.

6/26: 6 scholarships. We want 3 or 4 bigs.

8/7: 8 on the Norton list: C Kris Chub #5, C Wade Wain #9, PG Mo Sims #21, PG Rob Lann #36, C Gary Gore #37, C Wes Lang #40, SG Key Few #41, and PF Elan Ford #45.

8/21: We offer to 2 PGs, an SF, 3 PFs.

9/11: We lose a PF and offer to a PG.

9/18: Got 3, lost 2. We got 2 PGs, #5, #10, and a PF, #3.

No in season tourney but a very challenging schedule.

9/25: Got 2, lost 1. Got a PF, #14, and a PG, #24. We need a big.

10/2: Still chasing the big guy. We’ve offered to one we like a lot.

1st day of practice. We have the players.

11/6: Here’s the lineup:

Senior Rob Lann and soph Mo Sims start at guard with senior Key Few backing up. Junior Sam Bell is hoping for minutes.

Junior Wade Wain, at least for now, has switched to SF.

Frosh Kris Chub and Raa Doqq start inside. Senior Wes Lang and junior Elan Ford sub inside. Gary Gore is waiting in reserve.

We’re good and we’re deep.

[Wayne23]

11/13: We get the PF, #29.

11/20: 2-0. We beat up on #8 and #12.

One of our recruits, a PG #29, did not sign, which means he won’t hit our SAT score. Looking at big guys.

12/4: 6-0, #1, RPI #1. Again, we’re good and we’re deep.

12/25: 9-0, #1, RPI #1, +21.6 PPG, +19.3 RBs (49.2 per game!!!, +4.8 TOs. We just beat undefeated, #3 ranked North Carolina by 32. Every team we’ve played was ranked when we played them. Starting frontcourt are getting 40.5 points, 32.0 RBs. 6 guys averaging 8.4 or more points.

[Wayne23]

1/1/2060: 2-0 to start Big 10 play; 2 blowouts. #5 Maryland, there, is next.

The environment is degrading badly. Many parts of the world are in crisis due to the difficulty of obtaining food, and more importantly, potable water. Society has collapsed in some places. Most of The Netherlands is now underwater. The population has been evacuated to various locations in Europe. India is in disastrous shape. There is very limited information coming from Africa but much of that continent is under tremendous pressure and people are dying in enormous numbers. China has imposed a news blackout but what is leaking out is horrible.

Here in the U. S. things are not that bad yet, but the feeling is that things are barely holding together. I have a contingency escape plan, but if the team is on the road when it all falls apart my plan won’t work.

Society could hold together for years here in the U. S. but it also feels like it could collapse at any moment.

1/15: 14-1, 5-1, #1, RPI #1. Maryland beat us by 14 there. Our D let us down. We’re in a 4 way tie for 1st in the Big 10.

1/29: 18-1, 9-1, #, RPI #. +21.8 PPG, +17.2 RBs, +6.8 TOs. 1 up on #4 Maryland, 2 up on #21 Michigan, 3 or more on the rest. Raa Doqq is getting 17.3 and 10.3, Kris Chub is getting 12.8 and 10.0, so 2 guys averaging a double double.

Kris Chub is #20 on the Norton list.

As expected the recruit did not meet the SAT score. We offer to an SF.

2/12: 21-2, 12-2, #1, #1. Tied for 1st in conf. Maryland is here this week in a game that will likely decide first place in the Big 10.

2/26: We end the regular season 25-2, 16-2, #1, RPI #1, +20.8 PPG, +16.7 RBs, +7.2 TOs. #1 in PPG, RBs, TOs. We win the conf. by 2 games. Doqq gets 17.2, 10.3. Chub gets 12.6, 9.6.

3/5: We lose 2 to the draft: Starter Kris Chub, and 6th man Elan Ford.