The Echoes of Lightning

During the hot and steamy summer of 1752, Benjamin Franklin became fascinated with thunderstorms and lightning. The devastating effects of lightning strikes were obvious, but when one of America’s most famous founding fathers was ready to find out if the incredible force of lightning could be like a wild horse waiting for a harness, a new episode in science began.

To prove his theory that the wild horse of lightning could become a captive within a harness, he began to build a large kite in the shape of a bird. He knew that the wind during a thunderstorm would lift the kite upward and into the clouds that were the source of the lightning.

To prove his theory, a large skeleton key became the terminal at one end of his harness, and at the other end was the kite. Atop the flying framework was a projection of wire, which ran along the kite until it became part of the tether.

Two days after the lightning harness was complete, a late afternoon thunderstorm began building. Near his barn, which was housing all of his experiments in curiosity, Ben set out in a field and bravely began walking into the wind that was building at the base of the storm. After the rain began coming down in torrents, the lightning harness was already aloft and flying high into the swirling clouds. Atop the barn in the distance was a weathervane in the form of an iron rooster. When lightning bolted down from the heavens and struck the iron rooster, the blinding flash of light and the clap of thunder seemed to crack the sky.

When the lightning hit the weathervane atop the barn, a charging bolt of electricity also ran down the wet hemp of Mr. Franklin’s lightning harness and set loose a multitude of sparks from the key at the base of the kite’s tether.

It remains unclear if Ben Franklin was shocked while holding his flying kite experiment, but he must have been in awe when the force of the lightning that struck the barn also ran across the sky and became a captive in his lightning harness. He also might have begun to wonder - as curious folks of science always do - what other secrets could the untamed forces of nature produce when lightning opens the sky.

Florida is the thunderstorm capital of the world. Many sources report that there are many more lightning strikes in the Sunshine State than in any other summertime destination. What is not on the daily reports, however, is what else Mother Nature can produce when the sky opens.

The idea of building hotels in Florida and entertaining as many guests as possible is nothing new, but after ages of the same business over the same old grounds, echoes of the past might perhaps slip into the present.

When Barney began as general manager of the old hotel, he knew there would be many problems. The hotel was old, and when asked, he told the owners to tear it down and start over. The owners disagreed. They welcomed the new manager but proudly stated, “The place has good bones! Do your best and manage all the problems.”

The winter season was busy and profitable, but the resort was not without many difficulties. The old hotel might have good bones, but some of them were broken and in need of attention. The plumbing was original and a nightmare. Breaking pipes behind dry walls was almost a daily occurrence, and when the rainy season began, the roof began to leak.

Rising above the many problems of the old resort, however, was the shining staff. Many of the staff were actually senior citizens, but a friendly and family-like atmosphere prevailed over almost every issue. Barney had to admit, the old property seemed to have a soul. The place was beyond ageing. It was almost falling down, but an intangible energy was always present just below the surface.

Another member of the staff was the audiovisual manager. Almost at once, Barney and the AV manager became fast friends and allies. Whenever Barney was up to his elbows in the nightmares of running an old Florida property, he would call the audiovisual department and ask Audio Bill for advice.

One evening after a thunderstorm and unstoppable lightning strikes began tearing the sky apart, the flooding parking lot began creeping up to the main entrance, where the guests were tracking mud onto the already soaking carpet in the lobby. This was the scenario when Audio Bill called and Barney answered his phone.

“Come to the ballroom,” Audio Bill explained. “Come right now.”

Despite all the problems in the lobby, Barney tracked his way down the grand hallways and walked into the spacious ballroom. Audio Bill caught his eye and motioned the general manager over to a standing speaker on a tripod. Bill tilted his head toward the front of the speaker. “Listen,” he said.

The ballroom was empty except for the two men. When Barney leaned up to the speaker to listen, he heard music. The music was faint, but both men could easily hear the recognizable dance music from a big band in the 1940s. After listening for a few moments, Barney asked Bill, “What’s the problem?”

Bill shook his head and then pointed to the speaker wire resting on the floor. The big band music was clearly playing, but the speaker did not have a connection to any wire.

Ben Franklin was trying to harness lightning with his kite and found more answers than he was looking for. Two managers at an old Florida hotel might have found another source of answers when an unattached speaker began to play - quite possibly - the Echoes of Lightning.