Paphos People

MAYDAY

Spring had been a long time in coming, after a cold winter quarter of October, November and December, January and February had been freezing cold with frequent snow storms. Roads had been blocked for weeks in some areas especially in Scotland. The skiing at Aviemore had been exceptional for those with the means to enjoy it but for the rest of the population it was very uncomfortable. Gas and Electricity prices went through the roof as did most of the central heating generated.
The Government of the day had an emergency meeting to try and find a solution to the problem. As usual it came down to money, hand outs, discounts all of which the chancellor said were impossible to meet in full.
Local Authorities started to open school buildings and function halls to provide heated accommodation and food for the elderly residents and families with small children who were struggling to survive. A nominal charge of five pounds a week per person to cover heating and lighting was applied. Many people didn’t want to be seen to be in need but after a few weeks they swallowed their pride and took advantage of the opportunity. And so it went on, new friendships were formed, old animosities were settled and the general atmosphere was friendly. People were talking to each other at last and most of all they were surviving. Some people moved in to the schools village halls permanently abandoning their homes and setting up ‘camps’ inside the sanctuaries.
March came and everybody breathed a sigh of relief that the weather should improve. But it didn’t, more snow and ice continued to blight the nation and life in the refuges across the country became the norm. Everybody looked after everybody and they thrived. The government subsidies and payments were starting to come through and things were improving financially for the residents of the refuges. As the weather improved slightly some people moved back to their houses but soon returned preferring the community atmosphere that had built up, a whole new way of life and they liked it.
The local authorities eventually issued an order that the facilities were to be finally vacated by the end of April.
This was rejected by the occupants who by this time had set up a hierarchy to argue their case, involving groups all over the country and having thousands of people. They all declared squatters rights and stated categorically that they were going to stay put. The council retaliated with an attempt at an eviction order. The occupants went to court to get the order overturned and were successful in securing a delay pending further investigation because they were invited to live there and paying for the energy being used.
By this time the news agencies around the world had got hold of the story. It was declared to be a retrograde step for communal living as it was in ancient times. This was to be studied with a possibility of adopting it elsewhere in the world. This would globally save billions in fuel costs alone and ultimately vastly reduce carbon emissions.
The government then decided that this situation had to stop because the population was getting well established in the communes and revenue from taxes was beginning to decline because people were not spending money.
Something had to be done and the army was brought in. Every occupied facility in the country was surrounded by units of armed soldiers and at least one tank.
On the thirtieth of April the occupants were informed that the military would be moving in the next day to re-take the buildings. So at six o clock the next morning the soldiers formed up and the tanks started their engines.
The occupants all over the country grabbed their mobile devices and simultaneously issued the same message to the entire world.

MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.

Was this the beginning of a new way of life for the world population? If it was it would be forever known as ‘The Mayday Phenomenon’