Title: The Radio Plays

Author: akite

Pairing: F/K

Rating: PG for language

Prompt: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2007/12/12/nwt-doc.html  NFB doc puts Western Arctic radio station in the spotlight

Many thanks to lj user=mergatrude for beta reading.

The Radio Plays

A. Kite (June 2008)

"This is CBQM, Fort McPherson community radio. I'm Sergeant Benton Fraser, RCMP, and I'll be your host for the next hour. We'll start off with one of my favorites, and I'm sure one of yours, Northwest Passage by Mr. Stan Rogers."

"Not bad, Fraser, but you need to pep it up a bit. Don't want your listeners to fall asleep out there, do you?" Ray said as Fraser tended to starting the recording and turning off the mike.

"Why, certainly I don't want anyone to fall asleep, Ray, but you talked me into doing this program, and I'll thank you kindly to let me do it my way."

Ray threw up his hands, "Fine, fine, do it your way. Don't get pissy. I'll just be over here." Ray took the only other chair in the small control room.

"Next up, Nobody's Girl by Ms. Tracy Jenkins, a song on which, you may not know, I had the very rare opportunity and pleasure of singing back up."

Ray rolled his eyes. 'On which', sheesh, Fraser sounded like somebody's English teacher. He got up and sauntered over to the control board. He held out a CD. "Here, Fraser, play the first song on this one next."

Fraser took the disc and looked at it. "I Herd it Thru the Bovine? Really, Ray, it doesn't sound like my type of thing, aside from the horrible grammar and pun."

"No, that's just the name of the album. The song I want you to play is called Ten Buck Fuck."

Scandalized, Fraser said, "Ray! I don't think we should be playing that type of music!" He paused for a moment to consider. "Is this some of that hoodlum rock you're so fond of?"

"Punk rock, Fraser, and Bovine is a classic."

"Oh, yes, a classic example of music to make one mentally imbalanced. Besides, on my program I only plan to play music by Canadian artists."

"Hard Core Logo is Canadian. Or rather the group was. Based out of Vancouver."

Fraser sighed and shook his head. "Save it for your own program, Ray, please."

Fraser turned back to the control board. "Now for something with a little more," he looked over at Ray, "pep, here's Gross and Keeley with Voodoo."

Ray groaned. Fraser quickly hit a switch on the control board and glared at Ray. "I certainly hope the microphone didn't pick that up."

Ray went back to his chair before he pissed Fraser off so much he wouldn't come back. It wasn't easy finding volunteer DJs in a town the size of Fort McPherson. He kept quiet the rest of the hour, and let Fraser do his show the way he wanted. Though, he did have to stand when Fraser spun his last disc. Only Fraser would end his show with the National Anthem.

As the last strains of "O, Canada" were fading, Ray took his place at the microphone. "Hey out there, all you cool cats and hot mammas! This is CBQM, your Fort McPherson community radio. It's 11AM, and I'm Ray Kowalski, your resident alien, here to bring you an hour of rocking tunes. First, the weather forecast: Cold, big surprise there, followed by more cold and a chance of snow tomorrow. Low tonight of minus - forget it, cold enough to freeze off any dangly bits, so dress warm if you have to go out. Now stand by for Ten Buck Fuck by Hard - Core - Logo!"

He flashed a triumphant smile toward Fraser as he pushed the button to start the music, but Fraser wasn't looking at him. He'd picked up the CD case and was reading the back. "You know, Ray, it says here that the song's proper name is China White, not err...what you said."

Ray grabbed the case out of his hand. "If you'll also look there Fraser, you'll see Ten Buck Fuck in parentheses. You can call it China White, and I'll call it Ten Buck Fuck."

Before their bickering could escalate, a man walked into the small radio station. Fraser stepped out of the control room into the lobby. "May I help you, sir?"

The man divested himself of gloves and parka before extending his hand. "I'm Dennis Allen, over from Inuvik. I'm here to see Ray Kowalski?"

Fraser shook the man's hand. "Sgt. Benton Fraser, RCMP. That would be Ray there." He nodded toward the big glass window that looked into the control room.

"Was that you, just on the air?"

"Why, yes, yes it was."

"Good show. I was listening. I always tune in when I'm in the area."

"Thank you kindly. Today was my first time hosting a radio program. Frankly, I was a bit nervous," Fraser confessed. "I'm very happy that you enjoyed it. What brings you to Fort McPherson?"

Mr. Allen looked around curiously. "I want to make a documentary film about this station. Asked around, and everybody said to see Ray Kowalski. He run this place?"

Fraser chuckled and answered, "In a manner of speaking, yes. Come on in," he gestured with a tilt of his head, "and I'll introduce you to my partner."

They went into the control room and waited until Ray had a moment free.

"Ray, this is Dennis Allen, a filmmaker from Inuvik. Mr. Allen, this is Ray Kowalski, the driving force behind CBQM."

"Filmmaker, huh? Anything I might have seen?"

"Possibly. I made the documentary <i>My Father, My Teacher</i> in 2005."

Ray didn't have a clue, but Fraser's eyes lit up. "That was an excellent film, Mr. Allen. My own father taught me many things, though, mostly after his death."

"O-K," Allen replied hesitantly.

Ray laughed and said with obvious affection, "Don't mind Fraser, he's a freak."

Fraser broke in with, "Mr. Allen wants to make a film about the station, Ray."

"If the National Film Board approves my funding, and please, call me Dennis, both of you."

Ray stuck out his hand, "My kind of guy. I'm Ray." As they shook hands, Ray said, "Now my partner here, Fraser, he's a more formal type person, so if he keeps calling you Mr. Allen, don't get offended. Hell, we've been together ten years and listen to me, I still call him Fraser. Somehow Ben or Benton don't seem to fit."

"Uh, you mean you two are together, together?" Dennis asked hesitantly, not wanting to offend.

Ray grabbed Fraser's left hand in his own and held them up so Dennis could see their rings. "Yep, for ten years. We went down to Whitehorse two years ago and made it official."

"Well, that's, uh, wonderful." He stopped and thought a second. "Hold on, Fraser and Kowalski, you guys stopped that nuclear sub heist, right? I remember that, that was, oh yeah, about ten years ago." Dennis smacked his forehead. "I see I should have done my homework better before I came," he said depreciatively and smiled. "It's a real honor to meet you both."

Fraser recovered quickly from the awkward moment and managed to say, "Likewise, Mr. Allen."

Ray held up a hand for silence and went back to his board. "We're taking a little break from the music for the community bulletin board, brought you by your friends at Talbot's, who generously provide free coffee and doughnuts to all of our volunteers at CBQM..."

Fraser drew Dennis out of the control room back into the lobby as so not to disturb Ray. "Perhaps we should retire to the diner until Ray's finished."

Dennis nodded, "Sounds like a good idea."

Fraser stuck his head back in just as Ray was finishing, "Don't forget Friday is recycling day at the community center. Bring all your aluminum, plastic and this week only, they're taking electronics. If you got any old calculators, TVs or computer monitors, this is your chance to get rid of them and do something good for the community. Now back to the tunes."

"Ray, come over to Talbot's when you're done."

Ray got up and crossed the few steps to the door to press a quick kiss to Fraser's lips. "You did great today. See you in a few. Order me a cheeseburger."

"Right you are, Ray, and thank you kindly," Fraser replied, and he kissed Ray, not at all quickly.

Ray didn't let it last too long. He pushed Fraser away. "Aw, get outta here, don't you know I've got a radio show to do? Besides, you're going to scandalize the film guy."

With a twinkle in his eye, Fraser reply, "If Mr. Allen plans to stay around long enough to make a film about the station, I think he'd best get used it. Besides, he's busy putting on his coat."

Ray looked out into the lobby. "Yeah, you're right, but you don't have to rub his face in it the first day, Fraser. Shit!" Ray ran back over to the control board. The song had ended. "Sorry about the dead air time, folks. You can blame your local constabulary for distracting me."

Fraser escorted Dennis to the diner just down the street from the radio station, and they settled into a booth. The waitress scurried over with menus. "Good morning, Sergeant. Who's your friend?"

"Good morning, Mary. This is Mr. Dennis Allen from Inuvik." Fraser didn't elaborate for fear that Mary would be so intent on impressing a film producer, they'd never get their food. She was the young and impetuous type, and she reminded him of no one so much as Francesca Vecchio.

"What can I get you gentlemen to drink? Tea, Sgt. Fraser?"

"Please."

"Coffee for me," Dennis said, taking Fraser's lead and not talking at all about why he was in Fort McPherson until they'd ordered, had their food in front of them, and the waitress out of ear shot. "So, tell me how did Ray get involved with station?"

Fraser set his grilled cheese sandwich down. "Yes, well, that's quite a story. You sure you don't want Ray to tell it?"

Dennis smiled around a bite of his burger, swallowed and answered, "I'll ask him too, but it's good to get a story from different points of view."

Fraser nodded. "That makes sense." Between pauses to eat and for Mary to offer refills, Fraser told his version of the story. "Ray and I came to Fort McPherson three years ago when I was transferred from Yellowknife. Mind you, the radio station had been on air for years before we came, and will be, I'm sure, for many years to come. Ray never really gave a thought to anything about radio before, but as you can hear," he paused and made a hand gesture to the air around them, "it's very important to the people here, both those that live in town and those that live further out.

"Ray was in this very diner when he struck up a conversation with Frank Firth. Frank had his own program every Wednesday morning at the time. Unfortunately, his health isn't the best anymore -"

Dennis reached in his pocket for a notebook and pen and jotted down the name before raising a hand up for halt. "I'm sure he's an interesting man, and I'll definitely be interviewing him, but can we talk about Ray, please?"

Sheepishly, Fraser resumed his story, "Yes, of course, I do tend to wander off the subject at times. Frank asked Ray what he thought of station, and I'm afraid Ray was a bit critical."

That was as far as Fraser got. Ray came breezing into the diner. By the time he'd hung up his coat and hat, Mary was placing his burger on the table. He slid into the booth beside Fraser and gave the waitress a dazzling smile. "Hey, thanks, Mary."

She looked as if Ray had made her day. "No problem, Ray. Let me know if I can get you anything else." She swished her backside at Ray as she sauntered away.

Ray turned to Fraser and winked. "It only takes an extra moment to be courteous."

"Well, yes," Fraser agreed, "but she should practice her courtesy and her flirting on someone else, as should you."

"Jeeze, Fraser, jealous much?" Ray laughed. "You don't have anything to worry about, besides she's too much like Frannie for me."

***

Dennis sat back and enjoyed watching the two of them banter back and forth. The Mountie was a strange one and to look at him you'd think he'd be stiff and cold, but he wasn't. Yeah, he was a bit more proper than most people, but it was obvious Ray kept him loose. As for the cold bit, well, looks can be deceiving; he'd seen that kiss before they left the station.

He let Ray make inroads on his lunch before reintroducing the topic at hand. "Ray, Sgt. Fraser was starting to tell me about the day you met Frank Firth. He said you were critical? I'd like to hear your take on it."

"Oh yeah," Ray smiled at the memory, "I was sitting at the counter and Old Frank asked me what I thought about the radio station. I shrugged him off, you know, didn't want to piss anybody off since I was new in town. Old Frank wouldn't let it go, so I told him, 'It's OK, I guess, if you're into George Jones and fiddle music.' He challenged me to do my own show with the kind of music I like," Ray shrugged one shoulder and continued, "I took him up on it. It sort of escalated from there."

Dennis nodded and made plans in his head. This was going to be a fascinating experience. He didn't press Ray for the details, not yet, but he knew since Ray came on board, the station had doubled its 'on air' programming hours. He could hardly wait to come back with his camera and get the whole story.

He shook hands with Ray and Fraser again as they got up to leave. "I'll be back, and it's been a pleasure to meet you both."

"Likewise," they said in unison.

"I hope you get your funding," Ray offered.

"Thanks."

Dennis went back to Inuvik, but you can be sure he got his funding, and the radio plays on.