Fifth Anthology of Stories

By Manuel Hadder Ceballos Jiménez

This fifth anthology of stories is a compilation of short stories, some real, others fantasies, experiences of the author throughout his professionals life, and in general a combination of all of them.
I dedicated this book to my three children: Margarita María, Hadder Andrés y Manuela, with the hope that all their dreams will come true.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palibrio
• Release date: Sep 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781506538679

Manuel Hadder Ceballos Jiménez

Manuel Hadder Ceballos Jimnez naci el 27 de Marzo de 1,946 en Manizales, Caldas, Colombia, sus estudios primarios y secundarios fueron en el Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Seora del Rosario en Manizales, estudi en la Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Manizales, con ttulo de Ingeniero Civil, y con un postgrado en Ingeniera Econmica y Anlisis Financiero en Estudios de Impacto Ambiental, en la Universidad de Manizales. Miembro de: Sociedad Colombiana de Matemticas, Socio Efectivo No 54 Sociedad Colombiana de Ingenieros. Socio de Nmero Sociedad Caldense de Ingenieros y Arquitectos. Socio Vitalicio Sociedad Caldense de Ingenieros Civiles. Socio de Nmero FAPUM Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Manizales. Asociado Cargos Desempeados: Profesor asociado Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Manizales, Miembro de varias juntas directivas de empresas en Colombia, contratista de estudios y de obras pblicas en Colombia, como: Construccin de carreteras, oleoductos, acueductos alcantarillados, plantas de tratamiento, viviendas de inters social, edificios, represas, puentes, pavimentos rgidos, pavimentos flexibles, obras de estabilidad, plantas de beneficio de minerales preciosos. Publicaciones Libro Diseo Geomtrico de Vas. 1,987 La Minera en Marmato. 1,992 Director Revista Sociedad Caldense de Ingenieros y Arquitectos. 1,995 a 1,999 Tercer puesto Cuento Breve Universidad Nacional 1,999 Mencin especial Cuento Breve Fapun Universidad Nacional. 2,016 Antologa de Cuentos, Segunda, Tercera, y Cuarta Antologas de Cuentos. Palibrio. 2,017 Un templario en la historia de Colombia, historia ficcin. Palibrio 2,017 Pgina Web: www.manuelhadderceballosjimenezlibros.com - [e-mail]

Book preview

The Deadly Fuse

Image35707.JPG

There was an urgent needed to build the access road to Cerro Chontadur in accordance with all the technical studies that had been carried out, that hill was the appropriate one to install the Television Repeater that would have a great coverage that area of the country, these technical studies were delayed more than necessary, in addition the access to the hill presented complications because 65% of its conformation was a basaltic rock, it was necessary to quickly build the road but due to this hardness the terrain was difficult, they were all established the requirements by government entities such as: construction time, the type of machinery to use, and the fines that had to be applied to make the project speedy effective, then they summoned the most experienced contractors.

The bidding and awarding process was carried out in a record time of 15 days, they looked with a magnifying glass at all the proposals that were six in total, to define themselves they focused more on the technical aspect than one the financial one, they attributed more points to the most experienced in blasting, because there was the problem of an indigenous community settled close to the place where the repeater would be built.

The blasting represented a danger for that community, they tried to settle them in another place, but it was impossible to negotiate with them.

The company to which the contract was awarded was asked for the best handling and safety in the use of explosives, that whenever possible, continuous blasting be carried out and given direction so as not to pose a greater danger for the community, every time at blast is scheduled, it had to be supervised as a whole by the auditor.

The company was then located at the base of the hill and from there all operations and supplies were directed, the period of six months to build the road was really short. Due to the inconveniences that arose, the company obtained the best experts in the country in blasting, they programmed with them that all the blasting would be carried out with an electric fuse, this was the state-of-the art technology at that time.

They agreed that the blasting would be carried out with series circuits and direction would be given in order not to affect the nearby communities, the days of least mobility of the inhabitants of the area would be carried out, before each blast the company and the inspector, they had to carry out a detailed and safe review of the blasting circuits, as they were series firing circuits, they had to carry out detailed inspection of the first connection and the last one which were connected from the firing line to the explosor, by means of the law of Ohm, the firing and explosion line was checked, as they were low voltage electrical detonators, a current of one and a half amps passed through the circuit, therefore the voltage necessary to pass this current is calculated by the law Ohm, whereby the voltage equals the resistance in ohms and is multiplied by the amount of current in amperes.

They also agreed that blasting of more than 500 linear m could not be carried out, in order to have greater safety, once the firing line had been checked, they would connect the lasting circuit and carry out a check of the entire circuit from a safe place, before carrying out this check.

They have the obligation to withdraw all personnel and inhabitants of the circuit area for security reasons. The resistance measured with the ohmmeter had to coincide with the calculated one, if there was a difference they would always have to do this mandatory check:

• If the resistance was too high, there would be a false contact in a junction or a detonator.

• If the resistance was too low, there was possibility that not all the detonators were connected.

• If the resistance was infinite, the circuit would be open, possibly due to a faulty detonator, a broken wire, or a broken bridge.

20 blasts had been programmed in series throughout the construction, the Mister, who was thus nicknamed Tangarife, would be responsible for all the blast, he was the absolute boss of the entire operation, This Tangarife had a reputation throughout the country as the most expert and safest in blasting, an objective person and an expert in recognizing faults in circuits, an excellent worker, accomplished in the tasks under his charge, but with a problem, that almost no one was aware of, with alcohol he was a dipsomaniac.

When he began to drink liquor he did not stop. Everything was going perfectly, the blasts were established, they were checked, if they did not comply, they were suspended until the cause was discovered, all the blasts were scheduled for Mondays when they could be carried out, it was the day of least mobility by the inhabitants of the area.

The execution of the last blasting was scheduled for Monday, December 26, no one realized that it was a difficult date for Tangarife, due to his dipsomania with alcohol, as he could not travel home to celebrate the December 24, Tangarife began to drink liquor from Friday, December 23, after having carried out the complete check of the last line of fire, this liquor ingestion was carried out in the camp that was assigned to him, before starting to drink liquor he called his assistants to the place safe from where the blast would take place.

These were in charge of sounding the alarms and exploring the shooting area and verifying the absence of all human beings in the area, he dispatched them to their homes, and they were present on Monday 26 at six in the morning, the blast would be carried out at nine in the morning, they all accepted and said goodbye to the Mister, they did not notice the liquor intake of