Chapter 1: Static Dreams
Chapter 1: Static Dreams
Intro:
In a modest suburb outside Manchester, England, lived a boy named Oliver Bennett. While others his age dreamed of scoring goals in stadiums or commanding spaceships, Oliver had a different obsession—voices. Not just any voices, but those carried over the airwaves through radios. His dream? To become a radio host who could reach millions.
Story:
Oliver’s fascination began one rainy afternoon when his granddad pulled an old, crackling radio from the attic. The world beyond their quiet street seemed to unfold right there in the living room. From world news to late-night talk shows, Oliver was glued to the voices on the other end.
At ten, while most kids were playing video games, Oliver begged for a secondhand portable radio. He carried it everywhere. Each evening, he’d sit by the window with headphones on, scribbling notes on how hosts spoke, how they transitioned topics, and how they made interviews sound effortless.
His parents, Jane and Martin Bennett, were supportive but puzzled. “You sure you don’t want to play football like your mates?” his dad would ask, chuckling. Oliver just smiled and turned up the volume.
By twelve, Oliver was running a mini “station” from his bedroom, broadcasting to his family using walkie-talkies and an old microphone he found at a garage sale. He recorded his own shows—complete with jingles, weather updates, and news he read from the local paper.
His first true break came during a school media fair. He set up a pretend radio booth and interviewed classmates and teachers. The headmaster, impressed, played a segment during morning announcements. For the first time, Oliver’s voice reached the ears of an audience larger than his teddy bear collection.
One of the judges at the fair, a part-time BBC radio producer named Miss Sutton, pulled Oliver aside afterward. “You’ve got a knack, lad. Don’t let it go silent.”
That one sentence set his life’s course.
Outro:
That night, Oliver sat on his bed, headphones in, notebook open. As static hummed softly in the background, he whispered to himself, “One day, my voice will be the one someone else listens to in the dark.