An old, worn out magazine had pulled Mali into a whole new world. Only then did she realise that the seemingly empty air around her was actually filled with countless invisible radio signals.
For the first time, she truly understood how a radio could make sound.
According to the magazine, the “crystal radio” was something magical, it didn’t even need a power source, yet it could pull radio stations straight from the air. The parts were simple and cheap, making it perfect for beginners.
Mali set herself a new goal: she would build a crystal radio.
She could have just followed the step by step instructions in the magazine without worrying too much about the details. But that wasn’t enough for her. Her hunger for knowledge wouldn’t let her stop there. She wanted to know exactly how every single part worked.
The magazine listed six reference books for deeper study. Mali remembered clearly that Uncle Somchai had all of them on his shelf.
During the day, she sat straight at her school desk, eyes on the blackboard, but her mind kept wandering back to the magazine.
At night, she and her dog Chokdee would sit under the tamarind tree behind her house, reading under the dim yellow light spilling out from her father’s old woodworking shed until dawn.
In just five days, she had finished the book. Apart from a few concepts she hadn’t yet learned at school, she understood almost everything.
When Saturday came, Mali went to Uncle Somchai’s house again. But this time, there was someone else there — an older man wearing a white lab coat and sporting a short military-style haircut.
As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, the man’s sharp eyes locked on her. She froze, feeling as if she’d just stumbled into the path of a tiger.
“Major!” Uncle Somchai suddenly called out, slamming a carved makruk piece down on the small wooden board between them.
The man’s face changed. He glanced at the board and saw that Somchai’s horse had slipped into place behind his cannon — a devastating trap.
“That doesn’t count! That doesn’t count!” the man barked, snatching the horse and moving it back, then trying to undo his last move.
Somchai’s smile disappeared in an instant. He grabbed the man’s wrist.
“Khun Prasert, we agreed before — no cheating.”
“I just got distracted,” Prasert grumbled. “Blame that girl, if she hadn’t suddenly appeared, I wouldn’t have slipped up. You think I wouldn’t see a trap like that?”
He shot Mali a piercing look. “And you, what are you doing here?”
“I… I…” Mali stepped back, feeling small under his glare.
“Enough,” Somchai said with a sigh. “Don’t scare her. Mali, this is Uncle Prasert from the next village over. He’s just teasing you.”
“Hello, Uncle Prasert,” Mali said politely.
“Hmm. Well-mannered girl,” he said, softening slightly. “Still, you need to walk with more strength. Shoulders back, chin up! Just now you looked like a frightened kitten.”
Somchai cut in quickly. “Alright, enough advice for one day. So, Mali, what brings you here?”
“I finished this book,” she said, holding it out, “and I’d like to borrow another.”
“You finished it already?” Somchai raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. “Alright, put it back on the shelf. The room’s not locked — pick whatever you like.”
He turned back to his game, even allowing Prasert to take back his move despite the cheating.
Mali walked toward the house. Out of the corner of his eye, Prasert noticed her limp and lowered his voice. “What happened to her?”
Somchai’s tone turned gentle. “When she was little, she fell and hurt her head. Left some aftereffects, her balance isn’t perfect.”
Prasert frowned. “I remember hearing about a girl from your village… people said she’d be slow after that accident.”
“She’s not slow,” Somchai said firmly. Then, with a small smile, “She might be the smartest child her age.”
Inside, Mali felt freer without Uncle Somchai hovering nearby. She went straight to the bookshelf and pulled away the dark cloth. This time she moved slowly, memorising every title.
Even without reading them, she learned things just from the names: How to Reduce Electrical Equipment Interference in Radio Signals told her that machines could disrupt broadcasts, and that people had found ways to fix it.
Her memory was sharp. From her last visit, she already had a rough mental map of the shelf. Now she filled in the missing details.
She picked out Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering, a book recommended in the preface of the one she’d just finished. Flipping through the first pages, she saw it started from the very basics — perfect for her.
She was about to keep reading when she heard a faint “shhhh” sound.
Her eyes darted to Uncle Somchai’s radio equipment.
Then, through the static, a voice came clear:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtLhIjFesi
“Shhh… BSBT, this is HS4BU calling BT and waiting for a response…”
and then Add to home screen.