A sudden blast of ack-ack fire had thundered from the valley.

Before the lights go down at the start of the performance, there are the sounds of a World War II air raid: ack-ack fire, sirens, finally the all-clear.

He felt the searing heat, heard the muffled explosions; bombs still going off, incessant ack-ack fire, the drone of heavy bombers, interspersed with the hornet-like whine of Spitfires.

It's too bad that, thanks to its incessant application in promoting everything from dishwashing detergent to hair conditioners, the word "revolution" has been neutralized in any situation that does not involve ack-ack fire - because this time it's the real McCoy as sure as Grandpappy Amos had a limp.