Chapter 2

Well I knew a guy in high school; just an average friendly guy
And he had himself a girlfriend; and you made them say goodbye
Now he's buried in the mud; over foreign jungle land
And his girl just sits and cries; she just doesn't understand
So you say he died for freedom; well if he died to save your lies
Go ahead and call me yellow
2+2 is on my mind

The end of August, just before Labor Day Holiday, I had finished school, and took a week off from work to just take a break, and recharge my batteries. I have been going very strong for a full year with school and work.

Bob a friend of mine from work, he also went to high school with me, graduating in the class before mine, invited me to a Labor Day cookout.

"Just show up, there will be plenty to eat and drink. Be there by 1:00 p.m," he said.

I pulled into his driveway, about 20 minutes late, it is full of cars. There were plenty of people I knew from school and work, and some that I didn't know. Bob has a rather large backyard, with an above ground pool. I noticed that the kids were busy playing in the pool. There are two big grills cooking different foods, going at full speed.

In a large shed there were tables loaded with all types of food, and coolers with different types of beverages in them.

I grabbed a beer and stopped to chat with a few class mates. As I talked, I kept staring at a blonde girl over by the pool. She sure in the hell looked familiar, but I couldn't place just where we crossed paths before. As I started to walk that way, Bob came up and grabbed me by the arm.

"This is my wife Sandy, Sandy this is my friend from work AJ," he said.

We exchange greetings, and I thanked her for inviting me to the party.

"Come on, I want you to meet someone," he said.

We walked toward to the pool, in the direction of the blonde gal.

"Hi Ivy," Bob said.

"Hi Bob," Ivy replied.

Shit now I remember. Beatrice Ivory Smith, she was two years behind me in high school. If I remember right, she dated a guy name Kevin Smith, was a year behind me in high school.

It's kind of odd, because my name is Austin James Smith, but everyone calls me AJ. I stand six feet tall, and weigh 185 pounds. If I remember right she hated to be called Beatrice or Bea, always goes by Ivy, her middle name is Ivory. She was named after her two grandmothers. Ivy is a beautiful blonde, about five feet-five inches tall, maybe 120 pounds, with a really nice figure 34C-24-34.

"Hey Ivy do remember AJ? He graduated a couple years before you did at our school," Bob said.

"Ya I do. Hi AJ," Ivy said.

"Hi Ivy, good to see you," I replied.

"Hey I have to go check up on how the grilling is going. Catch you guys a bit later," Bob said as he left heading toward the grills.

Ivy and I chatted for a few minutes, when she called to a little blonde head girl.