Chapter 8: Jackie

Army life in peacetime isn't all that bad thought 2nd Lt. Bob Lacy after his first four months on active duty. He had started off his two year active duty stint by completing the eight weeks Basic Armor Orientation Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He had done well and finished in the top 10% of his class. Upon completion, he reported to Fort Riley, Kansas which was the home of the 1st Infantry Division, The Big Red One. He was assigned to C Company of the Armored Battalion as Tank Platoon Leader. It was easy duty in peacetime but in combat operations it would become a challenging position with a probable short life expectancy. He hoped he never had to face that challenge as he wanted to live a long and successful life.

Fort Riley consisted of a number of camps where the various units that comprised the 1st Infantry Division were housed. Each camp had similar facilities consisting of motor pools, barracks and training facilities. The Fort's PXs, theaters, gyms, golf course, NCO Clubs and Officer Clubs all enhanced the social life. The pay wasn't great but with the perks of free medical, free housing, inexpensive meals and entertainment, the standard of living was more than acceptable. Saving for a new car or some large expense would however present problems.

Bob thought he had made it through another week as he entered his BOQ after the half work day on Saturday. He was off duty till Monday morning. Walking up to his second floor corner room quarters in the BOQ he started to unbutton his fatigue shirt.

Coming out of the laundry room was Ken Maggio, a 1st Lt. who had spent his first year of active duty after Artillery School in Korea. Ken was enjoying the Army, especially the travel opportunities it afforded him. He was pushing Bob to apply for a transfer to Korea.

"See the world," he constantly said.

They had become friends in a short time.

Ken was a very nice and friendly person and somewhat of an extrovert. Bob on the other hand was somewhat laid back and the opposite of Ken. The old axiom of opposites attracting applied here an in a short time they had become the best of friends. Ken asked Bob what were his plans for this weekend and Bob said that he would probably go over to the Officer Club or the O-Club as it was known, for a few drinks and the buffet dinner.

Ken said that sounded pretty boring.

"Tell you what," he said. "Why don't you come with me when I see my girlfriend tonight? I am sure she can fix you up with a date. You could use a little female companionship."

Bob agreed he could use some female companionship but being fixed up on a blind date usually doesn't work out. He told Ken he would pass on his offer. Ken was insistent and Bob reluctantly agreed because he didn't want to hurt Ken feelings. They agreed to leave the BOQ later at five.

Right on time they left, wearing civilian clothes of wash pants and shirts. Ken drove his Chevy Impala convertible and the top was down. The weather was warm and nice. It was about a one-hour drive to St. Judith's College, which was an all girl Catholic College located about 65 miles from Fort Riley. It was a small but exclusive college noted for its education excellence. How Ken had met his present girlfriend Bob had never asked.

They park the car and walked into the dormitory. Ken phoned his girlfriend's room.

Bob overheard Ken talking on the phone and thought, "This is going to be bad."

Apparently, this was the girlfriend's first notice that Ken was bringing Bob over and she was now being requested to find Bob a date.

Bob thought, "What decent looking girl is going to be available for a date at six o'clock on a Saturday night?"

Of the eight P's he had learned about in the Army, he thought that they all applied here. Piss, poor, prior, planning, promotes, piss, poor, performance. Bob looked around the first floor of the dorm and what he observed seemed to enforce these thoughts.

The first floor they were on was the social area of the dorm. There were tables, entertainment material, vending machines and a few television sets in a large open area. A number of students in this area were either socializing or walking past Bob and Ken as they where going up the stairs.

Bob didn't want to be overly critical but in all honesty of all the girls he had seen so far, he didn't see anyone that he would say was attractive. They may be nice people and have great personalities but their physical looks were at best, average. Bob was regretting that he let Ken talk him into this. Ken was off the phone and came up to Bob to say that his girlfriend Carol, would be right down to meet them.

They looked up and there was a girl coming down the stairs.

Ken said, "There she is."

A nice but average looking girl who was smiling and dressed in sweats came down the stairs and said, "Hi."

Ken introduced her to Bob. Carol apologized for not being dressed yet and wanted to know what the plans for the evening were.

Ken said "A few drinks and something to eat."

Ken again asked if she could find another girl to go out with Bob.

Carol hesitantly pointed out that this was really short notice but she would see what she could do. She gave Bob a warm smile. Bob sensed that just as he had been checking out the girls, Carol had come down and now was checking him out.

"Well I guess what's good for the goose is good for the gander," he thought.

Carol excused herself and went back up the stairs. She said it would be about fifteen minutes before she would be ready to go.

Ken and Bob stood around and continued to look at the girls and it didn't get any better.

"Why did I do this?" lamented Bob." This is going to be bad."

After what seem like more than 15 minutes, they both glanced up and coming down the stairs were Carol and another girl. They both had on dresses and high heels. Carol looked nice in a dress and cleaned up well. He could see why Ken was attracted to her.

The girl with her he thought could be described in one word, "GANGBUSTERS." She was about five foot seven inches tall, with dark brown, almost black, curly hair down to just past her shoulders. She had blue eyes and very sexy figure with an ample set of breasts. Her legs were long and trim. Bob thought she was beautiful. Facially and physically she looked like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine. She had a nice smile and seemed pleased when she was introduced to Bob. She offered him her hand which was moist and soft. When they started to go to the car he offered her his arm and she accepted.

As they walked to the car she confided to Bob, that because of her height it wasn't that easy to find tall guys to date. She said Bob's six foot four inch height was a plus and the first thing she noticed about Bob when she saw him.

The group went to a restaurant lounge the girls were familiar with. This place served both food and drinks and later in the evening had live music. Sitting at the table they ordered cocktails and answered each other's questions about themselves so they could get to know each other better. Bob learned that Jackie was a junior who was from Denver and attended this College because her mother had graduated from this school. Her Dad was an attorney and Mom a school principal. Jackie was fluent and spoke the language of her ancestry which was French. She was majoring in Business law. Her plans were to go to Law School upon receiving her undergraduate degree.

Dinner was ordered and the conversation continued. Jackie was pleasant and intelligent person with a nice smile and excellent eye contact. When she spoke to or listened to you, she gave you her full attention. Bob hoped the band would start playing soon as he would like to dance with Jackie. He was a good dancer and he wanted to impress her. They finished the meal and adjourned to the bar for an after dinner drink.

The band start playing and Bob casually asked Jackie if she wanted to take a chance of having her toes stepped on by dancing with him.

She said, "Well, I'm not much of a dancer either. I think I have two left feet and if you want to take a chance with me I guess we both could give it a try."

Bob let her lead the way to the dance floor and as he did he admired her backside which had a nice sway to it as she walked. She walked with good posture and confidence.

The first number was a fast one and they did quite well with that one. It didn't appear to Bob that she had two left feet. She followed his lead quite easily and they looked good on the dance floor. The second number was a waltz and they danced to that one quite well. She again followed his lead quite easily and effortlessly.

"She has done this before" he thought.

The third song was a slow one and he brought her in close to him.

He whispered in her ear. "I've been had. You are an excellent dancer and maybe the best partner I have ever danced with. What's with this two left feet?"

Jackie said, "Well... , I told you what my major was but you never asked about my minor which is Modern Dance. My mother started me in dance school when I was three years old. The way you carried yourself seemed to say that you were a good dancer so if you were going to fib to me I was going to fib to you."

Bob chuckled but didn't say anything. He brought her a little closer to him so that her breasts were just touching his chest. Her perfume was very pleasant.

When the song ended they went back to the table where Ken and Carol where sitting at. Carol said that they really looked good out there dancing. They both smiled and blushed a little as they told them about the one up-man-ship each of them had tried on the other.

There was one hour to go before the dorm curfew so Ken suggested they start heading back to the dorm. The top was up on the car and Jackie sat close to Bob in the back seat for the ten minute ride. When Ken parked the car at the dorm, Bob thought that Ken might want some quality time with Carol so he asked Jackie for a quick tour of the campus and she agreed.

As they started walking, she remarked that she thought it was nice how subtly he had arranged this tour so Ken and Carol could be alone.

Bob looked at Jackie and said, "The next time we double I hope he does the same for us."

She smiled and squeezed his arm which brought it in contact with her breast.

He asked if he could have her phone number so he could call her and maybe if she wanted they could do something like this again. She said she would give him the number but asked if he really would call her.

He said, "Is the Pope Catholic?"

She smiled and gave him her number.

They walked back to the dorm and at the entrance she reached up and kissed Bob on the cheek and said, "Thanks, I had a really nice time."

On the way home Bob thanked Ken for his efforts. Ken thanked Bob for the quality time with Carole he gave him.

Bob called Jackie three days later and thanked her for a great time and asked if she was available Saturday to take in a show. She asked him to wait while she checked her calendar. She came back after two minutes and said that she was free. Bob wondered if she was fooling with him but he didn't say anything. She was a good looking girl, so she could be busy.

Bob told Ken he had a date with Jackie Saturday. Ken said that was great but he was tied up with a Battalion party.

The weather was warm and clear as Bob drove to Jackie's school. He met Jackie at the dorm. She came down in white slacks and a light gray silk blouse. The blouse had to be expensive because it emphasized her breasts in how the material clung to them. Her breasts had a slight jiggle to them as she walked down the steps. The slacks were also expensive because they fit her just right. It was like they had been sprayed on but yet they weren't skintight. She did have a nice butt, he thought.

The movie was Elvis Presley's 'Viva Las Vegas." They held hands for a while and later, he placed his arm over the back of her seat. Jackie leaned into him and put her head on his shoulder. Her hair had the scent of just washed cleanliness.

After the show they stopped for a soda and then it was back to the dorm with one half hour to go before curfew. He parked the car and turned toward her. She came to him and he gave her a kiss that grew in passion and intensity. She knew how to kiss. When the kiss ended she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm really glad you asked me out" she said.

Bob said, "I am a man of my word and I said I would call you and I did. What ever people may think of me they know I am not stupid especially when it comes to asking out the best looking girl in Kansas. My Dad raised me better than that."