Chapter 27

Everybody else was still asleep when I got home. I started a pot of coffee, and grabbed a maple bar and sat to watch the morning news.

Dad came down a bit later, and I pointed to the doughnuts and told him coffee was already made. He thanked me, grabbing a cup and a chocolate sprinkle and sitting next to me. We talked about the baseball season that year, and thankfully he did not say a thing about my being out all night. Soon he filled up his large mug and headed out the door as I finished off the pot and started a new one for Dee.

I then went into the office and went over the revised version of the adventure Brad had sent me. Yes, most of the changes were good ones, but I used a yellow marker to line through some I did not agree with. When I had finished I fired up the computer, and commented on some of those I did not agree with and why.

Mostly, it seemed minor but I felt I needed to defend some of the stances. Like in most of the Monks not actually being, well, “monks”. I said it was like with any similar group. I was a Marine, but not the same as somebody who was in the Infantry. And that most who would be in the clergy in any religion, even in a fantasy setting would not have the inclination or ability to become a martial specialist, or a user of magic.

Then with a grin I wrote that up as an article. Dee poked her head in as I was typing away, and thanked me for the coffee and breakfast before heading out again. About an hour later I was finished, and after going back through it a few more times saved it and printed off a copy. This article was to never assume because somebody worked in what might seem to be an organization, they have all the skills of that organization.

I listed some like thieves guilds, where even whores might be able to walk silently and hide in shadows, or another be an expert at appraising and fencing jewelry, but not necessarily pick locks or detect traps. Some who work in a Mage Hall might simply be scholars and herbalists, and have no actual skill in casting spells. And certainly, many who joined a religious order might simply have felt a calling to serve, even though they do not have the connection with their deity needed to cast spells in their name.

I walked out and handed a copy to Dee, and of course she started to read through it as I wet a paper towel and wiped off Georgie’s hands and face. I think he got as much of the chocolate on him as he did in him.

“Pete, you did it yet again. Something that most of us do not even think about, you somehow put in a way that makes perfect sense. Where did this idea come from may I ask?”

I told her about the corrections I had faxed to Brad, and this was how I was justifying the fact that most of the monks in my adventure had no more abilities than any other Level 0 character. “Just like real world. In say a large Monastic order in ancient China, I bet no more than one or two percent had any fighting ability above that of anybody else in the era. Or Christian Clerics. Most simply tend to their congregation, appearing to have no more powers than anybody else. Why would a fantasy world be different?”

“This makes perfect sense, and I agree. I just never thought of it that way before, and I bet most others never have either. Let me go and send this off, can you watch piggy here for a bit?”

So Georgie and I sat and watched Romper Room as she sent off the file, then called her boss to tell him another article was waiting.

Dee smiled when she came back in. “And yes, he loved it. He insisted I wait on the phone as he read it. He is actually one of your biggest fans if you did not know it. The way you just come up with these things seemingly out of mid-air always seems to amaze him.”

Mostly I spent the day with my brother as Dee worked. Then a little before 4 when Dee was preparing some steaks Mandy called. She said that she was planning on going skating with Peggy the next night, and thought I should go also.

I smiled, and said I would love to. “Of course, and I figure Scott might have something ready for me to take back. So this is probably the best time, next week I will probably be busy preparing for the convention and going back. So how do you want to do this Mandy?”

“Well, I figure we can have dinner first, then go skating. I will borrow my mom’s car, in case what he gives you is so big it will not fit in mine. I figure we can catch the first session, then fool around for a bit before I have to take you home.”

“OK, it’s a date then Mandy. Tomorrow at 5?”

She agreed, and I went and told Dee who it was. “So, only two for dinner tonight?”

I laughed. “Oh no, I’m staying here tonight. Tomorrow night though we are going skating. I promised the owners I would return before I leave, he said he would have something for me to take back with me. And tomorrow night is probably the best time for that.”

When dad got home he went outside to grill the steaks, and I brought us both a beer. We drank and chatted as he performed the male ritual of burning cows, and soon we were all digging in at the table. I helped feed Georgie, who seemed to think mashed potatoes were to be worn and not eaten.

After I had cleaned him up, I asked if he wanted a story. Of course he did, so I smiled at Dee and my dad then took him out of his chair and carried him to the office. I turned on the light in the corner, and turned the overhead light off.

“OK Georgie, now this is a long book. We are not going to finish it tonight, and your mom or dad are probably going to have to finish it for me. But I will start it, so just listen. If you need to go let me know, OK buddy?”

He nodded, and I picked up a book I had gotten the other day. About 15 minutes later I noticed that Dee was in the doorway listening to my telling my brother about Matthais, a young monk at the abbey of Redwall. I noticed a few minutes later that dad was standing behind her, his arms around her waist from behind as he listened also.

About an hour later Georgie was falling asleep. So Dee picked him up as I slipped the receipt into the book to mark our place and set it down. “That’s some story Pete, almost like one you might create, other than the characters are mice and other animals.”

I told him the book had caught my eye, and I thought George might like it. “I will see how far we can get, but I have a feeling you and Dee will be finishing it for me.”

At that she came back in, and bent over and kissed my cheek. “That is a great story, and yes we will finish it. It reminds me a lot of The Wind and the Willows.”

“Well, this is also written by an English guy. They seem to be the best at creating animal characters that are almost human. That is something that almost nobody in the US can do, other than say Beverly Cleary.”

They both nodded, and we headed back in the living room just in time to catch Night Court. After that I headed on up to bed and read until I was ready to sleep.

The next day I did a six mile run, along what I called the “Big Loop”. All the way down to Ventura Boulevard, down that to Sepulveda, then back up to Victory until I was back at home. A nice distance, even though it was rather warm and a bit more smoggy than I was used to. I noticed that quite a few were looking at me strangely, especially as when I had to wait for red lights I normally did push-ups while I waited.

Of course, I also noticed that most times out here people did what I would barely call a jog, and I was actually running. I guess that is the difference between exercising with a purpose, and only doing it to look good doing it.

After showering I relaxed until it was time to get ready. I got dressed, and at just before 5 Mandy arrived. I gave her a soft kiss, then we talked with Dee and Georgie for a bit before heading off. We ended up at a Japanese place that served a large bowl of rice with sliced beef on top, and it was really good.

“Is this what you eat over there?” Mandy asked.

“Oh no, this is more mainland. Out there, it is a lot of seafood, skewers, and fried rice. One place I go to a lot has great shrimp fried rice, but the chicken is good also. I have never seen anything like this before, but it’s really good. I will have to look for one when I get back.”

As we were leaving, I noticed a map on the wall. Apparently this was a chain, and they had places all over the world. The clerk noticed I was looking at it, and when I said they did have one on Okinawa. “Right here Mandy, it looks like it is close to Kadena.”

Then the manager came up, and nodded. “Yes, right outside Gate 2. Turn right at the highway, it is a few hundred meters South.” I smiled, and said I would have to visit it when I got back. He told me he had been stationed at Kadena about 5 years before, and that was one of his usual stops when he headed out for a night on the town. “In fact, when I realized this was the same chain when I got back, I wanted to work here. But yes Miss, he is right. This is not like the food on Okinawa. What I would not give for some of the yakisoba I had when I was there.”

We talked for a bit, and apparently things had changed little since he was there. And when he winked and asked me if Bamboo was still there, I laughed. “Oh yes, that place will probably still be there forever.”

“More than likely. I bet even with the same girls.”

Mandy asked us what a bamboo was, and I reminded her it was the “club with the bananas” I had told her about. She faked disgust and made a retching noise, but was also laughing. Soon we were on our way out, and I knew I would be visiting the one in Okinawa the first chance I got.

“So you were not just pulling my leg, there really is a place like that.”

“Oh yes. One guy I know told me he was there after Vietnam, and it was the same lady on the stage, doing the same act. Heck, it would not surprise me if Scott was there when she started. She must be in her 50s, and been doing it for ages.”

We pulled in front of the rink, and Mandy was getting out her skates when Peggy pulled up. We both gave her a hug, then went inside. And when the cashier saw me she immediately told me to wait a moment and went into the back. A few minutes later, Scott and Darlene came out, along with three others.

We shook hands, and Darlene kissed my cheek and then introduced me to their son. But the other two surprised me, a reporter and cameraman from the Daily News. Apparently somebody had told them, and they wanted to make a story about this. Scott and I told them about the gift I had given to the rink in Japan, and they had felt that they needed to give a gift in return. Scott showed them the jersey I had presented to him, and the certificates that were next to it. And I noticed that in a frame right beside it was a picture of a very young Scott, when he was my age. Wearing WWII era utilities, holding an M1 in his arms as he sat on the hood of a jeep.

“This photo, this is me on Okinawa in 1945. It would be maybe five miles from where the rink is. I was guarding this road crossing, it was a major route from the airbase to the port and the rest of the island.”

Scott then nodded to the cashier, who returned a moment later with a large frame. “Pete, I want you to give this to them for us. This is my last uniform from the war, and it only seems fitting that it return there.”

He handed it to me as the photographer took pictures. I looked, and it was impressive. Indeed it was a WWII era Marine uniform, and I would swear that there were some blood stains on the sleeve. It was worn, and torn in places and badly faded. And around it were several photographs of Scott, and apparently some taken around the time of the battle. Including a pile of stone rubble that was smoking.