Chapter 68

Ah, Monday morning, exciting Mondays, a new week, new adventures. I was almost giggling because I am always excited on Monday mornings. Lisa opened a single eye and said, "You are entirely too happy for a Monday morning. What's with that?"

"I love Mondays, the beginning of a new week. Something new is right out that front door. It's exciting."

From behind me, I heard, "You are certifiable. Jesus, give it a rest. You sound more like Uncle Steve every day. You should be out on the patio with your attitude."

Tina pulled me over and said, "Come on, let's get dressed real quick and go out to the patio for breakfast. Come on, it'll be perfect. They will love to see us in the morning."

We did get up and hustle to get to the patio by six thirty. Coffee was being sucked up and I was enticed by Ruth's diaphanous gown and the two redheads with holy T-shirts that had their feet up on the seats displaying very red bushes. There were still a lot of kids around, and if you looked closely, you could begin to put kids with parents by their looks.

The place was fun in the morning. Most of the people were like me, excited about a new day. Martin wasn't happy as he had to go to the doctor at the VA today. Glenda was fussing over him to make him relax. She kept saying, "Martin, Honey, you have to take care of yourself. We're getting older and we need to keep in good health."

The guy named Phil was saying, "My two new managers are really ready to take over their territories, Tiny. My replacement is doing a great job and outselling me, even in this economy. He's been generating new business constantly, a really good man."

Tiny asked, "Just where are you going on this first leg of your retirement?"

"Judy and I are meeting Steve and family in Hawaii. I think we'll go to that big trade show in Singapore in August and be back here before September. If you need me, just call and I'll be right back, but you won't. Judy's replacement has been doing a great job running the joint like a pro. It's your turn, Bubba, you need to be training your replacement pretty soon. You have Henry, but he'll want to follow you in retirement one of these days."

Alice said, "I wish I could get my old codger to consider retirement. Every time he starts to do it, he finds something else that's important. It would be different if he weren't so darned happy all the time, but he is a happy man. I hope he lasts forever."

Bear and Hap were talking to some uniformed men that were getting ready to go patrol one of the condo and apartment complexes. They would be relieving the night people. There were twice as many night people as day folks, as there weren't as many potential problems during the day. They had to worry about daylight break-ins, but their presence had been enough to keep the bad element away.

About eight, Lisa asked me to take her to the air park so she could dress for a charter back to Atlanta and on up to Philly. Tina said she had to begin one of her lab classes, so it was back to the grindstone for her. I shook hands all around and thanked them for the hospitality. Tiny said, "Begin and end with us. It'll brighten your day and it will brighten ours."

I took Lisa to the air park and Tina home to get her car before heading toward the office. I was almost there when Wanda called, "Don't come to the office. There is some guy from the New York Times saying he has permission to interview you for a story he's doing on the Marshal Service. I'll call John, but go do something, anything, until I call you. I already told the guy that you are out of town."

The only place I could think of was to go back to the air park so I drove out there. When I walked into the office, Star looked up at me and asked, "Do you have time to take a charter to D.C.? We just got this call to take a guy up there and bring someone else back. The someone else is in New York, so you have to go into Islip out on Long Island to pick up the return passenger. Oh, and you'll be flying your own Lear. Jimmy passed it this morning. Want to take it?"

I called Wanda, "What do you think? I can take a charter to D.C. and then pick up a return in New York. Should I?"

"Do it," she said, "the guy left, but I'm sure he'll be back. John said don't get within a country mile of these people as they want to trash the service for some of the raids, mostly your stuff."

"Okay, I probably won't be back till late. Tina has some kind of killer lab all day, and Lisa is on a charter up to Atlanta and on to Philly, so you may be alone tonight."

"Not alone, I'm sure John will be around. He's very attentive. You will have a new girl tomorrow. Lena's coming to try to see how living with us is going to be. Maxine said they will come around six."

"This is going to be interesting. I really like Millie, so I think Lena will be fine. But like I said, no hanky panky. You have a private chat with her if you will."

Wanda said, "You don't know. All the girls are different. Lena may not be anything like Bobby. All of them are very loving though, and you may need to make her feel welcome."

"But not in bed. I'm drawing the line."

"I hope the line's erasable. I'd hate for you to miss some of that big girl's loving. I think you miss Bobby."

I said, "Bye, Wanda, bye, bye and thanks for the news guy warning."

My new Learjet was ready on the tarmac. I pulled the preflight card and began going over it. Jimmy came out and went over it with me, showing me all the little things they had fixed and corrected. Before I entered the cabin, Jimmy stood at the steps and said, "And now your surprise."

I went into the cabin to find it finished in light blues, creams, and teak paneling everywhere. The cockpit was a light tan rich leather that matched the cream upholstering. I was stunned. "Jimmy what is this, where did this come from?"

"Your people in D.C. sent this package to us. This is a present for some find you made. They insisted on new engines, new hydraulics everywhere, and every instrument in the cockpit had to be new. Your avionics are so new that I had to read the manual. You won't have any problem as they set up just like the ones in our Lear and your 200. Isn't this awesome?"

"I'll have to thank those guys. This is too nice for a cheap charter. I hope we're getting premium to use this one."

Jimmy said, "Star told me we're getting a fifteen percent premium for you on this bird since it's so pure. Your cartoons are the best. The folks from the park have been out here taking pictures of it all weekend. Tiny said this is going to be his ride when he needs to go somewhere."

"Jimmy, this is beautiful, almost too pretty to fly. Except when you see the outside you know it's one of ours, or rather S&S'."

Jimmy said, "You're part of S&S, so you can say ours."

"So where's my fare?"

"I don't know, Chuck, I just fix 'em and fly 'em. Ask Star or DeDe."

I walked to the charter office and found out that the man was late getting here. She said to load up a bunch of fancy water as both fares wanted premium sparkling water. I told Star, "For fifteen percent premium, they can have champagne."

Star said, "Oh no, champagne flights are a twenty percent premium. Too much of a mess."

A taxi pulled up out front and a guy got out and paid the driver. The man entered the office and said, "Can we hurry so I can get back to D.C.? Is the pilot ready? Do you have my sparkling water on board, chilled properly?"

Star smiled and said, "We are prepared for you. If you would walk over to the airplane, we'll have your bag stowed quickly and board you in less than a minute."

When the guy left, Star said, "He's some big city newspaper guy that's out of D.C. I think he said the Times."

"You didn't tell him my name, did you?"

"No, why?"

"The guy is trying to interview me to trash the service. They're on some vendetta over some shootings, saying we are too aggressive and bullies. You know the usual pinko stuff."

"You want to back out on the flight?"

"No, I'll do it. I just don't want him to know my name. Call me Tom, Dick, or Harry, anything but Chuck."

"You're on. Go fly the guy home. At least he's leaving. I wonder if you're picking up his replacement?"

"Probably, but I'll get a chance to see who it is. Oh, do you know if I have a communications package on my aircraft?"

"You do. It's in the front seat. Pull the cabinet and it swings around. There is a flat screen that slides up from the backside of the table and there is a keyboard drawer on the table. The controls are on the wall next to the seat and the printer is in the main cabinet. It's a color laser."

"Good, I'm sure he'll ask."

I took the man's bag to the aircraft and stowed it in the luggage compartment. I seated the man, suggesting he use the seat where the communications package was. I said for him to wait until we were airborne then turn it on and enjoy. Next, I got him a chilled sparking water that was nice and cold. I asked if he preferred a glass but he said the bottle would be fine. I showed him where the fridge was and asked him to remain buckled up unless he needed to get more water.

I shut the door and went to the cockpit. Using the cards, I went through the startup procedures enjoying the newness of everything. It looked and smelled like brand new. Everything worked perfectly, so I was soon on the way to Washington D, C. We were actually setting down at a small private airport in Maryland which was fine with me. There is so much restricted airspace around D.C. that you have to really pay attention so you don't get gigged or worse, forced to land for inspection.