Chapter 24

I was ready for the finals in accounting, quantitative methods, and history. My two writing classes had writing assignments that served as substitutes for finals. Accounting was my first exam. The first part of the exam required I classify a few transactions properly, record them correctly, and summarize them in proper form into financial statements. The second section of the exams required an analysis of financial statements. I finished the exam confident that I had done well.

In the afternoon, I took the quantitative methods exam, which was also easy. I had learned to recognize the patterns in the forms of data. By matching the proper method for the function requested with the form of the data, I only had to calculate correctly to get the problem correct. I was the first student to finish.

I called Peggy at tri-del. She sounded a little surprised that I called and agreed to go to lunch the next day. We went to the Cypress Inn for a relaxing lunch. We chatted about lots of things, but nothing related to romance. I took her back to prepare for her exams. At tri-del she said, "I was so glad you called. I feared you had dismissed me and I hoped it wasn't so."

I had picked Peggy to escort to the pledge swap with tri-delt because she was one of the few new sisters on the list whose name hadn't had a name beside it. I was fortunate. In my mind Peggy was a close the second most beautiful woman on campus to Karen. Karen was a classic beauty. She was a little taller than average, slim, with full breasts, and beautiful face. Peggy was very tall and more muscular than Karen. She wasn't as a big busted as Karen, but she had a nice sized bust. Peggy's beautiful face was framed by shoulder length hair. While Karen was from Birmingham, Peggy lived on a peach orchard outside Fort Valley, Georgia, where her father was an engineer at the Blue Bird schoolbus plant. Her mother had inherited the orchard, packing shed and the house they lived in.

I told Peggy, "You never know what's going to happen."

I was correct in my statement. Peggy surprised me completely when she leaned in and kissed me. She winked, then turned and went into the sorority house.

Professor McWilliams' classes had prepared me well for the history essay exam. I knew the content and context of Southern History. Professor McWilliams had taught logical structure, how to present the argument, and proper presentation of the conclusion. I had practiced writing with Professor McWilliams so often that I wrote quickly, economically, and effectively on exams. I had enjoyed the history professor's lectures and the class readings. I was confident that my exam presented my positions well and demonstrated the insight of analysis the professor sought. I wasn't the writer Colonel was, but I knew my skills were superior to most freshmen. One my last paper in the class, the professor compared my work favorably to the papers of the best student he had taught. I had taken the class to gain insight into the South; not merely to satisfy a graduation requirement. The professor appreciated my interest in the class and my questions in class. I was confident I had done well on the exam.

I checked with Cathryn and Mrs. McFall, our DKE housemother, to see if there was anything I needed to do to help prepare for Cathryn's wedding, before I went to Fairhope. I planned to return for the law school's hooding ceremony, which was really Thornton's graduation, and for the Southern Literature and History Program's doctoral reception for Colonel.

The last event I attended before I left was the reception for the seniors showing in the senior art exhibit. I saw Angie and met her parents. Angie was pleased I came. Before the opening, I gave her an orchid. It thrilled her, but she didn't wear it since the others didn't have flowers. I saw her work, congratulated her and slipped away. I made a final check with Mrs. McFall. She and Cathryn told me to go on and that they would contact me in Fairhope if they needed me.

Before I returned to the art exhibit, I put sweet and sour pork and rice in the steamer at home. I returned near the close of the exhibit reception and invited Angie and her parents to my house. I knew her parents were curious to see where she would be staying over the summer. We ate and they looked at the house. Her parents were very relieved that Ania would be saying also. Angie had finished her exams, so she and her parents left for home. They planned to drive down the day of graduation.

I took a few things that I wanted to keep in Fairhope over the summer to the plane and flew to Fairhope. Ania and I went to the bar in Weeks Bay the night I got in and I stayed at her house all night.

Bill saw me as I came in from Ania's. He suggested we take the Aero Commander up to look at Navy auxiliary airfields that were to be surplused. We looked at the Navy auxiliary airfields near Foley and Summerdale. He had found out about them at Rucker.

Bill said, "The Barin and Summerdale airfields and a large amount of acreage are to be closed and given to the county commission. Barin has some housing and there are some good hangars for maintenance. Summerdale is a bit more isolated and the facilities aren't as good. They are being closed because Baldwin County voted for Goldwater and Johnson's pulling out all the military and civilian payrolls that he can from districts that didn't vote for him. A real bastard."

I asked, "You think I could get it from the county commission? And what would I do with the property?"

Bill replied, "The Barin site is close enough to Foley and Wolf Creek to be attractive for several things. I know some Army aviation mechanics, who could live there and make it a level one maintenance facility. You could draw work from JKA, Fairhope Muni, and Pensacola. The Summerdale property would be a good place for some ex LRRPs to live. They could help out with your security needs and maybe do some construction or labor work. Some of them are a bit scary and need a special place to live that isolated. There's a mess facility to provide central feeding and a place where they could hang out. The airfield's not as nice as Barin's, but it's usable and could be a place to stash things or to do things, you didn't want others to know about."

I said, "It doesn't sound like a profitable venture."

Bill said, "We can get the VFW's support and with a few campaign contributions to the commissioners and good press, it can happen. You're the only person I know who can handle it."

I asked, "How much do you think it will take?"

"Ten thousand would probably be enough; twenty would be a virtual lock. We'll see what tools and equipment we can get the Navy to leave. Another ten for Stennis and Sparkman and I think you could have a fully equipped facility. I could handle it for you if you want?"

I answered, "Give Stennis twenty and do it. I owe him."

We landed at Fairhope and I got fifty thousand in cash from the bank. I gave the cash to Bill.

Bill said, "I have a few calls to make; we don't want to leave a money trail. I've got a CW-4, who is ready to retire. He would be good to head the maintenance operation at Barin. I know many people associated with Signal Aviation Test & Support Activity at Rucker and Special Operations people associated with Hulburt Field, who could really use Summerdale. Many are on 100% disability. I may need to have the VFW involved. If I need more money, are you willing to give it to the Post?"

I replied, "Keep it lean Bill, an enlisted man operation, not a country club. I'm good for fifty more, but I don't want to go over that. I want it to be breakeven operation. I don't care about taking any money out, but I'm not interested in a money sewer either."

Bill said, "You've got the perfect pedigree. Special Operations folks make politicians and the brass nervous. You'll be acceptable to both groups. Living down here should seal the deal. Baldwin County Commissioners won't want to piss off someone who could finance a campaign against them. I'll have to have Stennis' active help and Sparkman's support to close it out by the end of fiscal year. I really want to keep the equipment and facilities intact."

I said, "They wouldn't really surplus those things and get nothing back?"

Bill smiled, "In a New York minute."

Bill, Winston and I went sailing on Winston's boat. The third afternoon, I fished with Jan and she cooked the fish we caught. I took a golf lesson at the country club. We loaded some of Ania's summer things in the expensive 'Aero U-Haul'. The last night, Ania and I went to Weeks Bay and I stayed the night with her. I flew her things to Tuscaloosa.

At Tuscaloosa, I unloaded Ania's things and met Chuck's family, who were staying at my house. I checked in with Cathryn and then went to Thornton's hooding and admission to the bar ceremony. Hub, Lib, Colonel and I sat together. It was well done.

We took several pictures with Thornton. Afterwards, Thornton and Eunice came by Colonel's reception before Thornton and Eunice left for Mountain Brook. Libby, Jane, and the McWilliams were at Colonel's reception when we arrived. We took more pictures before Thornton and Eunice left. The Lauders planned their big event to be Colonel's graduation from Ole Miss Law School. They were having a reception for a few of Colonel's friends at Lauderdale for this graduation.

After the doctoral reception for Colonel, we went by the DKE house for the small reception for graduating seniors. Colonel and I were in the short wedding rehearsal, which went well. The DKE house's reception was festive with Chuck's parents fitting in well. Chuck's parents knew many of the parents. The wedding party, plus the Lauders, went back to my house, where were grilled steaks and had a very informal rehearsal dinner. My house was packed with Chuck's family. Before we finished dinner, Chuck's father got the message that Chuck was in the air and on schedule.

I left after the dinner and flew to Fairhope. With the University's graduation, Tuscaloosa's airfield was very busy and I thought it better to be close to New Orleans. Ania stayed the night with me in the bayhouse. At six the next morning, I was wheels up at Fairhope. I arrived at the New Orleans airport when the Delta plane arrived thirty minutes ahead of schedule with Chuck.

Chuck thanked me and said it was the first time he had relaxed during the trip. We got into Tuscaloosa in time for Chuck to shower and freshen up before graduation. We walked to graduation. As Cathryn's mother had insisted, Chuck and Cathryn didn't see each other before the wedding, but Chuck was there and Cathryn knew it.

After graduation, the men in the wedding party went back to my house and changed into Army dress blues. Cathryn and the attendants dressed in rooms at DKE. While the women got their final hair fixing and dressed in their gowns upstairs, there was a reception for seniors on the first floor. Wedding guests were welcome at the reception, which functioned as a place for parents to wait, while their graduates attended the wedding.