Chapter 379

Food, damn! There would be 40 people working in that climate and humidity - they would need 3 to 4 thousand calories a day - that’s a lot of food. I knew I did not want MREs (meals ready to eat), that meant real food.

There were less than 15 there now. If we went to restaurants, anybody looking would know for sure the complement of men; I did not really want that - I wanted to keep them guessing. It meant that anywhere they went would be in small groups until after the attack. It also meant that the attack plans could be adjusted to target us in smaller groups.

I called Bob to see of he could make us more crates, this time line the inside with the 3 inch blue insulation board, tape all seams, make sure the lids fit reasonably tight and then cut a piece of the foam board to fit in the top. Then I had Mark call around for dry ice and to find coolers to temporarily put it in.

I was thinking of so many things that could go wrong, they were beginning to get in the way. Mark came in with answers to the dry ice; if we were willing to pay extra we could get the delivery anytime.

I had him and all my administrators come in and sit down and wrote a list and a time line that it needed to be done in so everything would be ready to load on the C17 Monday morning.

The girls were waiting at my door when I finished with Mark. It was time to go to Annapolis, to buy clothes that I never dreamed of needing.

Evening dresses, cocktail dresses, party dresses. I tried on one after another. Jenny and Marcy made the decisions for me; it was a good thing because I would have left without buying any.

The first evening dress that they and I liked was $5000 dollars; I almost choked. That’s when I was confronted; Marcy, Jenny, and Vicky were in my face before Ching Lee and Lorrie could get there.

“Not only are you are representing the United States as an Ambassador, you are an Ambassador representing JBG and that is all of us. When it is time to put on the Ritz you are going to turn heads,” Marcy said with all the others agreeing.

Then there 6 more dresses of different styles. I did manage to get three pant suits at $3000 a piece. They chose two designer named jackets that could be mixed and matched with several outfits for $5000.

I kept asking myself what the difference was between a 200 dollar pant suit and one that cost $3000. I never could come up with an answer.

‘ “You cannot wear the same outfit to all those events” Jenny replied to my questions. “No, you cannot go in camo,”

“Every party there will require a different look. You see all the different outfits that I have to wear to the governors parties,” she replied.

Then came the jewelry to mix and match with all the outfits. First was a watch with white gold and diamonds, $4000.

“I don’t need a watch, the cell phone gives me the time,” I said.

“Elegant ladies do not look at their cell for the time,” I was told.

I have pierced ears and had worn various kinds of small earrings for years; little stars with diamonds and that kind of thing; nothing fancy or dangling to give me any problems in the gym. Now I had several sets of dangly white and yellow gold with diamonds, rubies, pearls and others. The girls had told the sales girl to stop telling me the price.

Then it was necklaces and bracelets; gold, silver, diamonds and precious stones. The price tag was still on the necklace when a mirror was held so I could see; it was the price of a top of the line Cadillac. I started to object only to get a wagging finger in my face. Too many necklaces were bought and then shoes, thank God no terribly high heels.