Chapter 98

We were up at 4:30. We were going to follow Jeanna to the airport for one last good bye. We fixed a light breakfast then drove to the airport after the pilot called to say he was 10 minutes out. We were waiting on the tarmac as the plane landed. In the morning sun the G5 was a beautiful bird landing. The pilot and copilot hurriedly stowed Jeanna's baggage. They had a 10 minute window in their IFR flight plan to get back airborne or they would have to wait for over an hour because of the inbound morning flights to BWI, Philly and Reagan. A quick round of hugs and goodbyes and the plane was rolling as soon as the door closed.

The pilots took no pity on the engines or neighborhood. They sat on the end of the runway, held the brakes, revved the engines to the max and launched that bird. They didn't even use half of the runway.

I went to Marcy and said, "She will be back before you know it" as I gave her a hug.

Being it was Monday Patti and I headed to the college. We both had important work to do. I was going to leave at 11 to be at the open house and Patti at 3. One of the day people was going to meet Jason in C-ville with her. This would be the last time that we had to shuffle drivers around for Patti. She and Jason were going to MVA to get her license. She was so excited that she had already picked out a little sports car she liked.

I had two meetings scheduled for the morning. One was the standard new building update which took about an hour now that things were working more smoothly. The second was with the athletic department. They wanted weekly updates on the progress on the security arrangements for all away sporting events. The last two part-time officers that we offered jobs to had accepted our offer over the Thanksgiving holidays. The security department could now put an armed person on each bus on away trips as well as an additional guard.

When the meetings were over Kate was waiting for me with Patti. Kate wanted an update on how Misty was doing and if the doctors thought she would be OK.

"They interviewed her for four hours, she seemed much better. She has only had one or two problems since they left. They want to see her again before she goes back to Frost Borough," I said.

Kate replied, "You do know that you can sponsor her here at the college? She can finish out her studies here."

"No, I did not know that. How does that work?" I asked. Then I added, "That would separate her and Belinda. I'm not sure that would be a good idea. They have been roommates at Frost Borough since the start of their college education."

"You can only sponsor one student in a four year period or until they graduate or leave the college. The program was started so the coaches could bring an exceptional player from another college. Pressure from the other professors made it open to everyone. The student pays the same amount as they did at their original school, they have to stay in the dorms but they wave the dorm fees." Kate said.

"I have not used my sponsorship so it is still available, I can use mine for Belinda and you can use yours for Misty. Time will be tight to get it done before classes start again in January," she said.

"You know the open house for the tanning salon and gym is this afternoon and tonight. Why don't you come and we can explain everything to them and see everything now that it is complete." I said and added, "I'm leaving here at 11 to go help."

"My man is out of town on another trip so I can do that and I would love to see the gym," she said.

I left at 11 as planned. I arrived at the 1001 Summers Road at 11:45. I was going to park at the gym but that was impossible. There was no place to park. The north side parking area was double and triple parked all the way to the property line, completely full. Backed in to the corner beside the opened entrance gate was the mobile TV truck from NABCS Annapolis station. The reporters were on the front dock interviewing a group of people. Dad was out front acting as a parking attendant.

I parked over at the house then changed clothes before I walked over to the gym and was able to skirt around the reporter and get inside. The waiting room had a sign-in sheet for the tanning booth. It was one of those yellow legal pads - several pages had already been turned under. The available wall space was full of all kinds of special and combinations of services for the gym. Jamie was in the class room with two dozen or so ladies, she was describing what her training course would offer.

Marsha was at the window taking credit cards, cash and giving information. Kim and Wendy were working the tanning booth. Just as I was about to step into the gym Wendy came out of the tanning room in a pair of Daisy Dukes and a bikini top that left little to the imagination and called the next name off the list.

Mom was sitting at one of the tables with a stack of 5 x 6 note cards entering the information into a laptop. I assumed they were for the email club. The rest of the tables were filled with ladies waiting and snacking from the refreshment center. Mom 2 was working the center.

Jenny was over at the Marathoners with another group of ladies. Lorrie and Misty had a group at the massage room having a conversation with Amy. Ching Lee was lying on the table apparently in the process of getting a massage. She was lying face down on the table topless with a towel draped over her bottom.

Belinda and Sarah were with a rough looking group at the boxing ring with Shelia and her boxing buddies who were working on the bags with two of the visitors.

I waited until Marcy caught up and asked, "What time did you open?"

"We were all here at 9. Kim and Marsha had some friends that wanted to get tanned today so we let them come in so we could all get used to the process. Friend's texted friends and we have been going non stop. Then with all the traffic everybody started coming in.' She said. "The radio station that has been running the ads is to be here at 1. They are going to do several live commercials. Vicky and Lorrie have been working with them.

"The TV reporter came in and when she saw your picture in the waiting room decided to wait until you get here. She was the reporter at the Food King incident as she called it. She wants a group interview with us." Marcy said.

"We can do it any time. We have enough help with everyone here to be able to break away for a few minutes. If they hang around they may keep people away." Marcy set up the interview to happen in ten minutes.

We used the chairs from the refreshment center putting them in a close semi-circle as the TV crew added the necessary lighting. Marcy, Ching Lee, Vicky, Lorrie, Jenny, Shelia, Jamie and I took seats and waited to be interview by Local Events reporter Marley Kendall. We put the seats into position so that as the camera person moved around to focus individually there would be some part of gym happenings in the back ground.