Chapter 10

Miss Krystal was correct about how a constant state fades into the background. A week passed in dull routine before I knew it. The rest of my squad was wearing uniforms routinely. Thursday was when my neck brace was removed.

"You must be careful to avoid re-injury," Nurse Yardley cautioned.

"How will that affect my squad, Nurse Yardley?" I asked. "Will I hold them back?"

"Not at all," Nurse Yardley said. "We do have squad competitions. Nobody can be the best at everything. The purpose of so many competitions is to give every squad a chance to shine."

An hour of physical rehabilitation followed. Then I was ordered to report to Commandant Mackie in his office. I formally reported in the Navy style used by Marines—because even though the Mackie Military School was "military" it was run by former and retired Marines. Commandant Mackie had retired from the Marines as a sergeant major. The Army and Air Force render a hand salute when reporting. Marines and Sailors don't—unless under arms. I was naked in every sense of the word. Naval service personnel centered themselves a pace from the front edge of their commanding officer's desk and assume the position of attention.

"Sir! Cadet Thistle reporting as ordered, sir!" I announced.

I stood there at Attention for some time before Commandant Mackie command At Ease.

"Do you love Harmony, cadet?" the commandant asked.

"Sir, the cadet doesn't know, sir," I said.

"Belay the sir-sandwich and explain yourself, Cadet Thistle!"

That was the most difficult order I ever obeyed. Sex education covered the mechanics of foreplay, fornication and fellatio—and cunnilingus too. There was psychology. Ethics and the legal environment. But love? Morality? Not on the syllabus.

"Sir," I had gotten into the habit of using 'sir' to excess,"I am fond of Harmony and like doing things that make her happy. Her happiness is important to me. I do have limits, but I don't know them yet."

"Excellent answer, Cadet Thistle," Commandant Mackie remarked. "You haven't been told, but there's a reason that you have auditioned as Harmony's boyfriend; it is beneficial to both of you. Harmony needs a boyfriend. You need to become a man."

He went on to talk about sexual orientation and testing—most of that went over my head. I think I got the gist of it, though.

"What about Miss Krystal?" I asked. "Harmony and Miss Krystal are getting married."

"It is going to be an open marriage," Commandant Mackie patiently explained. "Miss Krystal is going to train you to be the perfect man for Harmony. Do you know how I decided that you'd be good for Harmony?"

"No, sir."

"You passed the dog test," Commandant Mackie's statement confused me. "I see that you don't know what I'm talking about. Goofy and Dopey really like you."

Goofy and Dopey were the commandant's Dobermans. Goofy was male, but female Dopey was the dominant and more aggressive dog. Goofy was brilliant—and a bit timid. I haven't mentioned them to this point—or the fact that I was usually on kennel detail—because this narrative is about the Naked in School Program.

"Sir, perhaps it is just that I bribe them with food?" I asked. "They worship you."

"You were the one Goofy went to when Dopey was ill," Commandant Mackie reminded me. Goofy had unlatched his kennel door, found me in the dispensary, and I had gotten Nurse Yardley involved. "You saved Dopey's life."

"Goofy told me that Dopey was sick," I said. "I don't speak Dog, but I guessed right and immediately woke up Nurse Yardley."

"If we hadn't gotten Dopey to the vet, she would have been dead by morning," he said. "Dopey ate part of a squirrel. The squirrel had been poisoned."