Chapter 83

As the K5 sailed gently past the Key West Naval Air Station, the Coast Guard Cutter pulled us over.

"You the Austin's?"

"Would it do any good to lie?" I asked.

"Very funny, You must be David. And that lovely piece of sculpture on the foredeck must be Grace."

Grace stood and waved and jiggled and bounced. "Hi boys."

"Follow us in," the man with the bullhorn said. "Grace, put on summer whites. You, too, David."

So I followed them in ... I tried to get lost but it didn't work.

"We can toss you a line if you can't keep up." And the whole deck gang laughed.

Grace came out in her whites and suddenly there was a whole lot of saluting going on. She took the wheel and I went below. I came up in my whites and again ... saluting everywhere.

I feel like such an impostor. All I really do is fly and think ... but I took the test and passed. I raised my right hand and stated my name and swore to protect and defend to the best of my ability ... even it it meant my life. But, Hey! I'm a kid ... we live forever. I think I know better ... but maybe not. If you don't survive ... be a lesson for another guy so he can.

The rest of it ... I did not set out to end up here ... life ... shocking. It's a terminal sexually transmitted disease. You WILL die from it! I didn't intend to be here three times. The first time ... continual danger ... the second time ... sheer stupidity ... I forgot about the draft.

The draft didn't forget about me. In Vietnam, you can be the best warrior in the whole history of the world and still get in the way of a random bullet. Randomness ... it's what Murphy thrives on.

The Coast Guard didn't take us to the Coast Guard Sector Station; they took us to the Air Station and their small boat docks. We were met.

Fuck ... Marines.

They weren't guarding us.

They were guarding the docks.

Ah ... A blue Chevrolet with a two star bumper flag. A driver in green ... must be a Marine ... got out and removed the bumper flag. A lieutenant in whites stepped out and walked to our boat. He saluted. We saluted back.

"Lieutenant Commander Grace Austin?"

Grace nodded.

"Lieutenant Commander David Austin?"

I nodded.

He held out a sealed envelope. "Orders, Sir. From Admiral Naismith."

He stepped back, saluted and left while we were looking at the envelope. The Chevrolet drove away.

"Well, Hell ... guess we should open it."

The Marine sergeant standing next to us said, "Good idea, Sir."

"Sergeant, I don't know how you got on our boat but you didn't have permission. Get off." Grace was feeling pugnacious.

"Ma'am. I can't. No one is supposed to know we're here."

"We?"

"There's nine of us, Ma'am." He pointed below. "You should read the orders."

"Nine?"

"Nine," he replied.

We repaired to the salon. The envelope was soon tattered and torn.

By Order: President of the United States. CiC.

Lieutenant Commander Grace Austin. OIC.

Lieutenant Commander David Austin. SIC.

ARV K5,

You will continue in a holiday manner.

Set your course to pass no farther out than 2 miles west of the lighthouse, Punta de San Antonio. Cuba.

You will not notice your passengers departure.

Continue to the Canal Zone and report:

Cmdr Fort Sherman.

You will continue through the Canal as guest of the

USN, making your best way to Alameda NAS.

You will participate in Carrier Qualifications;

To wit: complete a minimum five(5) carrier deck launches

and four(4) arrestor hook landings. AD-6 supplied.

Upon completion you will return by air to

Alameda, NAS,

You will retrieve the ARV K5 and report Berkeley ROTC.

Further Orders Pending.

Signed:

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower POTUS.

Inside was a little handwritten note:

Dear Grace, and David,

I find myself mystified by the maturity of children. I believe the country could do no better. Come see me sometime.

IKE.