by J.R. Bowles
* * *
The ship tied up at their home dock and liberty was granted.
Jackie kept thinking about the seaman: he was sort of cute, she thought, and then admonished herself; she was turning into a regular little slut. She had two gorgeous guys waiting for her, and she had agreed to meet this seaman, Billy Clement in front of the theater on the island. But it wasn't a date, she told herself, she could never date someone on the ship or even in the Coast Guard as a matter of fact. Her motto was, “If it's in blue, it ain't for you.”
She would meet him after all, despite all that. She had found that he was from Blacksburg, a little town in Virginia next to her own home town. Seaman Clement seemed so familiar, not because he was a good old boy from back home, but something else....
“Well, well, are you all dressed up or what?” One of the Third Class women who shared the berthing area with Jackie prodded. “Don't tell me Ms. Goody two-shoes has a date. “
Jackie blanched. Had anyone seen her talking to Seaman Clement?
“I wish,” she responded non-committal, trying to hide her uneasiness, and finished dressing. She even added a little makeup, something rare for her, and packed a small carryall for the hotel.
“Makeup even,” The woman said, trying to aggravate Jackie.
Jackie ignored her.
“Of course if I had your pretty complexion, I wouldn't have to cake the makeup on my ugly puss,” she added, as if to mend any animosity her teasing had caused.
“See you later,” Jackie said. “I'll be on leave for a while.” She wondered if Billy would be there, as she checked out with the Officer of the Day and then walked down the gangway.
The theater wasn't far from where the ship tied up. As she rounded the corner, there he stood waiting. “Howdy,” he called out to her.
“Hi; I can't talk long, I've got to go uptown.” She glanced, around making sure no one saw her talking to him. Glancing at her watch, she realized she could catch the ten forty-five ferry boat into Manhattan and be at the Castleton well before midnight. She felt like a macabre Cinderella waiting for midnight. She shuddered.
“Me neither,” Billy said. “I've got to be somewhere too. By the way my first name is Billy, I wouldn't mind if you called me that.”
“Mine's Jackie,―but please don't use my first name while on the ship, okay?” She hoped he wouldn't be offended and would understand; after all she was a first class and he was only a seaman.
“Sure,” Billy answered; he didn't appear to be offended.
“Could we go somewhere else and talk? This feels so public” Jackie asked.
Billy grinned; just what he wanted. “I sort of got someone I want you to meet, a fellow Virginian.”
“Oh,” Jackie laughed. “I've met a lot of Virginians lately. Seems as if they are everywhere but in Virginia.”
“He's a civilian doing business with the Guard, some kind of software for navigation. I thought you might be interested, since it's computer messages which talk to each other. “
”I had heard the Guard was looking into getting computer navigation that would be interesting. But I've got to leave by ten thirty so I can catch the ten forty- five ferry. Where is this guy?”
“He's staying here at the island motel for the moment.”
They walked past the old enlisted men's club, now closed since they had moved it into the cafeteria next to the chief's club, on to the little motel which sat on the edge of the golf course. People in Manhattan would pay a mint for this property, Jackie thought. All the taxpayers' money being wasted so a bunch of twits could knock a ball around for a little entertainment.
Billy knocked at John's motel door. “Come in.”
“You always leave your door unlocked?” Billy walked in front of Jackie as they entered. “This is still New York.”
“I thought the military base was safe,” John laughed, and smiled up at Jackie.
Jackie gasped as she stared at the man sitting in the armchair. He was about her age, she guessed, and probably the most attractive man she had ever seen―on or off a screen. Magnetic, but handsome, not a pretty boy.
“This is my friend from the ship, Jackie Harris,” Billy introduced, then to Jackie, “This is John Fleuric, a fellow Virginian.” He stated smiling at Jackie.
John stood, greeted her and offered her the other chair. Billy plopped down on one of the beds.
“I thought ya’ll would be gone for awhile?” John asked Billy, dropping into his Southwestern Virginian accent.
Billy smiled. “False alarm, some kind of stupid hoax. So we're back early.”
“Where are my manners,” John muttered as he took a sip of his drink. “Would you like something to drink? I still have some vodka and tonic from the other night, “ he added, looking at Billy.
“I sure would, “Billy jumped up and told John, “Keep your seat. I'll mix them. Jackie, would you like one?”
“That would be nice, but easy on the vodka please; I can't stay long.”
“You're on the same ship, I believe Billy said,” John began not really asking Jackie a question but opening communications between them.
“Yes, as a matter of fact we just met today—although I had seen Billy before.”
“Yeah,” Billy added, “she's a Radioman, or is that radioperson?” he said, smiling at Jackie. “Lime?”
Jackie nodded. She felt comfortable with both of these guys. Yet, a few days ago it seemed unlikely she would have been alone with a guy, much less two of them, and having a drink. What would her mother think! She would probably be happy for her. Strange why she always ended up with two guys, she smiled to herself―wasn't one enough?
“Radioman,” John repeated, interrupting Jackie's thoughts. “That's communication?”
“Yes.”
“You might be interested in the software I've developed for navigation and communications between vessels and even buoys.”
“Billy was telling me about it; that does sound promising.”
Billy handed Jackie her drink and sat back on the bed, listening to them while Jackie asked questions. She really was interested.