“So I’ve heard.”
Takumi comes by and gives a big bow to Rachel, which she returns. They both smile and began speaking in Japanese. I could tell from the pacing and intonation of their conversation they were very familiar with each other. After a minute Rachel turns to me.
“Coffee?”
“Perfect.”
She says a few more things to Takumi and he quickly leaves to begin preparations.
“You speak Japanese?”
“English teacher in Tokyo for three years. Loved it.”
“And also the culture?”
“Everything. Culture, food, formality and informality, style…I love it all.”
“And it seems like you’ve been here before.”
“Definitely. I met Takumi in Tokyo. He told me his dream was to come to a small town in American and open a place like this. I asked him why not L.A. or New York or somewhere like that. He said coming from Tokyo the last thing he wanted to do was live in another huge city. He was also very fascinated with Americana. Diners, drive-ins, little league games…those kinds of things. We kept in touch over the years and when I became a real estate broker he asked if I could keep an eye out for him. I knew he was serious. I kept an eye open for over a year and then I saw this place. I knew it could convert to something that would work for him so I sent him some pictures and details. Three days later he was on a plane.”
“Wow. Now that’s a story about friendship.”
“Definitely. He’s the most loyal and kind friend anyone could ever have.”
“And he was able to get set up over here?”
“Yes, he got the green card for this place. Obviously you need a Japanese guy to make this place work. They determined he wasn’t going to take a job from an American so they awarded it to him. He’s been here ever since.”
“Those are the kind of foreigners I really like. Positive about America. Interested in the history and culture and then when they come here they make positive contributions and really become a part of a community.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”
And then, right on cue, Takumi approaches our table with two cups of coffee. We thank him and he scurries off.
“Are you ready for this?”
“What do you mean?” I say.
“This is going to be unlike any coffee you’ve ever had.”
“You’re really building this up.”
“You know how there were musicians, bands, and so forth and then Jimmy Hendrix came along with The Jimmy Hendrix Experience.”
“Of course.”
“Well this is an experience.”
“Well let’s get experienced.” I say. And with that I bring the coffee to my lips. The smell was incredible. I felt like I was on a Colombian hillside lying in a bag of fresh coffee beans. It smelled deep and warm. It reminded me of my grandmother’s chocolate milk on a cold winter’s day, but different. More adult. More masculine. I take a sip. It was like an explosion in my mouth. I sloshed it around and it felt like the inside of my mouth was fighting for possession of this liquid perfection. I swallowed and it warmed my throat. I could feel a tingle all the way down.
“Heavenly?”
“I don’t even have words. Experience was right.”
Rachel smiles.
“So. Ready to sign the contract?”
“Sure. Let’s take a look.”
Rachel hands me the contract. It was a very simple one pager. Very straight forward and just a few don’ts.
“I like the way this guy operates.”
“How so?”
“No legal gibberish. One page. Straight to the point. It feels about a close as you can get to a handshake on paper.”
Rachel smiles.
“Yeah, he’s very no nonsense.”
“Perfect.” I take Rachel’s pen and sign the contract. Then I reach into my pocket and remove the cash.
“Let me prepare you a receipt.” Rachel opens her purse and pulls out a receipt book. Less than 30 seconds later she’s tearing out the sheet and handing it my way.
“Here are your keys. You’re all set.”
“Thanks. That was easy.”
“How I like it.”
“Me too.”
“Caleb, I’m sorry but I must run. A day full of appointments.”
“No problem.”
Rachel reaches into her purse and pulls out some small bills?
“What are you doing?”
“Paying for the drinks.”
“What is up with women in this town?”
“Um, excuse me?”
“Always trying to pay.”
“Oh.” Rachel smiles. “Just a habit of my business I guess.” She says.
“Well, please. Allow me.”
“Thank you. You’re a real gentleman”
“And you’re a real lady. You deserve to be treated like one.”
Rachel blushes.
“Wow. No one’s said anything like that to me in a long time. Simple, yet beautiful.”
“Well more people should.”
Rachel holds my eye contact. “Thank you, Caleb. I wish there were more real men like you in this world.”
“Don’t thank me. There are no rewards necessary for doing what you’re supposed to do.”
“You’re a throwback. Old school. I like that. I have a feeling you’re going to be very well liked in this town. And very successful.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure. OK, I really must be going. Thank you for the coffee and good luck with the gym. I’ll be sure to keep an eye on its progress and swing by once it’s up and running.”
“That would be great.”
“See you.”
“See you.”
And Rachel was off. I noticed she took her coffee with her. Takumi prepared it in a to go cup and Rachel was quickly out the door. Smart girl. It would be a crime to waste that cup o’ Joe.
I enjoy the last of my coffee, pay, and take off. I wanted to go straight to the gym and see what I was in for.
CHAPTER 10
I unlock the gym and stepped inside. Yeah, this place was going to need some work. I didn’t have a tape measure, but I was a pro at calculating distances. Long distances from all the years of firing a rifle and short distances from close combat maneuvers.
The good thing was all we need to get started were some light bulbs and some mats. The rest could grow as we did. I locked the place back up and walked home.
“You’re back.” Jeremiah calls out.
“I am and I’m on a roll.”
“How so?”
“I got the gym.”
“That’s great man. We should celebrate.”
“No time.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I already paid first months, last months, and the deposit. Now I just need to order some mats and pick up some light bulbs.”
“And don’t forget find some students.”
“That part might already be moving forward also. My meeting with Grace went really well last night. She’s open to me coming to the school and speaking to the kids. Could be my first sign ups.”
“Not so fast.”
“Why the pessimism?”
“Not pessimism. Something totally opposite that.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I’ve got your first sign up.”
“What, you’re going to sign up for a class. I’m going to teach SEAL discipline and how to get in shape? I appreciate the token gesture, but I need to do this on my own.”
“And that’s exactly why it’s not going to be me.”
“Really? Who did you have in mind?”
“Jill.”
“Jill. Really? She’d be perfect. I’d be honored.”
“And I think she could really use some time with you.”
“I’d be happy to work with her of course, but she definitely seems like a little girl who’s pretty well squared away already.”
“She is,
but there’s something else going on. We don’t have a middle school here so next year she’ll be going to our version of a middle school and high school combination. Ages 13 – 18. She’ll just barely be 13 and there are going to be plenty of older boys after her. She developed early for her age and I’m already noticing a lot of looks and out of control hormones when I pick her up from school. I want to make sure she’s ready for anything.”
“I hear that. I’m going to make sure she’s prepared.”
“Then it’s settled. First name in the client book is Jill Jackson.”
“Done.”
We shake on it and embraced. I was now officially in business.
“OK, next step. Do you think they have those big wrestling mats here in town?”
“You won’t be able to get them here, but we can get them about an hour from here.”
“Is there a bus that goes there?”
“Come on man. I’m free the rest of the afternoon. Let’s go now.”
“Deal.”
I grab some cash from my backpack and we head out in the Jeep and find a sporting goods store that has the mats. Just like Jeremiah said. I buy enough to cover 400 square feet. Delivery was only $40 extra and they’d have them out to the gym in the morning.
When we got home I text Grace.
Really enjoyed last night. Still possible to come by the school and motivate some kids?
Less than two minutes later.
Definitely. How about tomorrow afternoon? 2 p.m. Last class of the day. Getting, and keeping, their attention will be tough. Up for the challenge?
Challenge accepted. See you then.
I was on a hot streak and wanted to keep the momentum going. I had some free time from now until the delivery in the morning.
“Jeremiah, want to work on some moves?”
“You think you can take me?”
“Only one way to find out.”
Jeremiah smiles. “You’ve still got the fighting spirit. Let me put on some shorts and I’ll see you in the living room in five.”
“I’ll be there in four.”
We spend the rest of the afternoon working on takedowns, escapes, and defense. I haven’t trained this hard in weeks. We continue into the evening and call it a stalemate.
Jill had been invited to a birthday party after school and Jeremiah had to pick her up at 8 o’clock. He showered up and was out the door.
I showered and went up to lie in bed. Not surprisingly I pass out. My body clock is still in shambles. Luckily I remember to set my alarm.
CHAPTER 11
The sound of the alarm clock hits me like an incoming mortar. I jump out of bed and assume the ready position. Flashbacks. I was hoping some improvement in this area might get the ball rolling in my overall improvement. Not happening yet. PTSD is just four letters until you meet someone else who’s fighting it. Service member or not. But when you get it yourself, it becomes all too real. You’re body jumps to fight or flight.
I look at the clock and go through the prior days events in my mind. The delivery today. Right. In and out of the shower and down to see Jeremiah and Jill finishing up breakfast.
“We thought you weren’t going to wake up.”
“Yeah, I was out cold.”
“Want a lift to the gym?”
“Sure.”
“Ok. We’ll drop Jill off at school first then head over to wait on the mats.”
“Perfect.”
“Congratulations on the gym, Uncle Caleb.” Jill flashes me a big smile with a couple of key teeth missing. She was at that age were soon cute would become adolescence. It’s an exciting period of transition for a kid. She was handling it well.
“Thanks, Jill. How’s everything at school?”
“Oh, it’s good. Jimmy Ratcliff brought a snake yesterday in his backpack and turned it lose in math. A lot of people screamed, but I knew it wasn’t going to hurt anyone. Plus it’s better to be calm around animals. If you panic they might panic too.”
“Very true. And you didn’t get bit?”
Jill laughs. “Very funny.”
“Not even a little peck on the cheek with his long tongue?”
“Oh, gross. That would feel weird.”
“Yes it would.”
“Have you ever been kissed by a snake before, Uncle Caleb?”
Jeremiah about spits out his cereal laughing.
“What’s so funny, dad?”
“Nothing, honey. Let’s let Uncle Caleb answer.”
“Well, Jill. I can’t say I have, but I can say that I kissed a snake.”
“Really? Why did you do that?”
“Team building.”
“A team of snakes?”
We all laughed.
“No. We were training in Thailand with their special forces. Your dad was there too. The Thais demonstrated how to kiss a cobra. They asked for one volunteer from our SEAL team. For some reason I volunteered.” I say.
“Wow. Really?”
“Yeah.”
“And you kissed him.”
“Somehow, yes. It took a long time and a lot of courage, but you are right. Eventually I realized I had to keep calm. The calmer I was the easier it was to get closer to the cobra.”
“And you weren’t scared?”
“I was terrified. At least at first.”
“Wow. I’m going to tell everyone at school that.”
“You might not have to, honey.”
“Why dad?”
“Caleb.”
“Jill, I’m going to come to your school today and give a presentation. About discipline, fitness, and making the right choices for you as an individual.”
“You’re coming to school! Today?”
“Yep.”
“Cool! I can’t wait.”
“Do you have Ms. Compton for math last period?”
“No. I have math in the morning. And Ms. Compton isn’t my teacher for any subjects. I just met her for the first time in the parking lot during Parent’s Day.”
“Ok. Well then, we won’t see each other. At least in the classroom. Maybe in the halls though or after school.”
Jill laughs.
“What’s so funny?”
“So today dad will come to school to pick us both up.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“You’re like Billy Madison. Back to school.”
“Very funny. Not like that, but yes, I’m going back to school today.”
“Cool. I can’t wait.”
“OK, team. Are we ready to head out?” Jeremiah says..
“You bet.” I reply
“OK, we’re off.”
We drop Jill off at school and head to the gym just in time to take the shipment. We lay out the mats and then head back out for light bulbs and some simple sparring gloves at the sporting good store in case anyone who is a little more advanced signs up.
We stop for a long lunch and catch up on old times like Thailand. Cobras, jungle militants, and beautiful beaches. All amazingly close to inebriated backpackers enjoying gap year travel and summer holidays. Hard to believe how close chaos was to paradise. After lunch we return to the gym and put in all the lights.
“That does it. We’re ready to go.” Jeremiah says.
“We are. And now if you don’t mind can I get a ride to school?”
“A ride? Brother, I’m going to sit in on this presentation. If it’s OK with you at least.”
“That would be the best.”
“Then let’s do this.”
An urban handshake and a slaps on the shoulder and we're off.
We arrive at the reception and I immediately noticed a familiar face. She stands and offered her hand.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Callahan. Nice to see you again.”
Small Town SEAL's Saving Grace_An Older Man Younger Woman Romance Page 6