The driver of the Lincoln limo was a man I didn’t recognize from the compound, but then I wasn’t surprised. I circulated among but knew very few of the men and women who constantly flowed in, through and around the Western White House and its grounds. I was so low on the totem pole that nobody had much of any reason to talk to me about anything. I took orders and followed them, and that was it.
“Get in,” the driver said. The window went back up.
James, like so many other readers hanging on every new paragraph, we’re watching to see what happens next.
I was born in ’68, so the live news reports of Nam and Watergate fell on my very young ears. I can remember some of the names, places, and happenings in a Walter Cronkite voice in my head.
My uncle was part of a motor pool in country, and made it back home. My Dad was allowed to stay home with his National Gaurd unit, new wife, and family farm. Dad would watch the 6:00 news when he could, go back out to do chores, and watch again at 10:00.
I spent most of a couple hours this week researching the names and timelines of the Watergate scandal, so that I could maybe pick up hints of what your interactions were with those persons.
And now, you’re leaving all that to sell insurance.
Chapter X will be desperately anticipated.
Todd
Didn’t leave it to sell insurance. Kept it to sell insurance, and more, of course.
thanks for the great depth of your comment and the work you’ve done to follow what’s going on there.
Much appreciate that support and loyalty.
Semper fi,
Jim
He definitely did not LEAVE it to sell insurance, Todd
~~smile
I’ve been following this story since somehow, Chapter VI of the First Ten Days popped into my feed. I did go back and read the first five chapters. Your life has had some interesting, if not “exciting” events. The people you have met and been exposed to is extraordinary. I understand the effort it must have taken to relive and write the first book and even some of the events in the first ‘Lion’ book. There were times it seemed to take weeks or months to get to the next chapter, and I understand why. It seems that it has been six or seven months to find an Email that Chapter X was available. I last read Chapter III. I see your answer, four comments above why. I’m glad that is all that the problem is.
I’m sure other presidents have had their circles of people of intrigue, but I remember some of the screwball crap that was going on around Nixon and how it was all explained away. You seem to be giving life and factuality to what, so far seems to be one of those hidden stories. Looking forward to more.
BTW, it has already come to light, much earlier that were blessed with a fireball of a wife.
I thank you most sincerely for this lengthy but very ‘meaty’ comment. It is important to me to see how the audience, of which you are an important part,
views the work. The life I cannot change, not the eidetic memory that has allowed (forced?) me to lay it all down. I thought, before the writing, as I thought
about writing 30 Days that I would simply lose credibility because so much of my life is simply not believable when placed in the contest of regular people’s more
regular lives. Thanks for being here and there and also the description of the Irish wife I have been saddled and rewarded with…
Semper fi,
Jim
Just discovered that Facebook hasn’t been notifying me of your posts. Tbey suck.
Facebook does not like the direction of my commentary, and hasn’t for some time.
I get maybe five or six comments and I write only articles of interest and opinion and have a constant 5000 friends…I don’t do
pet, food, selfies or any of that crap. The controlling interests of media power do not want to be informed. No matter how
uninformed, the powers that control such things want to inform…hence the rise of miserable cretins
like Alex Jones and so many more.
Semper fi,
Jim
Thank you sir.
When will this series be available in book form?
Thank you, Louis
Cowardly Lion Book One is very close to being
ready for print
Alot happening is a short time it seems !! At least you finally got to meet the President, so now off to the third one – of what ?? Hmmm..
Thanks for another chapter James,
Semper Fi
“Curiouser and curiouser”. Very interesting chapter. Thank You.
It’s beginning to occur to me that Watergate was easily explained. You’re working for a group of certified nutcases. Paranoid idiots, including the president. Small p intentional.
Shouldn’t it be Haldeman?
Thanks for seeing the typo
I feel a bit under qualified to edit your work, but my recollection was that Nixon’s Chief of Staff’s name was “Haldeman” and this chapter has added an “r” and is “Halderman”.
You are correct, Neil
Thanks for noticing the typo
Thank you Sir.
“All I would have to do is point the thing and press the shutter lever, pull out the film, develop it and then do it all over again ten more times.”
Only ten shots per cartridge, so do over again nine times.
I always look forward to the next chapter, thanks!
Jim,
As always a good read. One small point, if the president turned to walk up the beach toward the center of San Clemente, he would have walked North. Heading South he would have been headed for San Onofre and the nuclear power plant.
All the best, Percy
Sharp eye and thanks for sharing the typo. All fixed now
Really enjoying the story, Jim – as usual with your writings. Especially after Dan’s superb editing! Saves me all the trouble.
Old Agent Orange is really getting me down, limiting mobility. Depressing, and your writings do help a lot with that. Many thanks!
POWERFULLLLLLLL!!!!!!!
Waiting for the ball to drop. Curious journey.
Kemp
your writing creates a subtle suspense but knowing you……
Alrighty then, now my head is spinning around, had to read that 3 times to partially understand it. Keep up the awesome work sir! Semper Fi Lt
More and more interesting, James. Several new threads begin in your life.
We shall see…
Some interesting editing choices present themselves:
_________________________
snap twenty shots of the building Marina pier, isthmus, or whatever the hell it is.
“building” seems extra
“Marina” seems generic so lower case “M”
snap twenty shots of the marina pier, isthmus, or whatever the hell it is.
Issue about how many photos to take
snap twenty shots
do it all over again ten more times
wanted ten shots, or one roll of film
The driver guided the Lincoln onto Pacific Coast Highway
Maybe add “the” before “Pacific”
The driver guided the Lincoln onto the Pacific Coast Highway
A small sign, indicating that the book Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Henry Dana, had been written about the place was posted atop a strangely assembled braced pipe affair stuck into the disturbed ground as we passed into the construction site itself.
Maybe rearrange
As we passed into the construction site itself we saw a small sign indicating that the book Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana had been written about the place. It was posted atop a strangely assembled braced pipe affair stuck into the disturbed ground.
OR instead of “we saw a small sign”
Maybe “a small sign was visible”
As we passed into the construction site itself a small sign was visible indicating that the book Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana had been written about the place. It was posted atop a strangely assembled braced pipe affair stuck into the disturbed ground.
whalers it had been into a full-scale yacht harbor
Maybe add “formerly” before “had”
whalers it formerly had been into a full-scale yacht harbor
pulled back onto PCH
Maybe add “the” before “PCH” unless local usage does not use the “the”
pulled back onto the PCH
held it up over the lip of the back of the front bench seat.
But earlier we read:
had a flat glass window separating the driver from any guests or conversations that might be held in the back seat.
Later we read:
the driver leaned partially to face the passenger seat, with his right arm extended over the top of it.
How do we have a conversation and pass an envelope through a glass panel?
Seems the solution is to eliminate the glass panel.
I only ever ate a sandwich at home
“ever” seems extra
I only ate a sandwich at home
Nobody asked other’s
“other’s is possessive. Seems meaning is plural of “other” Drop apostrophe
Nobody asked others
We are in the restaurant and then the following line appears:
There were only a couple of secretaries at their desks across the room, however, and they didn’t bother to look up.
Maybe substitute “table” for “desks”
OR just drop the line
There were only a couple of secretaries at their table across the room,
however, and they didn’t bother to look up.
Hello Chuck Bartok
walking to my table and sitting across the little from me without an invitation.
Maybe add “table” after “little”
walking to my table and sitting across the little table from me without an invitation.
Now how’s that for a deal of a lifetime?
Close quotation after lifetime?
Now how’s that for a deal of a lifetime?”
in cold print with is district manager title
Maybe “bold” instead of “cold”
Maybe “his” instead of “is”
in bold print with his district manager title
then the 7000 sum under the stack.
Maybe 6000 – else I’m missing something
then the 6000 sum under the stack.
north and south running concrete passage.
concrete? Maybe paved
north and south running paved passage.
Lexan protectors
Add period
Lexan protectors.
walked about out through the door
“about” seems extra
walked out through the door
that human was the president
Capitalize president?
that human was the President
not too dangerous our interesting
Maybe “or” instead of “our”
not too dangerous or interesting
Blessings & Be Well
Thank you again and again for your tireless effort in keeping me straight!
You are a gem, Dan
Hello,
When will this series be available in book form?
Thank you, Louis
Yes, and thanks for asking Louis. Book I should be out soon although I have been saying that for some time.
Hang in there, as we are into Book II right now and proceeding.
Semper fi,
Jim
James,
Like sap from maple trees when the temps of winter warm, the chapters are flowing faster now. Deep ‘THANK YOU’ for working hard to get the literary juices ramped up and for posting another chapter up so quickly.
You are becoming a man of many hats: beach patrol guy/policeman, long distance delivery guy, photographer, personal bodyguard to the president, possible insurance agent (?), . . .(and only God and you know what else might be just around the corner).
Can’t wait to find out what the third mission is about!
And what you end up doing with the camera…
Stay healthy–and prolifically productive in your chapter speed of TCL (he says, selfishly).
***************************************************
I am continually intrigued and teasingly tantalized during your TCL chapters about the unknown “who” [or plural “whos”] who researched you and know “what” about you and “why” they did it.
You seem to be surrounded in fog-like mysteries upon returning to the states. Apparently, you are content to take all of that in stride and not let it work on you as you write of those times, and (I guess) figure that at some point the fog will lift and clear answers to this puzzle of “who, what and why” eventually emerge. As for me, it would drive me to work overtime to somehow try to peel those layers off that onion.
Patience is not a virtue of mine.
I so enjoy every chapter and enjoy trying to postulate and predict what the next chapter might bring. (I am hopelessly and invariably wrong.)
Really appreciate your support, Walter