I stood in shock, unable to say a word, my unblinking eyes staring up into glittering dark pupils in eyes that had never glittered before. He was too tall, and he was vaguely smiling as he held the door half open. People passed on both sides of us, using the other doors opened and closed by the other doorman.
“Not you,” I breathed out, finally able to move my legs enough to enter the door and wait while he closed it behind me.
In the top 3, at the very least, of all the chapters since the beginning of Thirty Days.
Well done again Jim. Thank you.
I’m all eyes and ears.
Thanks so very much Tim, as the next chapter goes to print. Hope you
likt it too.
Semper fi,
Jim
Jim,
Ok – Wow! And I realize that I’ve probably used that, ‘Wow!’, more than once, maybe twice. Regardless, another ‘word’ I don’t plan on using anymore – Just ‘assume’ it for every chapter & you’ll be fine.
Ref Nguyen – Don’t believe that ‘coincidence’ fits here & then him waiting for you in the como room – Probably thinking what most people are – Somehow attached to MI after the 30 days, perhaps even before, to give MI another view/perspective of units, both friend & foe, in the Valley. You just happened to draw the short or long, lucky straw. Can only wonder how many ‘tours’ of the Valley he had during that time period. As to how he was ‘assigned’ (If that’s the case.) to you & waiting for you at the Embassy? Well, no more guessing/fantasizing. As with everyone else, waiting for that “As The Day Turns” episode.
From the ‘comments’ – So the ‘valleys’ change & yet, in varying respects, stay the same. I suspect it is the same for the majority of humanity, but in much different ways. Though they aren’t trying to kill us, capture us, torture us, etc, in their own ways, are trying to capture us & ‘kill’ our souls. That is a constant battle, with various levels of severity.
The “vicious tornado” of evil has been building for a number of years (Another ‘valley’.) & the nation has indeed been pulled in to it while it continues to increase in size & strength. Assuming we push thru to the eye, that calmness will be short lived. It will take the courage of men & women to weather this, to stand & fight this fear, to make it fall apart. We’ve done it before & must do it again. Off topic of the chapter, but nevertheless true.
More on the chapter later.
As always, sincere regards my friend.
Doug
You re never ‘off topic’ here Doug. I understand and fully agree with your entire comment.
We did not create this current circumstance, just as we did not create a Vietnam. We did however
fight like hell once it all went down. And here we are again, as Barry sang in that song “On the Eve of Destruction.”
Thanks so much for being so complimentary and so bitterly real. I am with you all the way brother.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Are you sure you’r not in Boston Where everyone knows your Name.
Cheers!
Now that’s a great metaphorical comment Gordon. I sure as hell felt
like it while also feeling like I had to be the worst covered agent
to ever hit the field. More I’m the next chapter. Thanks for the great comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Shocking, absolutely shocking. Of course everyone knows who you are.
Great spy, eh? Thank God it would not always remain that way but to be introduced
as a known entity out in the world was indeed shocking, although not paralyzing.
Thanks for the funny and accurate comment JT.
Semper fi,
Jim
Intriguing and addictive to say the least, WOW.
Thanks a lot S.K. and you can expect the next few chapters to be of similar ilk as I try to learn to be
something that’s a whole lot more poorly defined than anyone might expect. Thanks for the compliment and the
comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
I was wondering, if you would ever run into anyone, from your past! The story you are revealing has captivated me!!
Jose, what a neat compliment. Captivatws ua a great word and I most appreciate it being used
to describe the work. Thanks so much.
Semper fi,
Jim
Mr. Strauss, Sir,
At the beginning of this chapter when you revealed that the doorman was Nguyen, I got goose bumps up and down my arms and legs. I was SO disappointed when you turned to find him and he was gone. Then, at the end when told us he was at the table, I caught myself doing a fist pump and a whispered cheer “YES”.
I worry about the mysterious men in black, and what notes they may have written while looking at your passport.
Thank you for a great read.
PS. I had lunch today with an old friend who recently was in Lake Geneva and had breakfast at Egg Harbor – I thought of you.
Egg Harbor is a local hangout for breakfast in downtown Lake Geneva, but us locals only go there during the winter months
as he wait can be forever in the summer. Thanks Keith for following the story so closely and with such attention to detail and
emotion. Semper fi, and I hope to meet you one day at the Eggo, as we call the place.
Semper fi,
Jim
Once again , Shock and Awe as unending mysteries reappear!!
My favorite saying is Patience is a Virtue but boy do you make it tuff 🙂 , waiting 🙂
Thank you especially for a look back at the times.
Thanks so very much for the compliment and I offer little apology for the way the story wends its way into other
readers minds and hearts. I’m thankful that you and others on here appear to really like it and the way I write it.
Thanks again,
Semper fi,
Jim
Nguyen? That’s a twist I didn’t expect. How does he fit in in all of this? & what to make of the men in black. Each chapter brings more questions than answers. Keep them coming
Phil, it was my opinion that the men in black were not hotel sercuty, comfirmed by the hotel.
What to do with that at the time? Watch and read. Nguyen? Again, watch and read as this chapter
reveals. Probably not what most people might think. Real life is like that all the time.
Semper fi,
Jim
Oh my! Curiouser and curiouser! I feel I’m in a web, being pulled in by the spider! Batman
Batman, I presume the spider has something to do with me but I will put that aside for the moment.
The story, of course, is written and remembered by me but not really written and remembered just for you, or even the other
readers. I too am taking in what I’m putting out as the memories are not truly surface all the time. They are deep and come
up as other memories help to pry them loose. Thanks for being the Batman and my friend for life.
Semper fi,
Jim
Reflecting back to the days…
Being involved in the Financial Services Industry (especially employee benefits) did allow almost seamless mobility globally.
Of course that was almost 50 years ago.
I wonder if that is true in today’s business environment?
Thanks, Chuck, for coming in on that. Funny how porous things were for certain occupations, insurance being one of them.
Being a priest was another protected identity. I was one twice although it’s strictly forbidden by Agency orders.
Teachers get some, or used to get some, immunity from close examination too.
It was also against the rules to impersonate them. I’m sure it was giant the rules to impersonating an American ambassador including stealing and using his I.D. but I did that too.
Semper fi, and thanks for the associative and credibility building comment, my friend, and mentor.
Jim
Oh so GOOD 👍💯.
Great short compliment, Robert and much appreciated as I head into the next chapter.
Semper fi,
Jim
That is one intense chapter going to be a wild ride
The change in careers caught me totally by surprise. I knew nothing of field people aside form OO7
who I always thought of as cartoonish…which he turned out to be…an Aston Martin but I got Trebats and Ladas.
Reality bites. I thought I was getting on a slow merry go round not a giant roaring roller coaster.
Semper fi, and thanks for the accurately described coming ride.
Jim
What an amazing story! Enjoying every chapter!
Thanks so much Fred, means a lot to me as I’m half way through the next chapter.
Much appreciate the motivation and support.
Semper fi,
Jim
Dang! The pace never slows. I am becoming exhausted just trying to keep up! Hello Nguyen! Whew!!
Chris, living it was something else again, as one shock seemed to follow another as I tried to
start with the Agency, but there’s really no start. You just go at it or you’re out of there.
Thanks for the great comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
What a great chapter! I’m happy you connected with Nguyen. This will be interesting.
thanks so much for the compliment and following so closely.
Semper fi,
Jim
Haha I wouldn’t doubt that Huang knew about the “artifact object”
Antonio, I can’t comment, unfortunately about what’s coming but much enjoy your supposition.
Stranger things have happened.
Semper fi,
Jim
The new war begins, in a different time and place with no lines and completely unknown actors that may be either enemies, friends, or a combination. It is the secret war fought out of embassies worldwide, with an occasional assistance from the MSGs.
War is ever with us, whether fought out in the open or ‘coldly’ as was the case, or at least termed so, with the U.S. and Soviet Union.
There is a form of developing war going on right now inside the U.S. and neither side of the leadership seems at all truly distressed
but one simply ignition point could lead to disaster in a country that has three weapons for each citizen, where auto weapons are not legal.
Wow. Hate the thought of all that but here we are. As 30 Days pointed out so terminally and graphically, people want to go fight in a war very badly, until they
are fighting, being maimed of life and dying doing so. It’s always too late and my books are not believed by those wanting to into combat.
I wish those people who get ‘down in the valley’ well, in the next world where most of them will be going.
Semper fi,
Jim
You must be a mind reader After reading the the last chapter I wonder if we’d ever find out what happen to the res of the company Good timing Seems to be time gap between Nam and now only a couple of years not ten
There will be more appearances made as these chapters progress. I have to write them chronologically as they occurred, however,
as I do not want to ruin the fabric of the ‘cloth’ ahead.
Semper fi,
Jim
So nice to get back with your most important person from the valley!!!!
Well, the most important after me, I would presume you mean. We’ll see how that turns out.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another great read! I’ve been waiting for Nguyen to reappear since he dropped off the Nativity set. You’re a gifted storyteller.
Thanks so much for the compliments Bill, really read those with enthusiasm to continue.
Sometimes authors of the modern era, self publishing, wonder if it’s all worth it. You prove that it is,
you and my other wonderful readers.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another fantastic read and what a way to leave it! Can’t wait for the next Chapter.
Keep ’em coming
Great compliment Bob, and there’s plenty more coming. I’m half way through the next chapter as I read these comments.
Keeps me going for certain.
Semper fi,
Jim
This is going to be very interesting.
Good start to another chapter keep it going LT.
Keeps me guessing what is next.
I am glad you are guessing Pat, as I was when faced with all of it.
My brain working on all twelve cylinders but many times spot on.
What a run was that first part of my service in the CIA.
Semper fi, and thanks
Jim
Damn Lt, Nguyen!!! What next?
Damn is a compliment, I presume, Bruce…so, I thanks you.
What next? Well, chapter XXIII is coming next week.
Thanks for appearing to want it. I will deliver and thanks for commenting in
such a laconic but effective manner.
Semper fi,
Jim
When I came home from Korea, half the country didn’t even know that we had a war.
That’s true Charles. That also proves how the media was transforming itself from an instructive and reporting function
to using fictional creations to change behavior and beliefs.
There’s trillions of dollars floating around in war and the mass media wants it’s full share.
There seemed to be no money on the line in Korea and so little coverage.
Thanks for the great thoughtful comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Wow! Simply Wow!
So what in the H is going on with Nguyen? I would think the brief cameo at the hotel would and did startle you. And then to appear in the SCIF! What have you gotten into, James?
Great organizational thoughts on the school and the problems of the teachers. 90% of my foreign travel was courtesy of the military; no worries about health care, etc. And the one time visit to a hospital – Brazil, broken wrist – was at no charge at all.
Nguyen was a great friend, helper, protector in the Valley. Knew his way around the jungle. And now to do the same in the jungle that is Seoul.
Jim, only you and God know what’s in your brain. But a few thousand of us really, really want you to unlock it faster. Chapter a day will bring in the pay…
Craig, all the countries of the world are different, as well you know. Some will treat visiting American’s for free, but not Americans’s who live and work there.
Finding out about all those countries medical systems and how they operated would never have been possible expense-wise without the money the CIA was paying.
Today, that system I invented is still working out there in many countries. You can even buy a travel policy from my old travel evacuation company!
I can’t write any faster, and then edit, and then have it edited and then get it up and then get it edited and announced by email and on Facebook.
Whew! Thanks for the depth of your care, which I know is great.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Whoa…how awesome..you have some catching up to do Jim…I will be waiting..lol
I am working to bring the next chapter to life as I write these responses to comments, your own included.
Thanks for chiming in and giving me that compliment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Wow Lt, all I can say is stunning! Meeting again the all grown up Nguyen! This whole story is fantastic, even by Hollywood standards. Would definitely make an excellent Netflix series!
The problem with Hollywood has to do not only with having the right contacts, usually by birth, but in needing military equipment.
The military lends or rents its equipment for nothing or almost nothing, as long as they are the court of last resort for the telling of the story.
Hence, all military stories are pretty much the same.
My story is anti-mythological in that context. It is not slanted to sending young people of to war to come back just like they left except beloved as warriors and heroes.
Nope.
The reality is much different than that, but the true story will not encourage young people to go to war…ergo no move or television series.
Thanks for thinking those thoughts though.
Semper fi,
Jim
It was Huang Nguyen !!
Ok, I will promise to not ever be shocked again !! Well maybe 😉
Once again more questions than answers, great chapter James.
Semper Fi
Thanks Sgt Bob, as usual. More compliments from you on the story and its writing.
Well received on this afternoon of more writing, I might add.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
My head is spinning, as I’m sure yours was. This chapter gave more clues and answers than I can understand! It seems the whole story is revolving around Huang. This was very intense, and quite a change from the story so far, keep it up sir and Semper fi!
The story revolves around me because I am the storyteller in the first person.
Plenty of others played very key roles as you have read and guessed, although probably minimized a bit because our own egos are mostly invisible to us.
Thanks for the great comment, as usual Bob.
Semper fi,
Jim
LT:
I am so happy about your encounter with Nguyen. I hope you go into detail about your conversation with him.
Alan