I sat facing both Haldeman and Ehrlichman, as I had in our previous session. They sat on the couch while I was in an overstuffed easy chair ninety degrees off the view of the ocean that they were facing. I didn’t make any effort to enjoy the stunning view, my full attention was directed at both men while I covered the intensity of my interest as best I could.
“You understand?” Ehrlichman asked, after pausing a few seconds to take a sip of his coffee.
LT/Sir/Jim,
A long chapter full of “setting the table” for future chapters.
I am always intrigued by what you tantalizingly set before me and the rest of your readers. And I know that future chapters will gain “ah-ha!” clarity when we recall the things written in this chapter and previous chapters. I and others have already raised our antennae when the fellow (Adam) said there is no security at the marina/construction area at night until there is something more built to justify that. We know you are going to use that nugget of knowledge down the road.
You simply cannot write fast enough to satisfy my immense curiosity related to all the threads of intrigue you weave into the Cowardly Lion Book Two chapters.
Thank you!
(he says as he cracks the whip and demands more new chapters)
Thanks Walter, my friend, its good to read your usual cryptic, deep and meaningful comments.
Not sure I always understand them though. Although the chapters appear to be ‘set up’ from time to time, in truth, I do that unaware, mostly.
To me, it’s just the way the words lay down before me at their own instruction. I am glad you seem to enjoy the effect…
Semper fi,
Jim
“I wondered, absently, how long the place would stay open if there were no employees or clients to be treated by them.”
Odd that you appear to be one of his few perhaps only client. Am I reading too much into this?
As an aside:
Spiro Agnew wrote the book for Trump in his 1969 speech about the main stream media in his Des Moines speech about the mainstream media.
‘An effete core of impudent snoops” He was a despicable man.
Phil, I believe that the word ‘despicable’ fit so many of them, but then I was coming out of a war having committed some of my own
rather despicable behaviors. Thanks for the comment and hour wise perception….
Semper fi,
Jim
A view of the crash of the Nixon Presidency I never dreamed I’d get to read about.
Yet again, thank you LT.
Hell, Arnold, I never thought I would write it. I was just living large, so to speak, in those days, mostly having
no clue about the historical effect of any of it. Now, I get it and then some.
Thanks for the compliment, in its own way…
Semper fi,
Jim
A few comments: it’s the Old Executive Office Building, not Administrative; it’s a three hour time difference between the east and west coasts (not four); and I don’t think non-stop flights from the west coast were allowed at National Airport (there was and maybe still is a maximum distance limit for flights in and out of National).
thanks for the help here and the consideration and thought Richard and I will think about what your wrote.
Semper fi,
Jim
Oh for the days that one didn’t have to pass thru TSA and any airport! I lived and worked in the DC area for 60 plus years and only got to tour the White House after I retired.
At one time and on some airlines back then Leo, you could get aboard armed and pay cash to the curser on board!!!
Thanks for the comment and your own memories.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another outstanding chapter James. Got to love the line about the door knobs
Thanks Chuck, the devil is in the details. You kinda had to be there.
I don’t know how it is now. The tunnel underground to the White House is something else too.
Semper fi,
Jim
I’m gonna need a play bill to keep track of all the players. Very interesting (with a German accent)!! Keep them coming Lt thank you sir. Semper fi
My pleasure Bob, and I will continue to persevere. Thanks for the compliment as it helps keep me going.
Semper fi,
Jim
The sergeant had spoken the two words in question, but not as aa * question (*a )
man on the right operated the combinations on both locks and pulled the top upward.
relieved to be going home. The 1456 page Count of Monte Cristo book was inside the case
????? How did you open the case, was it not relocked ????
Just a minor point of confusion for me !!
Good chapter James, keep ’em coming ! 😉
Semper Fi
The tops of the locks, SgtBobD. I have the case right here in the office with me. When the levered locks are relocked into place the combination goes back to
zeros. The top has to be pressed closed against spring pressure and then the levered locks pushed down to click home.
Quite some mechanical work of art. The Cook fit inside perfectly and, after all, the case was now mine. I have no idea what the original combination was the they set into the locks.
thanks for the compilment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Not the jungle but the unknown and excitment remain the same. Extremely intresting !
You have a most excellent point Don,indeed!
thank You
Semper fi,
Jim
Nicely done, this chapter is obviously setting the stage for some action filled mayhem? mystery? confrontation? cant wait to find out. Trust. How do we live with it and why cant we live without it? The old no man is an island.
Trusting a person deeply involves having a strong belief in their reliability, honesty, and intentions. It means feeling comfortable sharing vulnerabilities and secrets with them, knowing they will treat your information with respect and care. This level of trust also implies having confidence in their actions and decisions, and believing that they have your best interests at heart. We trust fellow Marines but not all equally. I deeply trust you and the Colonel because you are both men of character and honor, and pun intended – characters.
Paul has insights and I really like your line “I liked the strangeness as I felt he was talking the way he was because I understood him and what we were trying to do. I wasn’t broken and didn’t need to be fixed, but I did need help adjusting to and accommodating the seemingly foreign environment I’d come home to.”
That sums it up. We are broken- some are and I pray for them but most of us jus get of course and need correction.. Life is dynamic, and what might have been suitable or relevant at one point may no longer apply. Adjusting one’s course can be necessary to stay aligned with personal growth, changing priorities, or unexpected challenges. It’s a way to ensure that actions and decisions remain in line with current realities and aspirations.
Very well said Rich, as usual. Your analysis and insights are remarkable and accurate in almost every respect.
Thanks for sending stuff I have to reread to really get.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
The office building next to the White House is the Old Executive (not administrative) Office Building.
I came to understand that later John, so I will continue to call it by the wrong name until
I am again to be placed at the structure. Thanks for the comment and picking that up.
Semper fi,
Jim
Closest I ever got to the White House was a Stay in the Army Navy Club at my Uncles Internment in Arlington. I have walked the grounds around the White House a few times but that’s it.
Thanks for personalizing your comment and letting us know about you. This site is great for that.
Semper fi,
Jim
Towards the top 34 hours a day ?? Good chapter it’s moving better keep ‘em comming
Thanks Jim, for the compliment in your writing. Thanks for the help too….
Semper fi,
Jim
The time difference is 3 hours coast to coast not 4 as stated
Got that Steve and fixed it…thanks for the help.
Semper fi,
Jim
Might be a lot of questions if you use the brief case in your “insurance identity”.
Never used it for the insurance business. Too much an art object, although I was surprised to actually find it inside one of my trunks int eh basement. I hadn’t realized I’d saved it through the years, with it’s Nixon tag and all. Yes, that is a real photo taken when I put the chapter up online.Back then that case went for hundreds of dollars new and nobody I knew, plus myself, would be that ostentatious or have it in fear of having it stolen. It was years before I found that the company was German! All of my luggage, for myself and even my kids and their kids is made by Rimowa…a tag back to the days.
Semper fi,
Jim
Interesting you chose the “Count of Monte Christo” to read during the longest chapter so far…Great read but I also don’t see most of the editing garnered by most of your disciples. I think I track the path but not the detail. Still think your curse is remembering all the detail! First Mission accomplished by the way…guess I am very surprised you used the case to carry your book even though you were pretty sure it was empty! Lastly what song does one play as the Porch slips into the Marina……
Thank you, Colonel. For the five buck ‘cup of coffee’ on For-fi too (https://ko-fi.com/jamesstrauss) as that always puts a smile on my face when it appears. Five bucks, which should be so minor but the meaning comes through every time you do it! Anyway, strange first mission, especially by today’s security, flight and instructions oriented culture. Simpler times. Thanks so much for the cup of Joe and the comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Ok the plot thickens!!
Yes, indeed, Harold. All seemingly on its own. Well, most of it anyway.
Thanks for the comment and putting it up on here.
Semper fi,
Jim
a few typos
circumstance were – circumstance we were
no idea who – no idea how
family going under 34 hour a day – 24
I walked up to Marine, – I walked up to a Marine,
A woman stood before, – before me,
putting the file down before hi. – him.
The staff care was waiting – The staff car was waiting
thought about hot to phrase – thought about how to phrase
how long the play would stay open – how long the place would stay open
The road around the marine – marina
where the waters protected – where the water’s protected. ?? not sure about whether apostrophe is needed but I think so
Good story, keep it up.
Thanks for your sharp eyes, Matt. I believe all corrected.
Jim
Jim, it is such a delight when I check my emails in the morning, and see one from you.
” What I did have, I knew, might be considered worse than any drug addiction if someone really understood.”
That speaks volumes, and is certainly known by the majority of people who voyaged to SE Asia and returned. The Lord is the only one who knows, deeply, the ones who did not return.
So now you are becoming a real under-cover operative! But you are working about five different levels, and that can become a real burden. I’m glad that you have your wife to talk to about most of your work, and almost-trusted Paul, of course.
Write faster! I am waiting with bated breath for the coming chapters.
And it was a good thing to have Spiro gone.
Semper Fi, my trusted friend!
Thanks so much Craig, as I much enjoy your comments which usually contain a bunch of compliments, like here.
Thanks so much for what you put up regularly on this site.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
James, Interesting how the Rimowa case is its own authentication.
I’m guessing there soon might be an interesting cassette found in the 8-track. I also would not be surprised if the Targa may soon sleep with the fishes.
We shall see.
Some minor editing suggestions follow:
The ceramic cups and saucers were from a collection of Irish China my wife’s mother had accumulated after World War II.
Since this is the Compound the china cannot be from Mary’s family.
So, maybe “similar to one”
The ceramic cups and saucers were from a collection of Irish China similar to one my wife’s mother had accumulated after World War II.
I had no cup of coffee presented before me
Maybe “offered to” rather than “presented before”
I had no cup of coffee offered to me
so there was no point to my drinking my own cup in a way
Maybe “no opportunity” instead of “no point”
Rephrase sentence
so there was no opportunity for me to drink my own cup in a way
appropriate for men in the kind of circumstance were in.
Maybe add “we” before “were”
appropriate for men in the kind of circumstance we were in.
if I may ask? I asked
Close quotes after question mark.
if I may ask?” I asked
will be better for the country.
Close quotes
will be better for the country.”
return of unused funds were all subjects that I knew nothing about
Seems like two sentences
Question mark after “funds”
New sentence start with new word “Those” before “were”
return of unused funds? Those were all subjects that I knew nothing about
waiting outside the Secret Service opened door
Maybe possessive of “Service” “Service’s”
waiting outside the Secret Service’s opened door
my passing in and out the place
Add “of” before “the place”
my passing in and out of the place
envelope from this tailor-made Marine Blues blouse
“his” instead of “this”
envelope from his tailor-made Marine Blues blouse
were only the province of officers
Maybe “prerogative” rather than “province”
were only the prerogative of officers
There seemed little point,
End with “period” instead of “comma”
There seemed little point.
I would ever expected before
Add “have” before “ever”
I would have ever expected before
the two words in question, but not in question
/ A neat turn of phrase; but takes a second to parse it./
Maybe change to “not as a” rather than “in”
the two words in question, but not as a question
having no idea who he could know
“how” instead of “who”
having no idea how he could know
airliner I hadn’t even checked out about
“out about” seems redundant
Maybe drop “about”
airliner I hadn’t even checked out
In spite of my being nobody, I was part of team
Add “a” before “team”
In spite of my being nobody, I was part of a team
in and out without leaving much a trace
Add “of” after “much”
in and out without leaving much of a trace
a place I’d never been before, at late in the afternoon
Drop “at”
a place I’d never been before, late in the afternoon
Tom “Yellow” Turner
Maybe “Yello”
Yello = An informal greeting, especially when answering the phone.
Tom “Yello” Turner
Dwarfs would have to wait my return
Maybe “await” instead of “wait”
Dwarfs would have to await my return
Whom would have done that
“Who” when subject. “Whom” when object.
Who would have done that
family going under 34 hour a day surveillance
“24” instead of “34”
family going under 24 hour a day surveillance
Whomever had the Rimowa
“Whoever”
Whoever had the Rimowa
A woman stood before
Maybe add “me” after “before”
A woman stood before me
before even putting the file down before hi.
“him”
before even putting the file down before him.
The staff care was waiting
“car” instead of “care”
The staff car was waiting
either of the door handles would let me out
“doorknobs” rather than “door handles”
either of the doorknobs would let me out
“That’s it? She asked
Close quotes after question mark
“That’s it?” She asked
Monte Cristo where probably as tough
“were” instead of “where”
Monte Cristo were probably as tough
there was no razor blade concealed in this tone.
Maybe “his” instead of “this”
there was no razor blade concealed in his tone.
I told him what had happened when I’d confronted Butch with Mardian’s son being there, and our exchange of words.
/ In Chapter 42 the meeting with Butch was about Insurance. Little Mardian was the argumentative one. The confrontation with Butch was earlier./
Maybe “visited” rather than “confronted”
I told him what had happened when I’d visited Butch with Mardian’s son being there, and our exchange of words.
level of deep penetrating pain.”
No need for quote
level of deep penetrating pain.
done with Gates is he hadn’t come around
“if” instead of “is”
done with Gates if he hadn’t come around
deal-breaker in your developing relationship
Maybe “our” rather than “your”
deal-breaker in our developing relationship
thought about hot to phrase
“how” instead of “hot”
thought about how to phrase
apply any, one directed at property
Maybe add “be” before “one”
apply any, be one directed at property
how long the play would stay open
Maybe “place” rather than “play”
how long the place would stay open
The road around the marine was rough
“marina” instead of “marine”
The road around the marina was rough
drove over the where the long boat launch ramp
Change “the” before “where” to “to”
drove over to where the long boat launch ramp
The ramps done but steep and slippery.
Meaning is “ramp is done” so add apostrophe “ramp’s”
The ramp’s done but steep and slippery.
The water down under the water at its end is twenty-five feet deep
Drop “under the water”
The water down at its end is twenty-five feet deep
Who’s is that
“whose” instead of “who’s”
Whose is that
middle of the bay here where the waters protected and calm
Apostrophe in “water’s”
middle of the bay here where the water’s protected and calm
to tell Paul who I trusted.
Seems “whom” instead of “who”
to tell Paul whom I trusted.
Blessings & Be Well
Thanks DonC, much love the edits and the comment above them.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim