I left the compound as I’d come in, feeling about the same. Although the Beach Patrol part of my life with the San Clemente Police Department was unsettled, it was at least predictable and there also seemed to be no inherent danger in working with the personnel, the equipment, or the people the department was supposedly set up to serve. The Western White House was a hotbed of seething and fomenting intrigue, near silence, and extremely high-strung tension. Only the Marine guards ever smiled at me when I entered or left the place. Nobody else smiled or laughed inside the compound that I’d ever witnessed.
I drove my fire engine red Volks to the police parking lot, got out, and walked the short distance to where the Bronco was parked. The keys were inside at the front desk in the control of whoever was running the dispatch counter, which, it being day shift, was almost always Bobby Scruggs. I’d decided, after discovering the way things were likely to develop with the real beach patrol, I couldn’t carry the keys to the vehicle anymore. Others were going to need the rig, and that might happen at any hour on any day or night. I might be the Reserve Commander, but in effect, I was really just another minor player in a performance I had no clue about. Accepting that position, without an understanding of what it entailed in my current life was the key to my survival and that of my family, and I knew it.
Berkeley is a “University of California” campus, not a California State University campus
True
Mysterious and more mysterious!
Loving the unusualness of the situation you are setting up.
Super happy you are back to writing – best to all.
Thanks Craig, good to be back.
It’s been a hell of a run in regular life too…but here I am, back at it.
Semper fi,
Jim
Welcome back LT. Good to be reading with you again.
Thanks Steven, really means a lot to me to hear that.
Semper fi,
Jim
Glad to see you back in the writers saddle once again James !!
Did I ever mention that I was picked up on that “special” San Clemente beach with a couple of high school friends while on leave after boot camp and before Pendelton in 1964 ?? Good times LOL !!!
Pretty funny SgtBobD. Why did they pick on you and who were they? Nixon made it all very
dicey and special to be about those beach areas when I was part of it, but before I have no clue.
Semper fi,
JIm
Thank you once again James.
You ar most welcome Ted, as I write on into this night. Hope to have IX out by Friday.
Semper fi,
Jim
Thanks James, for another charter. I must say, the part where you were clearing the students off the beach, two certifiable miracles in a row: the fact that you leaped off the boulder into their fire without breaking anything or burning yourself, and the exit off the tracks ahead of the train! Fantastic!
Yes, I was a bit into risk at the time, and, in fact, still am a bit.
Thanks for the comment and the support…I will continue on.
Semper fi,
Jim
Jim I’m asking myself “why am I so captivated?” I don’t have an answer but I’m frustrated when the segment ends and I’m hanging on with both hands! I just want more and I want it now! Don’t make us wait so long. Semper Fi. Batman
Tom Thorkelson makes his debut in chapter IX…which will be out in a few days.
Interesting times and you were one hell of an impressive man who really did change
much of my life at that time.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Enjoyed it.
Can’t thank you enough for liking it and then commenting in your laconic fashion here…
Semper fi, Jones
Jim
Dan got all I saw. Nice to see you back in action. Trusting you are well.
Thanks Michael, and I’m doing much better.
The next chapter is up as I write this.
Glad you like it and say so on here.
Semper fi,
Jim
Sir/LT/Jim,
Good to see your keyboard smoking and your having penned and posted another chapter,
Relieved that the choo-choo did not do damage to your Bronco–or YOU!
You are masterful at weaving suspense and anticipation into the ever-present intrigue of what lies around the next bend of your amazing story. Your other readers and I probably have more unanswered questions about all this than you did at the time.
Stay healthy and keep the chapters coming.
Thanks ever so much Walter. It’s good to have you still aboard after all this time.
I am well and writing away. The next chapter should be up tonight if Chuck is paying attention and God is willing.
Semper fi, old friend,
Jim
Glad you are back Lieutenant. You have been missed. I bet those kids on the beach still remember that night vividly.
Thanks Gary, yes I am back. The next chapter should be up as this is written, although Chuck may take a few hours.
Semper fi,
Jim
You have won these battles before Lt., keep marching forward !!
That is true Don, although sometimes I forget or lose a little faith along the way. Comments by you and others on this site
help me a whole lot.
Thank you!
Semper fi,
Jim
So great to read
Jumping into fire! Sounds like running toward gunfire- where can a man learn such unnatural acts? I know, it is Catholic education?
Great writing and great using the situation to build drama and tension. One passage touched me deeply. Some will say this guy is ready for the who-who hotel.
I look forward to buying a home with a field of fire that is open, flat and clear. What kind of human ever thinks of those being criteria for purchasing a home? People who have seen and lived in the darkness.
My father was of Polish heritage, depression era , college educated accountant and a world war two vet. In 1960, we live in a large multi-unit apartment building until April when we bought our first two flat. His rationale was that the tenants would pay off his mortgage, and he always bought on a corner lot. My mother asked why a corner Barney? His reply, no neighbors on one side, more space. We always live on the second floor. The high ground.
It never occurred to me until I finished OCS, and had my time in MAMA Corps’ loving , nurturing bosom did I realize the real reason for such an odd criteria for a home. A flat, clear, and open fields of fire from high ground.
We share not having father knows best relationships with our fathers and yet their relationships to the universe were forged in their darkness.
You are my soulmate.
Brayer. You are a delight to read and also to know. It is a great pleasure to be considered your friend
and I look forward to seeing you at your earliest convenience. Soulmates are few and very far between…if given the opportunity to have even one.
God is wonderfully munificent about some things and very stingy with others!
Semper fi,
Your friend,
Jim
I remember the Bronco well. We Cadets used it for performing “Traffic Surveys” which were required by the Vehicle Code. We found a red spotlight in the box on the back seat and began making “car stops” on some of the violators (thank code we never got caught or killed!).
Much enjoyed the rare opportunities I had to work with the cadets. What a wonderful ragtag group of young guys. And guys that would keep their
mouth shut. When I shot those motorcycle assholes with birdshot that night my cadet never breathed a word and the Hell’s Angels macho men could not exactly go to the department and complain
that night. Wild times.
Semper fi, your friend,
Jim
Welcome back LT, and happy belated 224th birthday, Been waiting for you to resume your story patiently! Thank you Sir. Each chapter get more murky as it goes, keep up the great work.
thanks Bob and I really appreciate the comment and loyal following along with the continuing story.
The next chapter should be up tonight if Chuck Bartok is on top of things.
Semper fi,
Jim
Wondering what’s up here, some possible illegal job? Can’t wait to find out.
Illegal, you say? Oh please, in my life what the hell does the word ‘legal’ really mean? Back then or even now.
Thanks for the comment and the loyal following.
Semper fi,
Jim
Welcome back James,
I hope your health is much improved.
Some minor editing suggestions follow:
as I’d thought her childish but brilliant conclusion through.
Reads a bit smoother if “through” goes after “thought”
as I’d thought through her childish but brilliant conclusion.
The restaurant at the end of the pier was not as filled as I was used to and Shauna Murphy, one of the daughters of a local fireman was on duty behind the counter.
Makes perfect sense but seems to be a run on sentence
Period after “to”
Begin new sentence with “Shauna”
The restaurant at the end of the pier was not as filled as I was used to. Shauna Murphy, one of the daughters of a local fireman was on duty behind the counter.
She was laying on the beach
lying instead of laying
She was lying on the beach
exit and be far enough way
Maybe “away” instead of “way”
exit and be far enough away
The sound of the Bronco whispering
Possessive of Bronco Bronco’s
The sound of the Bronco’s whispering
keeping the public away from the entry, or even visibility of the compound area?
If I understand correctly maybe
keeping the public away from entering, or even seeing the compound area?
I backed the Bronco slowly toward the San Clemente Pier, or the once running over the tracks at “T” Street.
I don’t understand “or the once running over the tracks at “T” Street.”
Seems to need more explanation.
A wild guess:
I backed the Bronco slowly toward the San Clemente Pier on the path running over the tracks at “T” Street.
Berkley, a California State University
Berkeley
Berkeley, a California State University
I forced out in a forced whisper
Two “forced” Maybe change one
I forced out in a commanding whisper
Marshal’s sound equipment
maybe Marshals’ sound equipment
I laid awake in the night
Maybe lay
see: https://www.writerswrite.com/grammar/lay-lie/
I lay awake in the night
there was no amount of slow or gentle care could take that would not wake my wife.
Add “I” before “could”
there was no amount of slow or gentle care I could take that would not wake my wife.
near the bushes at the bottom of the stair
Maybe “stairs”
near the bushes at the bottom of the stairs
letting anyone see me that I might be doing that on purpose.
Maybe change to
letting anyone seeing me suspect that I might be doing that on purpose.
Why was it there at such an ungodly o hour?
Maybe drop the “o”
Why was it there at such an ungodly hour?
balcony and swept my right knew up and over the railing.
Maybe “knee” instead of “knew”
balcony and swept my right knee up and over the railing.
I
went
Backspace to connect words. maybe do a carriage return to separate
paragraphs.
I went
would still likely be caused to occur on (quite possibly) more unfavorable ground.
Maybe drop “be caused to”
would still likely occur on (quite possibly) more unfavorable ground.
I knew that unless he or she took the initiative and came to the door, which didn’t appear likely to happen.
I read this two ways:
Add a comma after “that”
I knew that, unless he or she took the initiative and came to the door, which didn’t appear likely to happen.
Or seems to need a few more words
Maybe add “I had to do”
I knew I had to do that unless he or she took the initiative and came to the door, which didn’t appear likely to happen.
Chevy’s air-conditioning fans
Maybe add “the” before “Chevy’s”
the Chevy’s air-conditioning fans
“No for here, but for where we’re going,”
Maybe “Not” instead of “No”
“Not for here, but for where we’re going,”
The part that really touched me was: “My daughter’s gently breathing
reached out to me across the short distance from her door to the top of
the second-story stairs. She was okay.”
Blessings & Be Well
Again Dan you are priceless.
Thank you
I am looking forward to getting back in the race
One more edit: My daughter’s gently breathing
Change “gently” to gentle”
My daughter’s gentle breathing
Good on getting back into the race; but at a pace that is sustainable.
All fixed.
Thank you again, Dan
Semper Fi,
Jim