I entered the Union Bank Building elevator, the building itself located on the grounds of the Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach. The building was just another square high rise but the elevator buttons pointed out one uncommon irregularity. The address I was going to and the corresponding button, missing on most buildings across America, was the number 13. Tom’s office was on the 13th floor. Superstition ran deep in the business rental industry, so most buildings did not have a 13th floor. My opinion of Thorkelson went up as I pushed the 13th Floor button and the elevator went up.
My brand new Sears and Roebuck gray suit was a little tight in places but looked good to my wife and to me in the bedroom full-length mirror. I wore my one non-Marine Corps tie, made by a new designer named Ralph Lauren. It was bright red and cost almost twenty percent of what the suit had cost.
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, insurance agent rent payment delivery guy, . . .(and only God and you know what else might be just around the corner).
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.)
The Walter Duke. Once again writing with intellect, grace and well-versed bits and pieces of original literature.
Cannot thank you enough, of course, and as I sit here in first edit of Chapter XI, it makes me feel good that is coming
out to you for your comment very soon. Thanks for the terrific compliments buried not so deep in the writing of your comment.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
This old DUSTOFF medic is hooked on your story BIG TIME.
Dustoff medic is a phrase that means a lot to me, of course. Alive because of some of the men like you.
Thanks for loving the writing and I will use your comment to motivate me to write on into the night.
Semper fi,
Jim
In the forward to this chapter, there was an interesting grammatical anomaly. As no one else has commented on it I thought I might say “feints” rather than “faints”. Thank you for another cliff hanger.
Interesting comment on the writing interpretation. I will reread right now and get back to you.
Thanks so much for paying so much attention. You are most welcome for the chapter…
Semper fi,
Jim
I am not sure which I am more interested in finding out – How you handle the rental situation or how you make out with the insurance gig. By the way my Granfather had policies for my brother and I from Mass Mutual.
Mass Mutual. Helluva company and still totally dominant today.
Enjoyed the company, the people, the experience (my God what experience)
but not necessarily the selling of the great products.
The rental and the guy, a little easier to handle and, of course,
more in keeping with what I’d become.
Semper fi,
Jim
I might add that I am not much help with corrections etc, as I am in the shadows of the room, Or the corner of teh elevator or sitting by Sam …..
Charles, you have an interesting mind and you are great with an upside down sort of compliment.
I get it, and I love it.
Thank you.
Semper fi,
Jim
From the beginning, your words have taken me to their place in time and reliving my life then and how history was or was not affecting me personally.. ( Discharged USN 1960 and spent a good a portion of teh next ten or so years in teh SoCal area..)You are stirring a lot of memories ..and questions…
You are one class act when it comes to make an author feel good. Thank you ever so much and for adding the stuff about you
up here where everyone can read it.
Means a lot to me,
Semper fi,
Jim
James, very strange assignment. Seems more that just dropping off rent money, perhaps another test to see how you handle difficult people.
As you shall see in the next chapter. Almost ready to go with that.
The audience here is demanding more and faster. So, okay…
Thanks for the great comment.
Sempe fi,
Jim
Mardian’s comment about the lease specifying payment by check instead of by cash just didn’t ring true with me. Isn’t it the other way around? Cash instead of check? Otherwise a good chapter.
The lease said check, or rather ‘financial instrument.’ Cash ws decided upon by Wilson when he found out who Haldeman was
and hated democrats at the time.
Semper fi, and thanks for noticing that.
Nobody paid much in cash for rent of property, even back then.
Semper fi,
Jim
Lt you have a knack for getting into trouble without knowing it. Another great chapter
one editing note:
“The leases I was familiar with, and there weren’t that man, stipulated”
Change man to many.
“The leases I was familiar with, and there weren’t that many, stipulated”
Thanks Terry for the editing help. Got it. Need the people like you and DanC who help me immensely on here.
Semper fi,
Jim
More twists and turns than a mountain road LT. I for one cannot wait to see what’s next, please don’t leave us hanging for too long. Semper Fidelis.
Yes, Mike, it was a ‘twisty’ time in my life, but then when was there, or is there, a time in my life that has not been like that.
My father made me memorize and sing the Marine Corps Hymn to houseguests and he was in the Coast Guard (but wanted to be a Marine). I also had at least a thousand
rounds of .45 ammo through a .45 Colt by the time I was 16. Not a standard childhood. Dad was also the coach of the Coast Guard pistol team.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another great story of your life is unfolding and I cant wait to hear it,I check to see if you have added a chapter almost daily. Keep up the good work Jim.
Sorry about the late response. I am on it now and working away on Chapter XIII, so you have some catching up to do, if you haven’t already.
Much appreciate the loyalty and support and commenting on here.
Semper fi,
Jim
Great chapter, Jim! You are really drawing us in.
Thanks Craig, much appreciate the compliment.
Working away at the next chapter this very night.
Semper fi,
Jim
👍 exciting
Great laconic compliment Jim. Much appreciated.
New chapter coming…
Semper fi,
Jim
my mother used to say that Pat Nixon was lonely , sad and unhappy. She had married a man who was not liked or likeable, yet pat was well educated and graduated USC cum laude. Nixon was a highly competent WALL streets LAWYER. I bey uou have reflections you are yet to share.
Mr. Wilson treated you like Dennis, his pesky neighbor but I just know you were more than up to his challenge- bullies alwyas act like him.
Did you F*** him up good? Swirly time? Pants him an duck walk him around San Clemente?
Enquiring minds demand to know.
You have to wait until the next chapter, Rich! Coming soon. Remember the title of these after Vietnam books. The Cowardly Lion.
I could not act like I had in the A Shau. I had to find other ways to impress such people without myself going to prison.
Smeper fi,
Jim
Pat gave every appearance of being as your mother described. She was barred from the beach parties and also the pool area where
Nixon and cronies often hung out.
Semper fi,
Jim
Great cliff hanger as it always is, James. Waiting for a follow up!!! Saw a few miss steps in grammar but hell makes it more interesting!!
The guys on here, especially a few special ones, help me edit and get it all straight.
Can’t thank them and the audience here enough.
Thanks for the compliment too.
Semper fi,
Jim
Superb.
Yet MORE mystery that needs to be unraveled.
Keep ’em coming, Sir.
Don’t keep me hanging on what happens next!
The Walter Duke, and of course I must respond in writing and then
by keeping myself in play and writing away.
I am doing so in a few minutes at your orders, sir.
Semper fi,
Jim
Love the statement ” Were not on duty…!” seems the added, ” You’re walking into some situation that could lead to trouble…” is a great tease of what the Hell is going on…!
Yes, there were some sketchy times with the White House service, as their idea, those powerful people,
of performing chores (missions in my parlance) could get a little tough at times.
Semper fi,
Jim
I agree with the statement by Jim Homan !!! That is all 😉
Can’t wait for the next chapter !!
Semper Fi, James
Homan is a most excellent person to agree with. Wonderfully disagreeable man, just like in the Nam!
Semper fi and thanks for the compliment.
Jim
What would I do without your help Dan? Thanks ever so much for pouring over the work and giving me
the opportunity to make it better.
Blessings to you and your continued good health (so you can keep editing!),
Semper fi
Jim
Very interesting LT. On a different note, by this time how were you doing regarding those awful wounds?
Wrapped with ACE bandages over four by fours. My wife being handy and very good at doing that for me.
Had to do that only sometimes, however, as the scars formed but some of them were very delicate in the beginning.
I learned never to take my shirt off at the beach or to go in the water. Too many people were drawn and then the
questions were really tough to try to answer. The people who don’t ask questions were sometimes worse, in that they
would point and then talk to the people they were with, while everyone looked at me.
Semper fi, and thanks for the great thinking question.
Semper fi,
Jim
Powerful and interesting chapter James, as are most of your chapters. The transition from insurance sales to “errand boy ” is an interesting one to say the least but what really stands out is the culture and chain of command at the Western White House. Looking forward to the next chapter.
For years I never thought of the time in San Clemente as definitive. I viewed it as a waiting place until I ‘got better.’
Mislovic wasn’t wrong in his analysis, in some ways. I was still running from the A Shau when I got to San Clemente.
Thanks for the usual ‘atta boy’ attitude and expression. Means a lot to me Charles…
Semper fi,
Jim
Oh boy LT, last time around I said it was getting murky, now I can’t see my hand in front of my face. What have you got your self into now, I was picturing the whole thing in my mind, but tough to get a grip on. Awesome writing, Keep it up Sir!!
Thanks for the great compliment Bob, and for putting it up on here for all to read.
I am at it again and the stuff just keeps coming.
Semper fi,
Jim
yes, I like it
Thanks Mike, much appreciate the laconic compliment.
Semper fi,
Jim
It is interesting, you are much more descriptive and detailed when you are operational….you just went through 3 different scenarios/events with much more atmosphere than the police academy or any of you trips up and down the beach…meeting Pat Nixon, intro to Ins sales and intimidating the poor guy an the lease….😘
Your comparative analysis is an interesting one. I don’t look back at the writing flowing into the past
the same way but am most interested in how others view it…especially those with your keen kine of
thinking mind. Thanks, my friend.
Semper fi,
Jim
awesome
Fabulous one word laconic compliment. I will be at it again this night.
Thanks for the motivation.
Semper fi,
Jim
Becoming an insurance salesman/agent and a real government agent in the same chapter, and leaving us waiting for how you handled Mr.Wilson. Good story.
Handling Wilson, and so many when I got home. Life can be more dangerous sometimes when
subtlety becomes a way of life instead of up front in your face armed confrontation.
Thanks for the great comment, and Semper fi,
Jim