I left Mardian at the pool, since I’d given him everything I had about whatever it was I was supposed to know, but really didn’t. The money was invisibly held into the middle of the clamshell holster meant to hold and conceal a Smith and Wesson .44 Magnum, 4 inch revolver. The Secret Service agent stood just aside of the big opening as I approached, a square of bright sunshine making the scene look like that of some old renaissance painting. The agent held out my duty weapon, the barrel pointed down, just as I’d delivered it to him.
Technically, the revolver should have been cleared when it was given to him, and then cleared again before it was handed back to me, but informality ruled inside the compound buildings among those who were so well known they didn’t need identification anymore. I accepted the Magnum, nodded with a smile, and then walked out, turning the corner to the right where I knew Gularte would be sitting in the idling Bronco, and waiting with infinite impatience.
As always, great work! As for “The First Cat”, it was an excellent story. Are you going to assemble a series of books along those lines?
Yes, Steve, that’s the first in the four book series. The second book is half way done, as is typical of me.
For some reason my concentration shifts all over the place. Thanks for the compliment, by the way…
Semper fi,
Jim
James, Interesting turn of events. Gularte is a complex character. Part man, part adolescent. Time to practice ballroom dancing.
Some minor editing suggestions follow:
The money was invisibly held into the middle of the clamshell holster
Maybe “in” rather than “into”
The money was invisibly held in the middle of the clamshell holster
“We consider what? Gularte finally said.
Close quotation after ?
“We consider what?” Gularte finally said.
Why would whomever wants you to have this specify that particular firearm?”
“whoever” instead of “whomever” Subject rather than object of sentence.
Why would whoever wants you to have this specify that particular firearm?”
not to get anymore envelopes stuffed with cash
Change “anymore” to “any more”
not to get any more envelopes stuffed with cash
“Do you have to wear those damned leather gloves all the time,” I asked
After “time” substitute question mark for comma
“Do you have to wear those damned leather gloves all the time?” I asked
old it is, although it cleaned up great That’s about as unregistered a weapon
Add period after “great”
old it is, although it cleaned up great. That’s about as unregistered a weapon
Gularte slowly guided the dedicated but ungainly and machine along the concrete streets.
Drop “and”
Gularte slowly guided the dedicated but ungainly machine along the concrete streets.
drop that package off to your wife?
Close quote after ?
drop that package off to your wife?”
Gularte asked, looking over at the small blue door of the box.
I’m assuming “box” is the glove box of the Bronco?
Gularte asked, looking over at the small blue door of the glove box.
Without a specialized vehicle like this one, our back up can’t reach us
Change “back up” to “backup”
Without a specialized vehicle like this one, our backup can’t reach us
“
Yes, Commander,” Herberich said again.
Backspace to line up sentence with opening quotation mark.
“Yes, Commander,” Herberich said again.
A bunch of fast-moving bb’s.
Daisy air rifles use upper case for BB. Plural BBs
A bunch of fast-moving BBs.
or you’ll never recover. Do you understand?
Close quotation after ?
or you’ll never recover. Do you understand?”
“What happened to your other glove,” Herberich said
Substitute question mark for comma
Maybe “asked” instead of “said”
“What happened to your other glove?” Herberich asked
We didn’t’ have or wear seat belts
Remove extra apostrophe after “didn’t'”
We didn’t have or wear seat belts
He bent down, quickly stood up and before running back
“and” is extra
He bent down, quickly stood up before running back
***
In Chapter 15 the shotgun was placed inside a small guitar case. It was not clear whether that case was placed inside the canvas sack or alongside it. In this chapter the shotgun seems to be placed directly in the canvas sack with no mention of the guitar case.
Blessings & Be Well
It sounds like Gularte had a bit of contempt for the .45, and I assume 1911. The velocity is too low for effective use of hollow points, but the military proved that ‘fat and slow gets the job done’, for almost 100 years. This is the first chapter where I have noticed the humor in your writing.
Thanks for the interesting comment Rick. You will likely recall that my Dad taught me to shoot using the Colt, and then I shot as a kid
at the NRA military shoots across the country because he was the coach of the Coast Guard team. The .54 was a natural for me even before I got to the valley.
Gularte, having been enlisted and a low level NCO didn’t train, qualify or possess a .45 in the Marines. It is much better to be good with a solid
performing weapon than to not be that good with a real accurrized and hot loaded piece of high quality. I carried the .44 Magnum on duty because I wanted
the penetration I though I might one day need to go through car windshields, windows and doors. The .45 wasn’t and isn’t much good for that.
Semper fi,
Jim
I have not replied lately as I am working my own emotions as you work to describe the results of your 2 combat experiences as you navigate SoCal60s and the Nixon paranoia! I was east coast RIF lost with 2 under 3 and absolutely no clue as to reality or…total fear as to what was happening. But also total understanding as to how to go to war….
Thanks Jim, I wonder how many times I forget about the emotions generated inside others who’ve been to similar places but participated in
différent situations. You, of course would be one of those.
Thanks for the depth of your comment, which I have come to expect from you.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
Love it!
DUSTOFF medic 70-71
Thank you Cary! Much appreciate the short but meaningful compliment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Thank you for another great chapter, I laughed out loud at the end. Please keep them coming.
Thanks so much for the compliment. Somebody else just commented about how few of the readers whole get my rather dry sense of humor.
I am happy to report that you are, indeed, one of those discerning readers.
Thanks for the support and writing it on here.
Semper fi,
Jim
Well now this is really getting murky. If your trying to confuse, us, it worked. Story is really holding my undivided attention, TY Lt!!
Bob, you should not be confused. I am a low level errand boy at the Wester White House, a commander of the police reserves
in San Clemente, which is mostly a fake title and I sell life insurance on the side to make ends meet. What can possibly confuse
you? Wild crazy times, but I love them…in retrospect, of course.
Semper fi,
Jim
Not many understand your sense of dry humor 😎
I don’t write the books to gain understanding, nor do I expect a lot of it. Humor is fun and can be a very
valuable tool. People remember humor better than anything other than fear. Thanks for the very accurate
analysis and conclusion.
Semper fi,
Jim
Yes, what Gary said.
Thanks for that compliment Tim, much appreciated.
On chapter XVII right this minute.
Semper fi,
Jim
Jim , as always another great chapter , but something seems to be missing . I last recall you being in the meeting with Haldeman and Erlichman , then all of a sudden you are outside with Gularte and a mysterious note and a thousand dollars in cash . In the words of the illustrious James Bond Moneypenney “what gives ? ” And by the way I chatted with my youngest sister the other day but forgot to ask her about her interactions with Henry “The K ” and Alexander Haig . Next time ! LOL
Sorry I lost you somewhere in there Chuck. I will review and make sure there’s sufficient continuity.
Thanks for the atta boy too…and the book order.
Semper fi,
Jim
Near the end of Chapter end the handing over of the money was pretty well detailed.
Chapter XV
““Here,” Mardian said, pulling a white envelope from his pocket and placing it between us on atop the table’s white surface.
I bent down, took the envelope and opened it, glancing at Mardian to make sure that was okay. Mardian ignored me, pulling out a cigar from his suit coat pocket, clipping the tip with some instrument, and then slowly lighting it and inhaling the smoke.
The envelope held fifty twenty-dollar bills. The bills brand new and difficult to get apart to properly count. One thousand dollars. That was more cash than I had ever handled physically at one time in my life. I breathed in Mardian’s smoke and enjoyed the experience. The money had been folded inside a single sheet of blank white paper. Blank as to salutation or anything other than a short set of sentences. “Use the money to buy some decent clothing for your wife and yourself. Do not show up looking like Charlie Suitcase. The rest of the money is for a .45 Colt automatic, which you are to personally purchase for cash.”
That was it. No explanation of anything else. I inhaled smoke and stared over and down at Mardian.”
I can’t believe I missed seeing the new chapters. It has been a while and I missed the stories. I know they will only get more interesting.
Thanks for getting back at it. I do enjoy them.
Missed you H. Kemp! Loved seeing your name come back here on the comments.
I am hip deep into the next chapter this very evening….
Semper fi,
Jim
Breaking in a new rookie with all of the issue of the impending “Ball”, gowns and guns on your mind must of been a bitch !! Have or make humor where you can is a great stress reliever 😉
Keep ’em coming James 🙂
Semper Fi
It was a helluva time and the funny thing is that I didn’t think there was much
special about what I was doing. Thanks for the compliment too…
Semper fi,
Jim
love it
Thanks Donald, and I really mean that. You guys, and guys like you keep me going.
Onward….
Semper fi,
Jim
Glad you are back and writing again. I am looking forward to hearing your wife’s reaction!
Gary, thank you…and oh yes, my wife’s reaction! It was a classic, as you will read.
Semper fi,
Jim
LOL at times.
Thanks Harold. Some of it was harrowing and some of it was high humor, too…
Thanks for the reading and commenting on here.
Semper fi,
Jim