The lifeguard boat ran with the wind after making the turn to round the end of the San Clemente Pier, the only thing standing between the fast moving craft and the harbor opening into Dana Point’s yacht basin. The helicopters, Coast Guard boats and the yacht itself, were left in the lifeguard boat’s wake, as if disappearing into a misty night, although it was full daylight.
The harbor entrance was empty of all boats of any kind, even the tall thick triangular seawalls were devoid of humanity. The fishermen usually lining them with poles sticking out too far to be safe or comfortable and lines leading down into the normally calm water were nowhere to be seen. The lifeguard dock was part of one of the main docks set deep inside the ornate and very expensive complex. It took no time at all for the guards to pull the boat in, tie it up and then stand on the dock with outstretched arms to assist Gularte and I in getting ashore. Elwell moved off the boat more like a well-coordinated ballet dancer than a big muscled and thick-bodied swimmer. A bright orange yellow San Clemente lifeguard Jeep sat waiting only a couple of yards from where Elwell, Gularte and I ended up standing. Elwell looked every bit the ideal picture of a lifeguard, even his longish hair in perfect order while Gularte and I looked like waifs from an old Saturday morning Our Gang segment.
Bob climbed into the passenger seat of the vehicle.
Iron ore ships on the Great Lakes. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald must be especially poignant for you.
Ira, my father was in Marine Inspection out of the office in Chicago at the time.
He inspected both the Morrell and the Fitz and cleared them a year earlier. Later he was
hurt to discover that the two sister ships, which they were, went down because of a weakness
in the steel that was used to build their hulls with. Both Dad and I were always wistful when the song came
out and was a terrific hit in 1976.
Semper fi,
Jim
It’s seem, Richard may know more about you then you think, and he may be more then you know. Odd that he wants to be involved.
Bob, some very complex characters that I was playing with back in this halcyon days! Thanks for your analysis and thoughts.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another fantastic chapter but being a bear hunter the part about the bear cracked me up
Thanks so much Charles, as you know, I read and answer all these comments myself. Much appreciate
reading this kind of encouraging comment…and your friendship, of course…
Semper fi,
Jim
Trying to keep all the pieces and parts strait, while waiting for the next chap[er to come out of creation .your mind has grown with each book you’ve written! there are varied and greatly different, but still wonderful.
Thanks Bob, for the introspective analysis and great compliment.
Semper fi,
Jim
You sir are a terrific author and storyteller!
Thank you so much Darrel. Compliments like that certainly do keep me going…
Semper fi,
Jim
“The bear, it was your dad’s?” I asked, softly.
Now that’s funny !! LOL
Off the beach and out to sea, where to next Jr.??
Keep ’em coming..
It was as sad as it was funny, SgtBob, and shocking really because I didn’t see it coming.
Thanks for all you do and write on here in support of me.
Semper fi,
Jim
Adventure vs. tragedy, per the Corp. In the Army both were simply missions. We always hoped for the ‘adventure’ outcome. I continue to become more amazed at the new and interesting characters that enter your life story. looking forward to the next chapter in this mystery.
Thanks so very much Rick. You sound like you have some sort of experience at this sort of thing.
So happy to have you along for the ride! Thanks for the great comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
of the huge marine * marina* ??
You are most correct Sgt Bob, and thank you.
Semper fi,
Jim
Shouldn’t huge “marine” be huge “marina”? looking forward to the next chapter. Thank you,
Sir
Thanks for the help and the compliment Paul…you are correct, of course.
Semper fi,
Jim
these alleged adventures are very exciting; you know how to paint a pi ture and cowboy hats are a questionmark. all hat , no cattle?
well what you will fing on the
island will be a casino with Howard Hughes, Amelia ERhart and Nan y Reagan shootin craps
the island is to hide evidence of who killed Kennedy as we know it was Ted ruz fsther and Dr Fauci who was testing the effects of smoking garlic flavoef maryjane on albino monkeys
Richard formerly played a trumpet in the LWrence Welk band and dTed Myron Floren
greT stuff
You are pretty funny Colonel Brayer, and you may be closer than you thing in your conclusions.
Thanks for the compliment, my friend,
Semper fi,
Jim
My goodness what else can you get your self into LT! This is like a twilight zone episode!! I waiting to hear Rod tell the rest of the story. Awesome chapter, keep em coming. Semper Fidelis Sir!!
Loved Rod and his wonderfully creative work with Twilight Zone. Minus the science fiction
plot foundations for that show his use of thematics was like mine now, although I am working with more
real experiences…although I don’t know how much reality was truly in his scripts as they played out.
Thanks most sincerely for a great comparison in this comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
One edit. The lifeguard dock was part of the ## one ##of the main docks set deep inside the ornate and very expensive complex. Building suspense and intrigue.
Thanks for the help Jim, and for the sincere compliment. Means a lot to me as I work in Chapter XXVI right t his minute!
Semper fi,
Jim
Also, thanks for the editing help!
James, Another definition of ‘Adventure’ is discomfort and terror remembered from the perspective of ease and security.
I remain clueless how all the events recounted will tie together. I’ll just have to patiently wait to see how it unfolds.
Some minor editing suggestions follow:
I’ve only done one reading of the text, so I may have missed some things. In a few days I’ll have more time to do another pass.
As written the story flows. There is a time issue in that if you went from the Life Guard boat directly to the Bronco and then to the restaurant at the pier, then not enough time would have elapsed for the yacht to be towed to Catalina Island. Just adding events to cover the time complicates the story. Your choice whether or not to amend the story with maybe a trip home to shower and etc.
lifeguard dock was part of the one of the main docks
Drop “the” before “one”
lifeguard dock was part of one of the main docks
thick-bodied swimmer.A bright orange yellow San Clemente lifeguard Jeep
Add space after period.
thick-bodied swimmer. A bright orange yellow San Clemente lifeguard Jeep
The ride back to San Clement was short
Clemente?
The ride back to San Clemente was short
place had been storing white cloth tablecloths
“cloth” seems redundant. (Although I understand that a tablecloth might be made of plastic.)
place had been storing white tablecloths
nautical occurrence that might dig me in ever deeper into trouble
Drop “into” before “trouble”
“in” after “me” could remain or change to “into”
nautical occurrence that might dig me in ever deeper trouble
OR
nautical occurrence that might dig me into ever deeper trouble
big Stetson cowboy hat waked
“walked” instead of “waked”
big Stetson cowboy hat walked
far beyond what I had expected I still couldn’t assimilate
Maybe add “that” after “expected”
far beyond what I had expected that I still couldn’t assimilate
what might have happened or what now be going on
Substitute “was” for “be”
what might have happened or what now was going on
like that of the Gunny such only months before
Drop “such”
like that of the Gunny only months before
The boat is out at San Clemente Island according to Richard, Pat, although we don’t know the source
Seems both Richard and Pat stated the location of the boat. Maybe add “and” instead of the comma between their names. Drop comma after “Pat”
The boat is out at San Clemente Island according to Richard and Pat although we don’t know the source
she said, excitement in here tone.
“her” instead of “here”
she said, excitement in her tone.
Richard stood nearby, his big hat once more.
Maybe add “wearing” before “his”
Richard stood nearby, wearing his big hat once more.
course of action that was pretty ‘steeped in cement’
“set in concrete” is more common that ‘steeped in cement’
course of action that was pretty ‘set in concrete’
the center of the huge marine
“marina” rather than “marine”
the center of the huge marina
the entire boat was mad of aluminum
“made” rather than “mad”
the entire boat was made of aluminum
Elwell got out, followed by Gularte, and then Herberich and Steed from the rear seat.
I thought Gularte drove you to the marina. If so, this sentence needs to be revised.
console, which was mounted on the center of forward bulkhead
Add “the” before “forward”
console, which was mounted on the center of the forward bulkhead
barges, tugs and small working away on
Maybe “craft” or “boats” after “small”
barges, tugs and small craft working away on
OR
barges, tugs and small boats working away on
I didn’t’ respond,
Extra apostrophe
I didn’t respond,
Blessings & Be Well
Chucks wife is not making it in the hospital right now so I will do my best to make these edits. Appreciate your help so much,
as I have written in the past Dan…and one day we are going to meet for certain so I can thank you in person.
Thank you from the depths.
Semper fi,
Jim
If I’m understanding correctly then Chuck’s wife, Shirley, is in the hospital and either her prognosis is not good or recovery will be a long slow process. Please extend to them my sincere desire that the highest powers of their religion bless them with comfort and grace for the best possible outcome – whatever that may be.
May we all, in spirit, place a hand on Chuck’s shoulder to let him know he is not alone.
Thanks so much Dan, and maybe its not right for me to be putting information about Chuck’s wife’s terminal condition, but going through
this sort of slow agonizing loss is hard and I want to make sure that Chuck knows he’s not alone. I call him all the time but I can
only stand by. He’s such a great generous and supportive man who has helped me through the years and then way back there when his
civilian support was so terrific when so many were not so supportive. Thanks for everything you do and I know Chuck thinks the world
of you, as well.
Semper fi, and God bless…
Jim
Thank you for your heartfelt comment, Dan. The past few weeks have been a challenging journey.
This keeps getting better. The new series coming out about the watergate plumbers should expose the younger generations to what happened & maybe provide you a new following.
The Watergate plumbers, none of them, ever came to the Western White House, although
Bob Mardian, my new ‘supervisor’ there worked with them. They would not listen to his advice,
which would have saved them and the president. I will be writing about that.
Thanks for the great comment.
Semper fi,
Jim
Oh, my, Jim, I’ve taken the bait. You can let me run until I’m exhausted and then reel me in. Knowing when to shut up is a good and valuable practice. Batman
Tom, it’s wonderful you write comments, since you yourself, in all your glory, are named in the novel and played such
a key roll in helping me to understand and then accommodate the population I found when I came home.
You were not a therapist or counselor to me…you were a leader to be listened to and followed.
I cannot thank you enough for back then and now.
Semper fi, my friend,
Jim
It is amazing how many lives you have touched in so many ways, Tom.
I have always felt blessed meeting you that first time in 1970 and being accepted to the TEAM THORK
Back to naming the ops, are you? Means heavy action ahead!
Your writing continues to hold the reader’s attention, yearning for more. Write faster, will ya please, Jim?
I’ll beat your normal editor on one: “with the construction barges, tugs and small working away”. Between “small” and “working”, insert “craft”: with the construction barges and small craft working away…”
“with the construction barges, tugs and small working away”
Semper Fi, my friend
Thanks for the in depth and penetrating analysis of the work Craig, particular about my return in difficult circumstance of naming the missions.
Most probably wouldn’t notice without your noticing and writing it.
Semper fi,
Jim
Fantastic Jim. You always leave us wanting for more. what an extraordinary writer you are.
Thanks so much Bob. I am unaware in the writing that I am any good at all. I only get the result of your guys.
Semper fi,
Jim
You have me hooked again.
Pleasure to have you ‘aboard’ so to speak. Thanks ever so much for the compliment of your waiting presence….
Semper fi,
Jim
Yeah, what Pete said.
Thanks a lot Tim, as Pete was quite complimentary….
Semper fi,
Jim
“Obviously expense hat….” Should be expensive
“The whole boat was mad of aluminum”. Should be made
Thanks Sam for the help, much needed, I might add…and very thankfully accepted.
Semper fi,
Jim
Hah, hah! Here we go again! Another adventure! I know it is a literary faux pas to use two or more exclamation marks in a row, but I am taking literary license to avoid using strong expletives instead. I like to say don’t burn a candle at both ends, take a torch to the middle and make a hell of a conflagration. You have a knack for not just stepping in it but also for swimming around in the pile of steaming excrement. Ah, good times, eh? I enjoyed the read so much that I don’t care about any corrections. Fair winds and following seas James.
Yes, I have had a real knack, as you term it, for somehow revolving around situations that are fraught with
mystery and danger. I personally don’t know how that comes about but here I am….
Thanks for your obvious enthusiasm and expressed support.
Semper fi,
Jim
And away we go!!!
I love that expression, which was made television famous by Jackie Gleason, and, of course I am old enough
to have truly enjoyed the Honeymooners, as well. I take your use of it as a great compliment…
Semper fi,
Jim
It was meant that way James. Love reading your work.
Thanks Harold, really appreciate how much you like the story and the writing of it…
Semper fi,
Jim
The plot thickens, have no idea where this is going but can’t wait to find out.
Thank you Peter, for the rather great compliment. Your interest is motivational as I continue to lay out
one of the earlier mysteries of my life…thank you….
Semper fi,
Jim