Down That Lonesome Road
"Some others worse angry about what we did. You going to a desk job, Colonel?"
Nord had tossed a folded blanket on the chilly metal floor and fit himself into a moderately comfortable position with the brandy between his knees.
"Nope. I fly back to D.C. in two days and start my terminal leave.
Got to where I couldn't live with the bombs out there and that ain't good for the career. So I quit. Two months from now I'll be flying people to vacations."
That opened it up and they talked quietly through the brandy. Nord stood up.
"Well, it was only a pint for three of us. I suppose the youngster should land us, but I better be up there. I'll be ready for the lights in Frisco."
He started forward, then turned around.
"Lieutenant, don't go out to Bikini and Eniwetok. Paddlin' around out there where they won't let people live is a good way to get yourself dead."
The landing was so soft that there were not even any puffs of smoke from the tires; but this time the Colonel kept his engines alive. Cat looked at Mitch.
"He did that."
"Very observant, Cat. Beautiful landing. But you were getting the hang of it, too, so don't worry it."
On the ground they turned to give Nord the thumbs-up, and then backed into a chief trying to salute them while keeping his balance.
"Commander, I have a car for you and the Lieutenant. You have bunks in the BOQ."
Neither man was ready to go back to the Navy. Mitch had full officer privileges during his retirement leave, and he intended to use them as convenient; but for now he was going to stay with his best copilot who had become an engineer at Lockheed. Job hunting was best done quickly.
Cat did not have to report for two days and wanted time to think about the flight surgeon's insistence that he check in with a friend in the big Navy hospital. And he had an invitation from the father and the mother of the chief quartermaster who had been killed standing not three feet away from Cat at Saipan.
Mitch was going it for them.
"Sorry to bother you, Chief, but we're staying with friends tonight. Just tell the OD that we'll check in tomorrow. Why don't you enjoy the car for a few hours -you know, waiting around for a couple of drunken officers."
"You think you are still being tabbed?"
"I assume so; so I need to get a job quick and prove myself before the reports finally get to who the hell hires me."
Neither had touched their drinks.
"Cat, don't go out there to the bomb tests. They want you out of the way into the files."
"Maybe, but that's not why I'm not going."
"So why?"
"I am hurting too much of the time to be much good to anybody. It's not just flying. The sea can shake you up just as bad. I got to get it fixed or find something else to do."
"And?"
"I keep thinking that there are things to do down that lonesome road."
Mitch then lifted his drink. Put it back down.
"It's not lonesome all the time, you know."
"Yeah, I learned that, thanks to you and the others."
"Cat, what kept you going when they were beatin' on you -and afterwards?"
Lieutenant Wye was not ready for that one. He made circles with his drink and left it on the table.
Table of Contents
- Maggie and Mr. Hank
- The Reverend
- Squalls Along the Flight Line
- Flying Home to Church
- A Visit with The Judge
- Communion
- Afterthoughts
- Monday Morning With The Admiral
- Into the Dining Room
- On Toward Walking the Streets
- Glimpses of An Election
- The Dream and The Reality of Violence
- The Admiral Loses More Than a Few Good Men
- Down That Lonesome Road