Rex got a pastoring job while I searched for a job and as such was left at home alone for most of the day and even nights as Rex try to build up his c...urch. There was an elderly man next door and we slowly became friends, his name is Carl, he was about 50 years old and in great shape. He was very friendly and He even promised Rex he would come to church. With Rex being gone so much Carl came over a lot for coffee and small talk. He would always say how good I looked which it made me feel good. Work. I wasn’t going to take credit for how well they were doing with their theses; I had just passed on some techniques that I had been told.The last Saturday in May was the annual Commodore’s Ball at the sailing club; it was much like the previous ones. Lisa and I sat at the ‘Koolong’ table, Don received a number of trophies, we won the Quartet Bowl again, and runner up in both the Retriever Trophy and Archina Trophy series. Those wins were at least on ‘scratch’, handicap wise, we didn’t fare. " She'll love that. Do you need anything else?" A horse? I'm too old to walk."Joerg laughed."We'll have one, Sword Master. Meet us at the Wine Depot."When Joerg returned to his men, Theresa was sitting on a cart already, staring ahead sullenly. She looked up surprised when Joerg put her sword in her lap."Did you learn something?"She nodded, her eyes slightly moist. Joerg spoke in a low voice, making sure nobody else could hear in."Theresa, we care for you. All of us do. You are Crescencia's. .."She interrupted me and said, "Good! I wish your whole fuckin' leg had been blown off." She spit in my face, turned, and ran into the Ladies restroom. I should have known from the "peace" symbol hanging around her neck that peace was the last thing she was thinking about.The gate attendant handed me some tissues and murmured, "I'm sorry. That stuff happens all too often.My folks were just happy to see their son, Spec 4 Thomas Patrick Ryan, home safe from the war.Knippa, TexasFall, 1987I think.