On Monday things were back to the normal grind. Be at the college at eight to deal with a normal day. I needed normal days for a while. I was worn out every night when I left the gym. I had no doubt that we were going to have to hire additional people unless we were experiencing a true holiday run because of the tanning booth. The days were going so fast that they were almost a blur.

Patti and I worked almost the full day on the first two of the scheduled away rape seminars. The first was at PSU at Hazleton Pa. on January 10th. Patti made the room reservations at the Hilton North for Friday night. We would leave Friday morning early and get there in time to set for the seminar stay over and drive back Saturday morning. They had everything we would need except the Homer dummies and we could carry them in the back of the suburban. We would only need an over night bag for each of us and the body padding for Jenny and I. This would be the last one that she would be doing as the villain.

We were going to do our first attempt at home artificial insemination the middle of the month. So getting kicked and thrown about would be out of the question. The cover story would be that since the girls were going to take the program over as a part of the training offered by the gym we needed to run each of them through to find the best villain.

The second one was scheduled on the 31st of January at Ohio State University in Parkersburg. That was a 12 hour drive and you had better not hit any traffic jams. We were going to leave at 4am drive straight through then do the seminar and stay over and drive back Saturday. If the weather for cast looked bad we would go a day early and stay two nights.

Monday evening I picked up the Dress Blues at Susie’s Sewing Shop. I tried the on before I left with them. They fit perfectly. It was easy to stand straight and tall in the mirror and reminisce and be proud. The rows of polished medals made me feel a little taller in my shoes. I just hoped that I remembered all the dance steps to those fancy waltzes they liked to do at those things.

I changed and headed over to the gym. The girls said they had been very busy today and would appreciate my help. I was hoping for enough of a break to go a little tanning for my self. I needed a couple of sessions to get my tan where it would be perfect for wearing the blues.

Mom 2 was going to bring Joey by so she could spend some time with her former partners in mischief. She was still moving slow but she and Mom 2 were hitting it off. They had already been shopping for more appropriate clothing as Mom 2 called it.

Lorrie ran into the gym to get me she had been working the window, “Their here the same Marines that were here in the summer. They asked for Master Sergeant Roberta Jones. They have more papers. Please tell them you are not going.”

I went to the waiting room to meet Gunny Richard day and Captain Horace Ryan. I escorted them into the empty class room. Today there were no guns lying on the tables. Jamie’s classes today were of the live fire type and were being held at the gun club.

I opened the conversation by saying, “Nothing has changed since our last meeting.”

Horace laughed and said, “I was sure that you were firm in your decision. That’s why we didn’t come back. Recruiting is only one of the things that I do. I am also the area chairman of the Toys for Tots. I know you have heard of the Marine Corps program where we collect toys for the needy during the holiday season. I have been out of town for the last couple of weeks and just saw the ad’s for the gym. We are hoping that you would like to join us and support this worthy cause. All we ask is that you allow us to place a donation box and post a few signs signifying that is an official Toys For Tots collection site and that you are a member of the Toys for Tots Family.”

Laughingly I said, “You scared the girls half to death. They think you came here to get me to re-enlist again. I will bet there are ears glued to the doors.

I think we can find a spot for a drop off box in the waiting room. I will have Vicky add a line to the ads tomorrow announcing it and that we will match toy for toy for every toy donated.”

The Gunny went out to get the box and the signs while the Captain and I waited and talked about all the current things going on with the Marines. I could see that all the girls were in the office looking busy but anxiously looking through the glass at us. The captain and I made space for the box and I told them I would have the signs mounted tomorrow morning. Captain Ryan asked if he could put Toys for Tots decal on the glass of the main entrance door. We installed it together with the Gunny taking a picture for the Marine Corps paper. I bid the Captain and the Gunny good evening then stapled the list of requested toys above the box and carried a copy in to the girls.

We spent a few minutes working up a new radio ad with the announcement that we were Toys for Tots collection site. Marcy came up with the idea to give a gift coupon for a free tan for every eligible toy donated. I was proud of the girls; they didn’t hesitate to step up for a good cause.

While I was tied up with the Captain the South Side Girls had arrived and were doing their routine with Shelia. They had asked about Joey as soon as they came in. it was an hour later that Joey and Mom 2 made it in. Joey was still wearing Ching Lee’s body padding for extra protection. Joey told us of her day in the court system with Jenny and Jason and Mom at her side. She was excited to get a new start in a normal household as she called it. She was going down to tell her old gang what was happening. Lorrie and Jenny went with her. There was a civil but loud at times discussion. Joey waved Mom 2 over and made introductions. According to Jenny and Mom 2 the gang girls were happy that Joey was able to get away from the mess at her sisters house and were amazed that it could be done so quickly.

I never asked Jenny what she has used for leverage to get custody and all the other things done so fast. I guess that her being sixteen had a lot to do with it.

Courtney summoned me over to help her but the real thing was to pump me for information. Right off the bat she wanted to know why Joey was in body armor. I guess she had not been very observant Saturday night when everything was going on with Joey.

I asked, “Are you getting updates from your department?”

“No she replied.

“When you e-mail your next report ask them for a copy of the daily reports from the two surveillance teams since Friday then we will compare notes,” I said. “Do we trust each other enough that we can have off the record and I MEAN off the record conversations? Think about that very carefully before you answer.”

Another lady came over just as we ended that line of discussion wanting pointers on the weight bench. I went to help her and in the process ended the talk with Courtney for the evening.

As everyone was leaving for the evening Snooty came over to me and said, “You promised you would take of Joey and you sure did. None of us were expecting this kind outcome. We were all worried about her. Thank you.”

“Now you just have to look out for each other. If the North Side shows up here we will take care of them,” I said.

EDIT by Alfmeister