My
Journal
By
Harriman Nelson
~In
God We Trust~
27
“It’s
been a long day,” Jiggs sighed, “even if I didn’t do too much,” he added, as he
joined me in the Wardroom for a late supper as Cookie had rescheduled seating
times since we’d all been so busy.
“No
kidding,” I said looking up. We’d used up all the chemicals we had to make more
formula for the Flying Sub, we’d managed to apply what we could to Seaview’s
intercepts which was a good thing when the DOD fixed the glitch in Fail Safe
and our firing controls were freed from Stand By to ‘fire’, if infrequent.
“At
least things have settled down,” Jiggs poured himself a cup of joe, “you think
it’s over?”
“For
awhile.”
“Call
for you, Admiral,” the duty Sparks called out over the PA, “from Cdr. Jackson.
Not secure. His cellphone.”
“Put
it on the Wardroom monitor.”
After
a bit of static, Joe, bandages on his wrists and a couple on his cheeks, appeared
as he walked down a hallway.
“He’s
fine,” Joe said, “well, within reason.”
I
was greatly relieved when I saw that the room we were headed to was not in ICU.
As
the door opened we saw that Lee was sleeping somewhat sideways, and still
hooked up to IV’s. He had a stenciled hospital white eyepatch, small bandages
on his face, large burn bandages on his neck and arms, and there was a shaved,
stitched diagonal area from the back of his scalp to his forehead.
Joe
neared him, reached over and swatted his behind.
“C’mon
boss man, I got a call for you....”
“Mfff.”
“It’s
Seaview.”
“Sea
viewww,” Lee slurred happily, eye still closed, but
suddenly it opened, “Seaview?” he asked hoarsely, trying to sit up, groaning,
then plopped back down.
Joe
held his cellphone toward him so we could both see each other through the
camera setting.
“Is
she okay?” Lee asked me, “Is everyone okay?”
“Seaview’s
fine. We’re all fine. See for yourself,” I added, moving away slightly from in
front of the monitor, the Wardroom’s diners squeezing in behind and beside me.
There
were a lot of smiles and fingers up from the crowd along with ‘welcome back’s,
‘good job Skipper’s, etc.
We
could see he was visibly relieved.
“The
SOD said...you were in... the middle of things. Wouldn’t give... me...any...
details.”
“The
Flying Sub’s gotten more bogeys than I can count, most more than a thousand
miles away as the crow flies. We got three. The formulation rendered them all
pretty useless as far as nuclear bombs go.”
“I
told... everyone... that you could do it. Smartest man on earth,” he added with
a satisfied grin.
“Thanks.
Now, how are you, son? Details. None of your ‘fine’ business.”
“Swallowed
and... choked on ... too much....sea water...got chomped on by a couple of
sharks and some Spiny Dogfish, I think. I kept calling for Joe but no... sign of him. Think I was pulled away by a rip current...seas
were pretty rough. Couldn’t tread water too well...sank s lot. Almost drowned a
couple of times. Once, really did...met the twins again...but before we could
talk some dolphins pushed me.... up to.... the surface and kept me there... hurt
to breathe...throat sore....the waves stung...out there a long time...blacked
out a few times. Think I did just before I felt myself being poked and prodded.
Was...the... paramedics...” he paused as Joe held a cup of water to his lips
which he swallowed with some difficulty.
“Glad
they...didn’t have to...amputate anything. Thought they might...legs hurt. My
side’s pretty torn up too, but nothing too vital....”
“You’re
in the papers, bro,” Joe interrupted, handing Lee a newspaper an orderly had
just brought in.
Lee
laughed as he looked at the cartoon on the front page under the headlining
articles.
“Gawd,
it... hurts... to... laugh....”
Joe
turned the page toward us of a curly haired mosquito with lightning bolts in
his hands.
“Wish...I....could
be with you,” Lee sighed once he stopped laughing, “maybe
take a turn with the Flying Sub too....”
“Sorry,
bro,” Joe said. “No can do. We’re still not back in the reserves. And Seaview
is again.”
“I’d...
better let... you get... back to business,” Lee told us. “And Harry? I really...
did... see the twins again.”
“I
believe you, son...now, get some rest.”
“No
time for... rest...need to get back out in...the
thick...of things...do my duty....”
“We
know, Mr. President,” Jiggs said. “And don’t raise your eyebrow at me like
that. We counting the hours for the AMA to clear you to return to the Oval
Office.”
“They
also have to check this hospital’s MRI,” Joe said, “even though they don’t have
to do either as er...never
mind,” he quickly added as he caught Lee’s warning cough and glare.
“Excuse
me,” a doctor said upon entering. “Time for some more tests. oh,
Admiral Nelson, is it? We can’t count how many times he’s spoken of you. And
Seaview. And if I may say, sir, congratulations on your formula.”
“Thank
you,” I said staff entered Lee’s room with sophisticated looking equipment.
“Joseph,”
I said, “call back when you have a chance.”
“Yes
sir,” he replied and ended the call.
There
was a great deal of jubilation after hearing and seeing Lee, even Sharkey and
Ski, having just finished another run with the Flying Sub, were treated to a
replay of the call from Sparks. Yes, things were looking up for everyone.
~**~