Catching up to date

[aadler]

 
Father’s Day came a week early for me, and it lasted a week.

Open Cut

I had some concerns about my son and daughter getting to Guantanamo in the first place; they had to take three flights, plus a shuttle, with all the complications and confusion potential in such a process. David had done the mission trip to Jamaica, and Roni has been traveling almost non-stop for three years now, including the past nine months spent in the Far East. All of that was with groups, though, following someone else’s lead and arrangements. How well would they deal, on their own, with whatever difficulties cropped up?

Pretty darn well, as it turned out. They made one adjustment to their itinerary on their own initiative (choosing to go straight to the Navy base and wait overnight for the Gitmo flight, rather than staying at the airport and going to the base in the morning), and another on arrival, by necessity: I got stuck between ferry runs and so wasn’t at the air terminal to meet them when they came in, and they were waiting for me at the leeward ferry landing when I did show up. I was proud and relieved to see the extent of their adaptability; I was nowhere near so flexible in my thinking at that age.

(They made further adjustments during the return trip home. Nothing spectacular, but still pleasing and reassuring. While they’re technically adults already — though it’ll be another sixteen months before David can legally purchase alcohol — it’s nice to see that they can actually function as such.)

They arrived on Saturday, and left the following Saturday. Twice I had to work during the afternoon, and both times my section sergeant apologized for calling me in. Aside from that, and the time I was asleep back in my own quarters, I spent the entire week with my kids.

I gave Roni the printout of my gen_remix story; she was the first to read it, and I got to see her face when she realized that I had been assigned to remix her. (A delight, but in any future remixes I’ll specify that I should be given someone else; I work with her enough already.) I discovered that David had been so busy with stuff at home and college that he hadn’t got around to reading my remix_redux story, “Walking After Midnight”, so I provided a copy for his perusal. Finally — in that vein — Roni and I traded ideas for future projects.

We went snorkeling twice, and swimming in the ocean once. (My first since my arrival.) Bowling twice, and played billiards at the rec hall nearly every day. Watched television and DVDs in their room, and — on their last night — a movie at the outdoor theater. Drinks at the tiki bar (David excluded, but he maintained good humor). I introduced Roni to coconut rum, and then had to teach her that, delicious as it is, you can’t drink two cups without a mixer and not feel the impact. (I didn’t notice until the second cup that she was drinking the stuff straight, at which point I had her drink an entire bottle of water to head off dehydration and — maybe — slow the rate of absorption. Even so, she was quite happy and somewhat dizzy for awhile there.)

We had almost all our meals at the galley. I got photos of them at the beach, the lighthouse, and next to a large-ish iguana that crawled up on the patio deck outside the bowling alley, looking for handouts. We sang karaoke together and separately; Roni was the better performer (and very popular with the other patrons), but David actually did the best singing in his rendition of “I Should Have Been a Cowboy”. We went through nearly three cases of Diet Pepsi, a bottle of coconut rum (most of that Roni), and a six-pack of MGD (mostly me).

I made a suggestion to David some weeks ago, and then later thought that it might apply to Roni as well. I waited till she got here to bring it up … and she laughed, because it had already occurred to her. Both of them are now looking for more information in order to consider whether they want to go into the Navy. (It really was my idea; I love the Army, and have no intention nor desire to change, but for them I think the Navy might be a better fit.) They’re both approaching a point in their lives where they’re wondering what they’ll do next, and military service can offer either a transition period or an entry into an entirely new phase of life. No rush, Roni still has a year with her drama ministry group, and David two years remaining in college. Still, it opens some encouraging possibilities.

Sunburn. Jellyfish stings. Coral scrapes. Sea urchin spines. And, lest we forget, a month’s pay gone for airfare, lodging, meals, and car rental.

I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

Comments

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to bond with the offspring. :) You're kids have good heads on their shoulders.