LISA AND BARRY "LUCKY" DAY---- PART 2

            PLEASE READ PART 1 FIRST

                                          THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY


                   LISA AND BARRY "LUCKY" DAY

                                           PART 2

Barry and Lisa lived in a two bedroom officer housing quarters on base. Barry was a brand new “Butter Bar” and was assigned as Chief of the Plans and Programs Division in the Base Accounting and Finance Office. He quickly earned the respect and confidence of his subordinates and the full bird colonel division chief. Lieutenant Day routinely briefed the base vice commander, and occasionally the base commander, on new upcoming programs and the projected cost of completion. It seemed fitting he was quickly elected the president of the junior officers advisory council. Barry accidently overheard the base commander tell the wing commander that, ”Lt. Day is bright, looks like he just walked off a recruiting poster, and he has the prettiest wife on Minot Air Force Base!” He went home that night and shared the double praise with the smiling Lisa.

Lisa volunteered at the Special Services office two days a week and worked three days a week as a paid assistant in the base Day Care. She was happy to be busy, especially during the long cold winters. As the temperatures dropped the snow piled up.

She participated in a Tuesday unofficial lunch for junior officer wives. The conversation always included ultra sound results, due dates, progress of newborns and when was the new mother’s mother returning to her home. Lisa listened politely but was never able to contribute to the discussions. When honeymoons were brought up Lisa took center stage. Very few could top her and Barry’s. One proud mother-to-be, and new comer to Minot, said her due date was computed from her honeymoon. An all knowing smile adorned the faces of these junior officer’s wives.

It was on a Thursday night at the mixed league bowling lanes when Barry “Lucky” Day’s luck started to go south. Barry was in the restroom as Lisa was bending over to retie her bowling shoes. From behind her came a deep resonant, radio quality voice that asked, “May I help you?” Lisa turned to see the smiling face of Captain Steve McCory. She said, “Thanks, I got it.”

Instant physical attraction is hard to define. Was it his voice? Was it her unintended bending position? Was it his dark blue eyes? Was it her model-like appearance even in her loose fitting bowling shirt? Maybe it was his all season tanning bed body that caught her eye. Maybe it was Lisa’s confident voice that echoed her “I know where I’m going and how to get there” overall demeanor. She quickly spotted his border line compliance with Air Force haircut standards Simple answers to complex questions are seldom, if ever, correct.

He extended his hand and firmly shook her soft, well-manicured hand and exchanged brief introductions. Barry returned from the restroom and put his left arm around her waist. Lisa introduced him to Captain McCory. Many lives were now destined to change.

Barry told Steve he worked in the Accounting and Finance Office and Steve said he was a Launch Control Officer for the Minuteman III ICBM and worked 24 hour rotating shifts. Days later Steve would tell Lisa he saw her smile when he mentioned rotating shifts. Captain McCory was married; had a four year old daughter who was in the day care program and his wife worked off-base at Sears.

Steve and Lisa next met at the day care when Steve picked up his daughter on one of his days off. “Hello” and “Thanks” constituted the entire conversation. He came the next day to again pick up his daughter. On this second day she passed a sheet of paper with her phone number scribbled on it along with Steve’s daughter’s coloring for the day.

Many, if not most, of the times when we make life-altering decisions we have reasons that at least seem rational to ourselves. However, Lisa’s hurried writing of her phone number and giving it to Steve was not thought out. It was on the spur of the moment. She started almost immediately to justify her decision to herself. Am I as beautiful and desirable as I once was? The giving Steve her number was a quick one person poll to discover the answer. After all, he probably would never call and if he did she could always say, ” I made a mistake, please forgive me.” Her rationalization seemed to make a lot of sense. Besides that, I am married to the greatest and luckiest guy on the planet.

A week passed and he called her about 15 minutes before the base U.S. Flag was taken down and the National Anthem played over the base PA system. This daily event marked the completion of another day of defending this great nation. Everything comes to a standstill on all military installations during this important ritual.  Each spoke rapidly and a secret rendezvous was agreed upon. Both of their spouses would be returning home soon. Lisa was surprised she felt no pangs of conscience. In fact, she could feel her heart racing. Yes, she thought to herself that she was at last going to be Lisa, not Lieutenant Day’s pretty wife. She had no trouble falling asleep that night. Her last conscious thought was the upcoming secret meeting with Steve. What would he be like when they were alone?


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