What's In A Name?
By: Clairisant
Admiral AJ Chegwidden entered the AIRTEL Plaza HOTEL lobby that late Sept. afternoon and headed for the registration desk. His PLANE FLIGHT to LOS ANGELES had been a long and tiring one. He wanted nothing more than to conclude his visit and get home as fast as possible.
A young man in civilian clothes stopped AJ before he could reach the front desk. He came to attention and saluted the Admiral, which had AJ returning the salute even though he was not in uniform.
"Wow it is great you came, Sir! And in uniform no less! The FAN CLUB will be so thrilled!"
"I am here to see Commander Milan…" but the Admiral did not get to finish because the eager young man interrupted him.
"Well everyone should be in the BALLROM by now for the CHARITY AUCTION and RAFFLE, why don't you come with me? I will show you the way, follow me!" and without waiting for confirmation from the Admiral the young man headed to the elevators.
The two men entered the ballroom together. The room was a MAZE of CONVENTION goers, most of them with CAMERAS hanging around their necks. The HUB BUB was so great, that at first, they did not notice the two men that had just entered the room.
"What is going on here?" AJ demanded, in his best Admiral-voice.
"Well, Sir, like I told you, right now they are having the charity auction and raffle, and once that is over we will all have dinner in the hotel RESTAURANT, then board the charter BUS for the STUDIO TOUR. I know I am looking forward to all of the CELEBRITIES I might spot!"
"What does all this have to do with my meeting with Commander Milan?"
"Well I am not sure Sir, but if you will let me introduce you, I will make sure you find him," without waiting for AJ to consent to this, the young man hurried to the front of the large room. He went right up on stage and raised his arms high for quiet.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a huge surprise for all of you! We did not know he was coming, but he is here and in uniform no less! Will you all join me in giving a very warm Fan Fest welcome to John M. Jackson!" The room immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause. There were even a few screams from the ladies present!
After several seconds, when the crowd didn't see the introduced celebrity appear, the applause started to die down a bit. The young man who had performed the introduction, looked over to where Admiral Chegwidden stood and motioned him forward. Once the crowd saw him they once again broke out into nearly frenetic applause.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, John M. Jackson!" he indicated AJ, who had come to the edge of the stage by this time.
AJ motioned for the man to come to him and he did. Once there, AJ informed him that he did not know who this John M. Jackson was and that he was Admiral AJ Chegwidden of JAG. The young man laughed and went back to the microphone.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is great! Because he is in uniform, he would like to stay in character, so I give you, not John M. Jackson, but Admiral AJ Chegwidden of JAG!" and once again the crowd burst into applause.
"John….John…. wake up!" the hand continued to shake his shoulder, but John did not seem to be waking. "ADMIRAL!"
Startled at the commanding voice, John M. Jackson woke to find a best-boy trying to wake him from the nap he had been taking in his dressing room. He left the room thinking that after eight years of playing the same part, and loving it, it might still be time for a change, since the Admiral's life was seemed more relaxing and less complex than his own.
"Admiral…Admiral…ADMIRAL!" startled awake, AJ looked up to see Tiner standing in the doorway.
"Yes, Tiner?"
"Sir, have you been sleeping here all night?"
"I guess so. That'll be all, Tiner." AJ could not understand these reoccurring dreams of being this Jackson character. Maybe it was having worked on that movie set as a consultant, an actor's life seemed more relaxing and less complex than his own.