Personal Stuff
Disclaimer: Same as before. I don't own Morris Day and the Time's Jungle Love.
~ ~ ~ ~
JAG HQ, Fall's Church, Va
Jennifer Coates drove down the Interstate, with Tiner sitting next to her. A big box for all of Tiner's stuff was in the back seat. In another week Tiner was due to report to OCS. They drove in the comfortable silence of two close friends, the sounds of the engine and the radio playing.
"And for Jason in Fall's Church, All Rock 106.6 presents Morris Day and the Time, Jungle Love." Said the announcer.
Jennifer broke into a smile, "Jason, you didn't..."
"Yeah, I did," Tiner said, shyly, "It's my favorite song."
Jennifer Coates broke into a broad smile, "I still can't believe you got me to watch that immature, utterly wacky movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."
"Oh c'mon Jen, it's hilarious." Tiner replied, "Plus I've had that song in my head all week."
"Two stoners going after Hollywood, running into an uber feminist terrorist organization, with about forty not so subtle gay jokes wedged inside isn't what I'd call hilarious." Jennifer replied.
"Shh, Jen, the song's starting." Tiner replied.
"Ooh ooh ooh, aah aah aah aah." Tiner started singing along, not very well, with Morris Day.
"Jason, I should have brought a tape recorder in here...Wait a minute, I do happen to have one." Jennifer smiled. Tiner was so busy singing along and dancing around in the passenger seat he didn't hear her.
Jennifer dug a tape recorder she used to record her lectures in class. She began to record as Tiner started swaying from side to side, looking for all the world like he'd been electrocuted.
"I, I've been watching you. I think I want to know ya (know ya). I said I am a little dangerous. Girl I want to show ya (show ya)." Tiner sang, using his McDonald's Styrofoam coffee cup as an impromptu microphone, he didn't see the tape recorder Jennifer had placed between them.
"You, you've got a pretty car. I think I want to drive it (dive it). I, I drive a little dangerous. Take you to my crib and crib you up, huh. (Jungle love)." Tiner continued singing until Jennifer tapped him on the side.
"Jason, we're at HQ, unless you want the gate guards to hear your rendition of Morris Day and the Time you'd best quit dancing." Jennifer replied.
"Oh, sorry." Tiner replied, smoothing his uniform as Jennifer parked her car and both of them walked into the building.
As the day wore on Admiral Chegwidden was experimenting with a new management technique Meredith had come up with. He tape recorded every conversation he had with his staff, and according to Meredith he was supposed to listen to the playback and analyze how he could have better handled the situation. He thought the idea was absurd of course, but he couldn't say no to the bright gleam in her eyes, just like the last time.
As the day wore on, he lost the tape recorder around lunch time; he had recorded a conversation with Commander Rabb and Commander Turner earlier that morning he wanted to play back. He found what appeared to be his tape recorder on Coates' desk and went into his office.
About five minutes later the shout of, "TINER!" could be heard across the bullpen.
"Sir, Petty Officer Tiner reporting as ordered."
"Come aboard." Chegwidden said, he looked as if he'd just eaten a cinder block and had to digest the results, "Tiner, did you just record over my last meeting with this bit of material..."
The Admiral hit the play button and Tiner's recorded voice sounded through the confines of the office, "Ooh ooh ooh, aah aah aah aah."
"Sir," came a knock at the door, "Petty Officer Coates, requesting permission to come aboard."
"Coates, unless this is an emergency not now." Chegwidden replied.
"Sir, I believe this is yours." Coates said, holding the door ajar and holding out an identical tape recorder.
"Tiner," Chegwidden said, "I believe apologies are in order."
"No harm was done sir." Tiner replied. After Jennifer and the Admiral exchanged their respective recorders, the bullpen settled into its normal routine as Jennifer wrote another letter.
"Oh and Tiner, one more thing, do us a favor..." Chegwidden began.
"What's that, sir?" Tiner replied.
"Don't quit the Navy and try to be a singer." Chegwidden replied with a two millimeter grin.
~ ~ ~ ~
4 April 2002
Dear Rusty,
From your letter I see Melissa was an idiot to leave you. How could she refuse such a devoted and caring guy? That is beyond me. I mean we've only known each other a little over a month, but I can't see how a woman could be so narrow minded. Chris was like that when we first started dating but then things started to badly for him. We met after boot camp. He got turned down for AOCS (Aviation Officer's Candidate School), and afterward started drinking. His career started to become more important than our relationship. Sometimes I miss the old Chris, but then I remember why I left him. It was a good reason to leave but I feel so lonely though.
Anyway, something funny happened on the way to work today. Jason requested the song Jungle Love by Morris Day and the Time over the phone. They played it on our way to work and Jason got so caught up in singing along with it he didn't realize I'd tape recorded him with the recorder I usually use to take notes in my Psychiatric Disorders class, because my professor talks to quickly otherwise. Anyway the Admiral thought my tape recorder was his and wasn't very amused when he heard a recording of Jason's not so melodious singing.
To make a long story short I managed to convince him the tape recorder wasn't his and that he had mine. The Admiral finished his tirade with a small joke, "Tiner, do us a favor, don't ever quit the Navy to become a singer."
On a lighter note, what's your favorite song? Or artist if you don't have a favorite song?
Regards,
Jennifer
P.S. I hope we get a chance to meet soon. It'll be fun to talk in person for the first time.
~ ~ ~ ~
Kandahar, Afghanistan
"High and to the right." Rusty said.
Sid adjusted his telescopic sight again and squeezed off another shot. "High and to the right." Rusty replied.
Sid adjusted another two clicks and squeezed off another round. "Direct hit, three hundred meters." Rusty replied. Sid had zeroed his Parker Hale C3A1 sniper rifle and as the two snipers policed their brass, they headed for the humvee that would take them back to their encampment from the firing range.
"Hey Puckett," Gus said, "You got another letter from your favorite sailor."
"Funny Gus, other than Doc she's the only sailor I know." Rusty replied, "And she's a lot prettier too."
"I'm insulted." HM2 Fulcher said from behind the wheel of the humvee. He was the Navy Corpsman assigned to the STA (Scout Target Acquisition) platoon of Marine snipers teaming up with the Canadians. His job was treating wounded personnel.
"Well you don't keep any other sailor's picture hanging from your belt kit." Sid replied, as he put his floppy bush hat back on his head after rubbing a handful of water from his canteen around his head.
"Jesus, you look like Rommel with that German cap." Fulcher quipped, "You've been wearing that since this deployment started."
"It's my good luck piece." Rusty replied, "Kind of a souvenir after I spent almost a year in Germany..."
"Yodeling through the Alps and drinking good beer, and enjoying the pleasures of an amorous German girl or two." Sid replied.
"Ha ha, far from it. I climbed over snow and ice, negotiated narrow mountain trails and learned the fine art of mountain survival." Rusty replied.
"Whatever, Herr Rommel." Fulcher remarked as they drove off.
As they humped back into the camp Rusty began to write his letter after taking his traditional place under his favorite tree.
~ ~ ~ ~
8 April 2002
Dear Jennifer,
Your letter arrived today. Again the Marines we share quarters with decided to rib me about my, 'favorite sailor'. Aside from HM2 Fulcher, the corpsman, I don't know any other sailors. And I said that you were by far the most beautiful of the two. Amazing, you send me a funny story from your life in the States and I counter with one of my own.
I'm looking forward to meeting you as well. It so happens Sid's grandmother lives in Virginia Beach and we're both taking some leave to go visit her. She loves spoiling me and Sid rotten even though we're grown men. I always gain a few too many pounds and ounces in body weight at their house. I'll let you know as soon as we get some leave time. What's your phone number so I can give you a call?
As to my favorite song, that would be a toss between Can't Stop Loving You, Dance Into the Light, and I Can't Dance, all by the most brilliant artist of the 20th Century, Phil Collins. Melissa always compared me to the guy from American Psycho because I'm a huge Phil Collins fanatic. Sid loves ribbing me about that too, whenever I'm lying on my cot listening to my walkman full of Phil Collins tapes.
Hope to See You Soon,
Rusty
~ ~ ~ ~
Jennifer's Apartment:
"Hey Jen." Said one of her room mates, Kara, "Chris stopped by and said he wanted to talk."
"Did you tell him I'm not interested in taking him back?" Jennifer said.
"I said you'd get back to him." Kara replied.
'Roommates.' Jennifer thought with a sigh, 'Tell them one thing and they do the exact opposite.'
"If he does come back again, tell him I've had it with him and his games." Jennifer replied, "Let Naomi know that too."
"OK." Kara replied, "Oh, I see your Canadian friend wrote you again."
Jennifer had Rusty's last letter in her hand. Kara smiled, that was the first time Jennifer had been really happy about talking to a guy in a long time. She always read Rusty's letters, and even re-read the old ones. They were all in a neat stack by her bedside table. Jennifer quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a sweater, grabbed a light jacket and her purse, keys, and books and headed back downstairs to her car.
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC
Disclaimer: Same as before. I don't own Morris Day and the Time's Jungle Love.
~ ~ ~ ~
JAG HQ, Fall's Church, Va
Jennifer Coates drove down the Interstate, with Tiner sitting next to her. A big box for all of Tiner's stuff was in the back seat. In another week Tiner was due to report to OCS. They drove in the comfortable silence of two close friends, the sounds of the engine and the radio playing.
"And for Jason in Fall's Church, All Rock 106.6 presents Morris Day and the Time, Jungle Love." Said the announcer.
Jennifer broke into a smile, "Jason, you didn't..."
"Yeah, I did," Tiner said, shyly, "It's my favorite song."
Jennifer Coates broke into a broad smile, "I still can't believe you got me to watch that immature, utterly wacky movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."
"Oh c'mon Jen, it's hilarious." Tiner replied, "Plus I've had that song in my head all week."
"Two stoners going after Hollywood, running into an uber feminist terrorist organization, with about forty not so subtle gay jokes wedged inside isn't what I'd call hilarious." Jennifer replied.
"Shh, Jen, the song's starting." Tiner replied.
"Ooh ooh ooh, aah aah aah aah." Tiner started singing along, not very well, with Morris Day.
"Jason, I should have brought a tape recorder in here...Wait a minute, I do happen to have one." Jennifer smiled. Tiner was so busy singing along and dancing around in the passenger seat he didn't hear her.
Jennifer dug a tape recorder she used to record her lectures in class. She began to record as Tiner started swaying from side to side, looking for all the world like he'd been electrocuted.
"I, I've been watching you. I think I want to know ya (know ya). I said I am a little dangerous. Girl I want to show ya (show ya)." Tiner sang, using his McDonald's Styrofoam coffee cup as an impromptu microphone, he didn't see the tape recorder Jennifer had placed between them.
"You, you've got a pretty car. I think I want to drive it (dive it). I, I drive a little dangerous. Take you to my crib and crib you up, huh. (Jungle love)." Tiner continued singing until Jennifer tapped him on the side.
"Jason, we're at HQ, unless you want the gate guards to hear your rendition of Morris Day and the Time you'd best quit dancing." Jennifer replied.
"Oh, sorry." Tiner replied, smoothing his uniform as Jennifer parked her car and both of them walked into the building.
As the day wore on Admiral Chegwidden was experimenting with a new management technique Meredith had come up with. He tape recorded every conversation he had with his staff, and according to Meredith he was supposed to listen to the playback and analyze how he could have better handled the situation. He thought the idea was absurd of course, but he couldn't say no to the bright gleam in her eyes, just like the last time.
As the day wore on, he lost the tape recorder around lunch time; he had recorded a conversation with Commander Rabb and Commander Turner earlier that morning he wanted to play back. He found what appeared to be his tape recorder on Coates' desk and went into his office.
About five minutes later the shout of, "TINER!" could be heard across the bullpen.
"Sir, Petty Officer Tiner reporting as ordered."
"Come aboard." Chegwidden said, he looked as if he'd just eaten a cinder block and had to digest the results, "Tiner, did you just record over my last meeting with this bit of material..."
The Admiral hit the play button and Tiner's recorded voice sounded through the confines of the office, "Ooh ooh ooh, aah aah aah aah."
"Sir," came a knock at the door, "Petty Officer Coates, requesting permission to come aboard."
"Coates, unless this is an emergency not now." Chegwidden replied.
"Sir, I believe this is yours." Coates said, holding the door ajar and holding out an identical tape recorder.
"Tiner," Chegwidden said, "I believe apologies are in order."
"No harm was done sir." Tiner replied. After Jennifer and the Admiral exchanged their respective recorders, the bullpen settled into its normal routine as Jennifer wrote another letter.
"Oh and Tiner, one more thing, do us a favor..." Chegwidden began.
"What's that, sir?" Tiner replied.
"Don't quit the Navy and try to be a singer." Chegwidden replied with a two millimeter grin.
~ ~ ~ ~
4 April 2002
Dear Rusty,
From your letter I see Melissa was an idiot to leave you. How could she refuse such a devoted and caring guy? That is beyond me. I mean we've only known each other a little over a month, but I can't see how a woman could be so narrow minded. Chris was like that when we first started dating but then things started to badly for him. We met after boot camp. He got turned down for AOCS (Aviation Officer's Candidate School), and afterward started drinking. His career started to become more important than our relationship. Sometimes I miss the old Chris, but then I remember why I left him. It was a good reason to leave but I feel so lonely though.
Anyway, something funny happened on the way to work today. Jason requested the song Jungle Love by Morris Day and the Time over the phone. They played it on our way to work and Jason got so caught up in singing along with it he didn't realize I'd tape recorded him with the recorder I usually use to take notes in my Psychiatric Disorders class, because my professor talks to quickly otherwise. Anyway the Admiral thought my tape recorder was his and wasn't very amused when he heard a recording of Jason's not so melodious singing.
To make a long story short I managed to convince him the tape recorder wasn't his and that he had mine. The Admiral finished his tirade with a small joke, "Tiner, do us a favor, don't ever quit the Navy to become a singer."
On a lighter note, what's your favorite song? Or artist if you don't have a favorite song?
Regards,
Jennifer
P.S. I hope we get a chance to meet soon. It'll be fun to talk in person for the first time.
~ ~ ~ ~
Kandahar, Afghanistan
"High and to the right." Rusty said.
Sid adjusted his telescopic sight again and squeezed off another shot. "High and to the right." Rusty replied.
Sid adjusted another two clicks and squeezed off another round. "Direct hit, three hundred meters." Rusty replied. Sid had zeroed his Parker Hale C3A1 sniper rifle and as the two snipers policed their brass, they headed for the humvee that would take them back to their encampment from the firing range.
"Hey Puckett," Gus said, "You got another letter from your favorite sailor."
"Funny Gus, other than Doc she's the only sailor I know." Rusty replied, "And she's a lot prettier too."
"I'm insulted." HM2 Fulcher said from behind the wheel of the humvee. He was the Navy Corpsman assigned to the STA (Scout Target Acquisition) platoon of Marine snipers teaming up with the Canadians. His job was treating wounded personnel.
"Well you don't keep any other sailor's picture hanging from your belt kit." Sid replied, as he put his floppy bush hat back on his head after rubbing a handful of water from his canteen around his head.
"Jesus, you look like Rommel with that German cap." Fulcher quipped, "You've been wearing that since this deployment started."
"It's my good luck piece." Rusty replied, "Kind of a souvenir after I spent almost a year in Germany..."
"Yodeling through the Alps and drinking good beer, and enjoying the pleasures of an amorous German girl or two." Sid replied.
"Ha ha, far from it. I climbed over snow and ice, negotiated narrow mountain trails and learned the fine art of mountain survival." Rusty replied.
"Whatever, Herr Rommel." Fulcher remarked as they drove off.
As they humped back into the camp Rusty began to write his letter after taking his traditional place under his favorite tree.
~ ~ ~ ~
8 April 2002
Dear Jennifer,
Your letter arrived today. Again the Marines we share quarters with decided to rib me about my, 'favorite sailor'. Aside from HM2 Fulcher, the corpsman, I don't know any other sailors. And I said that you were by far the most beautiful of the two. Amazing, you send me a funny story from your life in the States and I counter with one of my own.
I'm looking forward to meeting you as well. It so happens Sid's grandmother lives in Virginia Beach and we're both taking some leave to go visit her. She loves spoiling me and Sid rotten even though we're grown men. I always gain a few too many pounds and ounces in body weight at their house. I'll let you know as soon as we get some leave time. What's your phone number so I can give you a call?
As to my favorite song, that would be a toss between Can't Stop Loving You, Dance Into the Light, and I Can't Dance, all by the most brilliant artist of the 20th Century, Phil Collins. Melissa always compared me to the guy from American Psycho because I'm a huge Phil Collins fanatic. Sid loves ribbing me about that too, whenever I'm lying on my cot listening to my walkman full of Phil Collins tapes.
Hope to See You Soon,
Rusty
~ ~ ~ ~
Jennifer's Apartment:
"Hey Jen." Said one of her room mates, Kara, "Chris stopped by and said he wanted to talk."
"Did you tell him I'm not interested in taking him back?" Jennifer said.
"I said you'd get back to him." Kara replied.
'Roommates.' Jennifer thought with a sigh, 'Tell them one thing and they do the exact opposite.'
"If he does come back again, tell him I've had it with him and his games." Jennifer replied, "Let Naomi know that too."
"OK." Kara replied, "Oh, I see your Canadian friend wrote you again."
Jennifer had Rusty's last letter in her hand. Kara smiled, that was the first time Jennifer had been really happy about talking to a guy in a long time. She always read Rusty's letters, and even re-read the old ones. They were all in a neat stack by her bedside table. Jennifer quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a sweater, grabbed a light jacket and her purse, keys, and books and headed back downstairs to her car.
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC
