Jessie & The Tornado Ch. 04

The twelfth picture is again from the front, waist up, and Jessie is still holding the bikini top in one hand, while her arm covers one breast, and her hand cups the other.

The thirteenth picture . . . the thirteenth picture is full front, from head to feet. Almost the same picture as before, meaning her one arm is over one breast, while that hand cups the other breast. But now she is not wearing her bikini bottom either! Her other hand is strategically placed over her mound.

Now I know what she meant when she said, with an evil grin, that she hoped I would not have any trouble falling asleep! I would be lucky if I got ANY sleep tonight.
And if, by some miracle, I did get any sleep, I knew what I would be dreaming about!

Dear Jessie,

You are truly, truly an evil person!

And I love it . . . and you.

I can't write anymore because I don't have any blood left in my head.

It is being used elsewhere.

Your babbling and drooling friend,

Sam

P.S. Don't tell me you were thinking about wearing this to the "Y"?" We would both have been arrested. You for wearing it, and me for what I was trying to do you WHILE you were wearing it.

I guess at some point I did fall asleep. The next morning I had another e-mail from Jessie.

Dear, Dear Sam,

Can't talk. Overslept because I stayed awake last night taking "interesting" photos for some dirty old man

And don't say a word about time management when it is YOUR fault I was up so late.

Love you,

Jessie

My Dear Jessie,

That's right, blame someone who wasn't even there.

I'll go in for my 24-hour shift at 6 pm, so I don't know how much time I will have to write tonight.

Dr. Andrews actually told me to go easy on the big "L" word, so let me say this about that.

Like, Like, Like, Like, Like, Like, Like, like you like crazy.

Sam

Dear Jessie,

They just called me and I have to go in early. One of the other firemen injured his back, and they want me to finish his shift. Don't know if I will be able to write tonight or not.

LIKE, LIKE, LIKE you,

Sam

That night she wrote me a much longer letter.

My Dear Sweet Sam,

I had the most incredible day today. Best Monday of my life.

First, I had the goofiest grin on my face ALL day. People kept asking me, "What's wrong?"

Haven't they ever seen anyone who is happy?

Oh, well perhaps they haven't seen me happy in the past two years.

I really need to ask you a very personal, very private question.

In your e-mail you mention that you were my "babbling and drooling friend."

At your age, how -- exactly -- is that different from any other day????

Have any trouble sleeping last night? I hope so.

And another even more personal and private question.

What did someone tell me one of the Marine Corp mottos was: "The Marines have landed and have the situation well in hand?" Is that right?

I hope, after looking at my photos, that you had "the situation well in hand," last night. (Smirking at you)

I had a very good session with Dr. Andrews this afternoon. How does any one person get to be so smart? Oh, that's right. She attended UGA, and was never a Marine!

Yes, I cried some. Maybe more than some. Things that I thought were far behind me weren't. They had just moved from one side to the other, waiting for the right situation to come out again.

Sam, there is no other way to describe it, but I was really "fucked up." And thought I was doing such a good job of adjusting to it. I even remember telling you once that I had had an additional year to get over my grief, and was wondering if I was being fair to you.

You are so far in front of me I only hope you will continue to wait for me.

Please, wait for me Sam? Please?

Dr. Andrews was a little upset with me for sending you the photos. And no, she did not see them, I just told her about them. After today's session, and with my understanding more about myself, I know why she was a little upset.

But I still hope they drive you CRAZY!

I also understand what she meant about being careful with, as you describe it, the big "L" word. So I will try to tone that down a LITTLE! Not completely, but a LITTLE.

On a really encouraging note, Dr. Andrews said that if my Wednesday and Friday sessions go as well as todays did, then I might be able to see you Sunday. I would say Saturday, but Georgia's soccer teams are playing a charity match against Georgia Tech's soccer teams. All the money is going to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), and I really want to play.

On a discouraging note, she also said that while kissing and holding hands is okay, she STRONGLY advises against touching. At least yet.

Sam, if you can come up Sunday (I don't know your schedule), then you are going to have to be the strong one. I know that as soon as I see you I am going to want to jump your bones! So, I don't care how much I may beg, or plead, or cry, no touching under the clothes! Okay?

But don't be surprised if I try to suck your appendix out through your mouth. (Evil grin)

Your now and forever friend,

LIKE, LIKE, LIKE, LIKE, LIKE, LIKE, LIKE, love,

Jessie

See, I told you I would try to tone it down a LITTLE!

My Dearest, Sweet Jessie,

Did you hear about the two blondes who decided that this Christmas they wanted to cut down their own Christmas tree? So they drove two hours into the country and walked deep into the woods to find the perfect Christmas tree. They had planned the trip well, especially considering that they were blond. They were dressed warmly with boots, warm coats and hats. They had a chain saw, hatchet, a bag to protect the tree and rope to drag it back to their car. Every detail was covered.

First, I am glad to hear that you were smiling so much Monday. You have such a beautiful smile. I am just sorry that it is now so late on Tuesday night, and I am just getting a chance to write. I actually went in four hours early Monday, and worked over six hours today, so you can imagine I am a little tired.

Because of the other fireman's injury (he will be fine, just needs to rest his back) they have had to change all of our schedules.

So, instead of 24 on, and 48 off, for the next few days I will be working 24 on, 36 off. That means I may have to work Sunday. I will know more later in the week, but I was really looking forward to seeing you Sunday.

My God, Jessie, are you trying to kill an old man?

Those photos!!!!! Wow!!!!! I wanted to lick my computer screen!!!!!

Jessie, I will wait for you as long as it takes!

And if when we do finally see each other, then all we can do is hold hands and kiss? I would rather hold hands with you than kiss any other woman in America. And if I can just kiss you once or twice when we do meet, then I will consider it a blessing.

And in answer to your letter from Sunday, I can't speak for other Marines but I know this Marine is only thinking about a certain young lady wearing a bikini . . . and dreaming about the day he can get her out of said bikini.

Now, my precious one, I have to get some sleep. I hardly got any sleep Sunday night FOR SOME REASON!!!!! And we were so busy Monday night and Tuesday all day, I only got about three hours sleep. Now it is Tuesday night and I am exhausted.

Your tired friend,

Mega-Likes,

Sam

P.S. The two blondes searched and searched for the perfect Christmas tree. They had gone to all this trouble, nothing but the perfect tree would do. They searched for hours through knee deep snow and biting wind. Finally, five hours later with the sun beginning to go down, one blonde says to the other, "I can't take this anymore. I give up! There are hundreds of beautiful trees out here. Let's just pick one whether it's decorated or not!"

After getting up Wednesday, I spent most of the day working outside. Jessie had sent me a short email Wednesday afternoon, just before her meeting with Dr. Andrews. She said she would write more after the meeting, but by the time I went to bed Wednesday night, I had not received anything else from her.

When I got up on Thursday, I had something of a different type of letter from Jessie.

Dear you lying good-for-nothing, low-life, scumbag (but I still love you, Sam, although you have a LOT of explaining to do),

I was so mad at you last night I couldn't write.

I actually got up an hour early just to write this.

HOW? How could you lie to me like you have?

Poor, "Oh, I've never been to college."

Yesterday I had another great session with Dr. Andrews. After the session ended, she asked me if we were still writing each other daily -- and if you were still including UGA jokes? She really seems to be interested in how many UGA jokes you send me. Why?

I told her "yes," to both counts, then mentioned something that has really amazed me since we started writing.

I told her that I sometimes actually had to look up some of the words you used, and told her how incredibly beautiful some of your letters were.

"I can't believe someone who has never been to college can write like that," I think I said.

Dr. Andrews started laughing and said, "Never been to college? He has more college credits than anyone I know who actually hasn't graduated. I think he only needs one required course to obtain his degree. He probably has enough credits for two degrees."

Once she realized I truly didn't know, that you had told me you hadn't been to college, she clammed up, saying she had already said too much.

"You'll have to ask Sam about that," was all she would say.

OKAY, MARINE ASSHOLE (is that redundant?), what gives?

Have you been lying to me since the first day we met?

And it had BETTER be good.

Your honest as the day is long friend (apparently can't say the same about you),

Jessie

Dear My Sweet, Precious, Beautiful, Understanding and Forgiving Jessie,

Okay -- First of all I did not lie to you: Technically.

And even more than that, I don't think you could say I lied in any way, shape or form. Perhaps I omitted one thing, but that is not the same as lying.

You have to look at it from my point of view.

One day I decided to pull the weeds out of my flowerbeds. After working very hard, I heard someone yell, "Look Out!" Thinking someone might be in trouble and need my medical assistance, I jumped to my feet. Having been kneeling for so long, when I stood up so quickly, I got dizzy. At approximately the same time, I was struck in the head by (at that point) an unknown object. The object itself had barely the force of a feather hitting me, but the combination of the very light impact, together with my slight dizziness caused me to lose my balance momentarily.

The next thing I know some beautiful, half-naked goddess (perhaps fallen from Mount Olympus?) was thrusting her -- assets -- in my face. Very delightful assets I might add!

I was discombobulated for a minute.

Then this delectable creature, this gorgeous flower of femininity began speaking.

It was immediately apparent that if she had fallen from Mount Olympus . . . well she must have landed on her head because she started saying she had knocked me out. That, of course, NEVER happened.

This beautiful creature then insisted on helping clean out the third flower bed, during which time I don't think she ever paused from talking. I don't think I have ever seen anyone talk for 30 minutes before without taking a breath. Then one quick breath, and another 30 minutes of talking.

If I had wanted to say something, I would have been unable to do so.

Yes, at one point the question was asked, as best as I can remember: "Have you been to college?"

I answered factually, truthfully and honestly. "No, I have never been to college."

At no point was the question EVER asked if I had taken college courses, how many courses, how many credit hours I had earned, or anything else.

A direct question was asked, and in the one-third of a second I was given to answer, I said, "No."

Again, let me say this: I have never been TO college. Even when Debs graduated, I was unable to attend, so no, I have never set foot on a college campus, nor have I ever sat in a college classroom.

Computers, and the Internet, are wonderful things. You can take college courses while sitting in a tent in the middle of the desert in Iraq. You can also take college courses while sitting in your living room in Charlotte, or a hotel room in Atlanta.

As Dr. Andrews implied, yes, I have more than enough credits to graduate, but I have one remaining required course in English.

If the correct questions had been asked, and if I had been given an opportunity to answer, then I could have explained all this.

Bottom line: The questionee answered the question asked. It is not his fault that the questioner did not ask the correct questions.

Your honest as the day is long also friend,

Sam

XOXO

Dear less than completely truthful Sam,

Withholding information is a form of lying.

I have sometimes heard the phrase, "Some people have it, and some people don't, and he is full of it." I now understand that statement.

You are so full of it I don't know how it doesn't slosh out of your ears when you walk.

Just out of curiosity, when you lose your balance "momentarily," as you put it, do you usually fall face forward into flower beds, and have to then spit out a mouthful of dirt before you can say anything?

And the next time I see you, YOU HAD BETTER HOPE AND PRAY that I don't have a soccer ball with me, or we will see how much impact a well-kicked soccer ball has upside your head!

And don't think I don't see through your transparent attempt to get on my good side by calling me a "beautiful, half-naked goddess." It won't work, buster!

By the way, "beautiful goddess," with "delightful assets?" Thank you. But you still aren't on my good side YET!

And if I was, your comment about "landing on my head," would have ruined that!

I don't think I have ever seen anyone stare without blinking for an hour before.

Okay, I will concede that perhaps I should have been more specific in my line of questioning. But then again, I normally don't deal with people who apparently have a penchant for telling less than the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I will try to remember that in the future when engaging in a conversation with Marines in general, and one certain dumb-ass Marine in particular.

When are you going to complete your remaining course so you can graduate? And don't obfuscate!

The way I see it, you owe me SEVERAL meals at my favorite French restaurant.

Oh, Sam, I think I have laughed more in the last six weeks with you than I have in all the rest of my life put together.

But I am STILL a little mad at you.

Your goddess with the delightful assets,

Love,

Jessie

XOXO

The rest of the week was spent exchanging similar e-mails, and trading insults, blond and UGA jokes, and Marine Corps jokes. I honestly never knew it could be so much fun to receive, and send, insults before.

Yes, guys always insult each other, and yes, we enjoy it. But being able to trade barbs with Jessie was truly one of the most fun things I have ever done.

In her letter written after her meeting with Dr. Andrews on Friday, Jessie again wrote how productive the meeting was, and her disappointment that I would not be able to see her over the weekend.

The fact is . . . well . . . I didn't exactly lie, I just told a small fib.

Okay, I lied.

My shift ended Friday night at midnight, so I went home and went to bed, waking up about 6 am Saturday. I drove to Athens, Georgia, arriving at about 9 am. I knew Jessie's soccer match was scheduled for 10 am.

I drove around the campus for a little while before finding the Turner Soccer Complex where the match would take place. I bought a ticket and program, then sat down and watched Jessie play.

I was stunned. I knew she was good, but she was amazing. She scored three goals to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a five to three win over the Lady Yellow Jackets. Jessie was all over the field, and her speed was breath-taking.

Once I saw Jessie kicking the soccer ball, I realized why she had nearly knocked me out that day.

Wait, once I saw Jessie kicking the soccer ball, I realized why she had slightly stunned me that day.

After the match was over, they announced that all the ladies, from both teams, would be signing autographs while the men's teams were warming up.

I waited until there were only a few people in line, and finally made my way up to Jessie. I had noticed that usually she would just sign her autograph, then look up at the person while she was handing them back the program.

When it was my turn, I handed her my program, and said, "Sign it to my honest friend, Sam."

She actually had started writing, "To my hon," when she recognized my voice.

She looked up at me, and I'm not sure when I have ever seen such joy in a person's face before.

I was only standing about a foot away from Jessie, but she yelled my name out loud. Then as her teammates were turning to look at her, Jessie's arms were around my neck and we were hugging each other.

Jessie's uniform was soaked with sweat and her face and hair were still wet from playing. It was wonderful.

"Sam, Sam, I can't believe you are here! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" she asked.

"I wanted to surprise you," I explained. Then I handed her a box that contained a dozen roses.

Jessie started tearing up, then was in my arms again hugging me. Our lips met in a quick kiss.

Finally Jessie broke the embrace and start saying, "O God, I must look awful. I am hot, sweaty and stinky."

"I think you look beautiful," I said, before I heard someone else say, "Crap, can we throw up now?"

When Jessie and I looked up, I was completely surrounded by about six other players on the team.

"Girls, this is my . . . my friend Sam," Jessie said.

"Sam? This is Sam? This is the jerk who has all the blonde jokes?" asked one member of the team -- a blonde.

"This is the butthead who tells all the Georgia jokes," asked another, obviously a Georgia native based on her deep Southern accent.

"This is the dipshit who tells all the University of Georgia jokes?" asked a third. This one was about three inches taller than I was, and did not look happy.

"Down, girls, down," said Jessie with a smile. "Yes, he might be a jerk, a butthead and a dipshit, but he is MY jerk, MY butthead and MY dipshit."

"You let them read my letters?" I asked Jessie.

"No, dickhead," answered the tallest member of the team, "but she sure tells us all your idiotic jokes!"

"Look girls, I really need to go take a quick shower and change clothes," Jessie said. "Do y'all promise not to hurt him, at least not too much, until I get back?"