Maxine's New Life Ch. 11

I found Chris in the chapel. She began to cry uncontrollably when she saw me. I held her while she cried.

"Oh God max how could his happen?" she asked as if I had an answer.

"I have no idea but sometimes bad things happen to the best people. Your dad was the best of the best. I am just so very sorry."

She cried and I did nothing to comfort her, other than be there. After several minutes the hospital chaplain entered the chapel. "Miss Gallion?" he asked.

"It's Rogers but I'm Mr. Gallion's daughter," Chris said.

"I am so sorry for your loss. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I don't think so," Chris said.

"Would you ladies like to pray with me?"

He was damn lucky I didn't spit on him. "No thanks, " Chris said. "My dad would think it hypocritical."

"Sometimes pray is more for the living, than the deceased."

Chris looked at me and I shook my head. "We will be fine chaplain, but thanks for stopping by."

"I know this can't be easy for either of you, so if you need to talk I will be in my office for a while."

I nodded, fighting hard not to tell him to fuck off. I waited until he left before I spoke to Chris. "Are you going to stay here?"

"Max I have to get back to my children. If I call you with the information, could you do the leg work for me please. I think I can do most of it by phone, but daddy didn't have anyone else."

"Honey, you are going to be surprised."

"I know where all his documents are stored. I can pick them up before I leave, but I have to get home."

"Are you alright to drive?" I asked.

"I think so, Max I'm sorry I was such a bitch."

"Don't be I would have been jealous myself, if I were you and he were my dad."

She hugged me again, then stood to leave. I dug a card out of my purse, "Call me when you get home. I need to know that you got home alright."

After Chris left I sat in the chapel alone. I wanted to scream or go get drunk. I wanted to do something anything, but there was nothing I could do. I couldn't even cry for Gus. I was such a cold hearted bitch.

"Lucas put this announcement on every forum and bulletin board that a Marine or retired Marine might read. Put in on anything that a mercenary might read as well. When I say everyone, I mean every damn one of them."

The announcement was that Gunnery Sergeant Gus Gallion had passed away in Aster. It stated that he would be buried in Arlington National Cemetery at the end of the week but that a memorial service would be held by friends and family in Aster. It would be held at the senior center's meeting room two days later at 3PM. Wake to follow. There was a copy of the official obituary furnished by Chris attached. It gave some details that might help in his identification by people who knew him back in the day.

I had informed the Cop Out Club to lay in extra beer, even if no one came I would drink it. I paid for two kegs, which was my donation. I had no way to tell, if anyone would show up for the service and wake or not. If not the second keg would not be tapped but the first would go to the regulars as a gift from the Gunny.

It was two hours later when Lucas came to me. "Boss, there might be a problem with Gus's memorial service."

"What kind of problem?"

"The obituary has gone sort of viral. It has been forwarded to other sites, ones I never heard of. People are asking questions on the forums and others are answering them. It just keeps growing. Most of the guys won't be able to make it, but they all h ave things to say on line."

I went to Lucas's computer to see what he was talking about. I read a posting from an old man at least the Gunny's age. I remember Gus Gallion when he was a buck ass private. He and i were in Vietnam before there was any war. Advisors to a struggling South Vietnamese army so corrupt that it could hardly function. That wasn't our mission, so we dealt with it rather than change it. Gus and I were brand spanking new Marine Corp Snipers assigned to MACV Naval Advisory Group, We were supposed to train snipers, but what we really did was take young men into the field and those who could shoot, we made snipers, by just saying they were. You just can't teach isolation skills to people who come from a group dynamic.

"I personally saw Gus hold off scores of viet cong in a rubber plantation while twice as many South Vietnamese Soldiers ran for their lives. Later Gus said to me. 'You gotta' wonder what the hell these guys think the army is about. If it ain't about the killing."' one man wrote.

I read on for several minutes. There were scores of stories from Vietnam both from his days as an adviser and his days with the marines as a sniper in Vietnam. One of the stories that was most impressive to me was an engagement with the NVR troops over a red clay hilltop artillery base.

"Our base was the only fire support for the grunts down in the valley. It was essential to hold that base, or a lot more marines were going to die in the valley.

The NVR had been spotted massing a few miles away, so the Marines began to fly in extra munitions and body bags. They also flew in one Marine Lance Corporal Gus Gallion. A marine sniper from down in the valley. Gallian was there because he had a vested interest in keeping the artillery firing.

The NVR army rushed the wire even as the marines poured fire at them. While the marines emptied hundreds of rounds at the wire on full automatic, Gus fired slowly but with deadly accuracy. He fired at anyone who seemed to be giving orders. Guys with the bugles and of course anyone who made it to the wire.

The dance went on all night. Sometimes we were winning and sometimes it looked as though the NVR army would turn the guns on us. Men were terrified but Gus lay on the top of the bunker behind a few sandbags and fired his heavy M14 all night long. Gus fired and slopes died. That is how it was that night. We shot them off the wire, but it was Gus and two other snipers who broke them." The author wrote.

The stories went on and on, as you might expect for a man who had been in the Corp 30 years. My eyes got tired so I moved away from the computer. "Lucas use that printer you are so fond of to print out some of those. I will read them at the Memorial." I demanded.

"Blevins," I said into the office phone. "Did you see Gus's obit in the paper."

"Gus Gallion what happened?" he asked.

"He had a stroke and died Saturday Night. His going in the ground at Arlington but there is going to be a memorial service here at the senior center on Wednesday night at 5PM. See if you can get a cop or two to show up. I would hate to be the only one there."

"You won't be. I for sure will be there. I'm sure there is a cop or two who remembers a bruise from Gus. They will show up, I'm sure."

"Thanks Blevins, I owe you one." I replied.

"Not for this, but you owe me plenty for all the times, I saved your butt."

"Blevins, you are getting senile. I save your ass at least once a week." I knew he was smiling and I hoped that he knew I was.

I hated even the best of Mondays, and it was far from a good Monday. While I drank yet another cup of coffee, I turned on my computer. On my computer the wallpaper was actually the four camera's at my little cabin. That Monday morning I got a view of a beautiful doe grazing near my gate. I was reminded yet again that I suspected Lucas of spying on me. Well it wasn't really spying, since the pictures were on the Internet for anyone with the web address to see.

I was depressed about Gus so I decided not to jump Lucas. It could wait a few days or even weeks. It might take that long before I felt like myself again. I threw myself into the work routine. It seemed the easiest way to get through the days. Even depressed I didn't want to lay in bed and cry, I wanted to get into some kind of shit. Good or bad didn't matter, just something to break the grind of depression. Depression beats me down, I needed to get my mind off me, and onto something else.

"What do we have going on around here that isn't boring as hell?" I asked outloud.

"Well you have the rock star job on Friday. Actutally I guess it is Thursday and Friday," Lucas informed me.

"I had almost forgot about our rock star. I really hate babysitting."

"I'm surprised they are expecting trouble," Lucas said. "Bobby and Bethany are supposed to be really well liked."

"It's only half about keep Bethany alive. the other part is keeping her from killing Bobby or getting busted."

"Is Bethany a junkie," Ed asked.

"I don't think so but who knows these days. My contract calls for me, and some dude from Tryon, to literally babysit them. He gets Bobby and I get Bethany. I can follow her into places the guy can't. She has been known to ditch her babysitter and go out partying."

"Then you have your work cut out for you," Lucas suggested. "Some of these music people are impossible to control."

"That's why we work for the promoter, not the couple. Since it's part of their contract, they should go along. If they don't, I will just have to explain to them why it's in their best interest to do it my way."

"Max no broken bones please," Ed said. "I would hate to refuse to go your bond, but business is business. You are just not stable enough to risk my money."

"Good, then If I go in, I'll just call Edwards in Tryon, He wants to show you up anyway." I replied seriously.

"You wouldn't do that," Ed said.

"If you wouldn't go my bail, then it would be Edwards or stay in jail. Then you can bet your ass I'd call him."

"Just to change the subject," Lucas asked, "Who is the other body guard?"

"I have no idea, some youngster from Tryon is all I know."

Lucas and I worked the deliveries all day. We even found time to pick up a used car salesman on in violation of his bail terms. I had no idea what the violation was all I had to know was that there was paper on him. I picked him up for three hundred bucks. His bail was small so he really wasn't a problem. He was a totally non violent type. He was a used car salesman, so he was a con man, not a fighter.

Monday night I could not get to sleep so I masturbated, but I did it under the covers, just to be sure Lucas or anyone else who happened to be watching didn't get an eyeful. My mind drifted to Gus as I worked myself toward an orgasm. I felt some guilt, so it was difficult to achieve orgasm. When it did happen, it rattled me. It was strong enough so that moments later I fell asleep.

Tuesday I promised myself that I would keep my mind on business and not let it linger on my personal life. Things came up about the memorial service which required my attention, so I couldn't really Keep Gus out of my thoughts long.

The posts on the forums kept climbing and Lucas kept printing them out. I knew that Wednesday would be spent sorting through them, to find the best quotes for his eulogy. I hoped that some of his friends would also speak, but I was planning to prepare as if I would be the only speaker. Gus might have been just a Marine in his eyes, but he was extraordinary to me. I planned to make damn sure people knew why.

Things kept piling up about his professional life, but I knew almost nothing of his personal life. Well not of his life before I met him anyway.

Tuesday went by in a fog of activity. Lucas and I worked between our monitoring of the Internet. The pickups and deliveries had gotten to the point that it was routine. We had our game down pat. Unless we had served the mooch before, they all fell for our scam.

"A man with a clipboard and a little information is a dangerous thing." Lucas observed.

"Or a woman," I reminded him.

"Yes, you dreamed it up, so you are the most dangerous of all," he remarked.

My phone rang, "Do you want to have dinner with Bob and Me?" Jennifer asked.

"No thanks, I'm really not going to be very good company tonight."

"Sweetie, we aren't looking to be entertained. Come on you have to eat," Jennifer suggested.

"Yes but I think, I'm going to pick up a taco salad and go home with it and a six pack of bock beer."

"Well if you change your mind give me a call."

I didn't change my mind. The beer and a Bag of corn chips, came from the Fresh Market grocery store, and the salad came from Taco Bell. I ate the salad and managed to get three of the beers down before I was drunk and exhausted. It made for a good combination to sleep.

Wednesday was a terrible day. I woke with a hangover and in an evil mood. I tried to work, but it was useless. I was in a deep funk and everyone steered clear of me. I couldn't blame them one bit. I wished that I could get out of my own skin and just be somebody else for a while.

Chris called on the office phone. She was up for the memorial service without her kids. She was at Gus's apartment cleaning it out. She asked, "Would you take care of Gus's bike. I have no way to get it home, and don't know what to do with it."

"Actually, if your kids don't want it I would love to have it."

"Max it's nothing special, just an old bike."

"I know but I want it," I said with a conviction that bordered on a threat.

"Then it's yours. Come on over and we will figure out which key opens the lock."

"I'll be right over." I said, When I put the phone back into it's holder, I turned to Lucas. Don't go anywhere Luke. I am going to need a ride back to the towers in a few minutes."

"Why," he asked.

"I'm going to go pick up Gus's bike. I'm going to ride it back here. Then I will need you to give me a ride to get the van."

"Oh sure," he said.

"I have Gus's keys," Chris said, rather than hello. She looked about like I felt.

"Okay, I'll get the bike and get out of your hair."

"I want to thank you Maxine for all you have done. I wasn't very nice to you last time we met. Forgive me. I guess like you said, I was a little jealous."

"Chris we had different parts of your dad, there was never any competition. If there had been, you would have won hands down."

"I don't know, but thank you for saying that."

We had that conversation in the elevator as we rode to the lobby. Finding the right key for the bike was easy. Gus only had three keys, one to his apartment, one to the bike, and one to Chris's home.

"Chris you will be speaking this afternoon won't you?" I asked.

"I am going to try, but Maxine I don't know if I can."

"Do what you think you should do. It will be alright no matter what that is." I meant it.

The old dual suspension bike needed a good cleaning and probably needed to be re-greased to be safe as a motorbike. I made a mental note to buy a bike rack then take it to the Preacher's shop.

The bike pedaled the six blocks to the office quite easily. It even climbed the small hill along the way well. It made the climb even without the motor.. I knew that it would have been different if the hill had been longer. I remembered from the ride with Marty, that the short steep hills were noticeable, but the long moderate climbs were the killers.

With the bike tucked safely away in the storeroom, Lucas drove me back for my van. "Boss, I want you to know how sorry I am about your friend Gus." he said when we were in the car.

"Thank you Lucas, I just need a few days of steady work to get over this depression. I have been here before. It's nasty, but it isn't a death sentence. I'll be back." After sulking a minute or two longer, I suggested." While we are out. Let's stop by to see how they are doing with the meeting room."

Since the senior center was across the street from Evergreen towers, it wasn't an inconvenience. I really didn't want to do it alone. What we found was a bright sunny room with about fifty chairs aligned in rows. It looked as though it was pretty well ready to go.

"What time is it Lucas?"

"It's lunch time. How about we drive out to the marina? We can stop for Subway," he suggested.

"Let's get your car back to the office and we can take the van. Honest Lucas, I really am going to buy you a company car."

"I like driving the van just fine, why don't you buy yourself a cool car," he suggested.

"I like the van just fine as well. We can fight about it after I have time to buy something."

Lunch at the marina was nice. I was chilly but I didn't mind the day was appropriate for the way I felt. I felt cold and gray just like weather.

After lunch I did what I do instead of pacing. I turned on the news on the small television set we kept at the office for just that purpose. I mindlessly watched as commentators talked about the debt, the stock market, and the current administration. It was all rather sad because the reports were all doom and gloom. AT fifteen minutes till three, I drove the van to the senior center. I had no idea what to expect for Gus's memorial service. I looked into the door and found the room already filled with people. As I would have expected most of them were near Gus's age with a sprinkling of younger people, some of them in police uniforms.

As I was preparing to walk through the crowd on my way to the podium, I saw the marine Captain enter the lobby, I knew what a captain looked like and no one could mistake the marine dress blue uniform for anything else. The marine captain was much younger than Gus. He was not even as old as me.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Yes Ma'am, I'm here for the Gallion memorial service."

"It's in that room. I am Maxine Stone, I was a friend of Gus's."

"Yes Ma'am you are the organizer I believe."

"His daughter Chris and I yes," I replied. "I don't know much about Marine tradition, So is there anything you would like to say."

"Yes Ma'am I have Gunnery Sergeant Gallion's awards and Citations. I would like to read those."

"Is that usual?"

"It is for someone like Gunnery Sergeant Gallion ma'am."

"He was special to me, but what was so special about him to the Corp?" I asked.

"Ma'am Gunnery Sergeant Gallion won the medal of Honor in Vietnam. I am also here to accompany his remains to Arlington National."

I was shocked. So shocked in fact, I could only walk away silently. I had no idea."

I welcomed everyone, then I introduced the Captain who read a long list of Gus's accomplishments. With each medal he read the citation that accompanied it. The medal of honor was for the fire base defense. I knew the story, but not all of it. The enemy was attacking while they fired mortars to keep the American soldiers in their bunkers. Guy lay on top of a bunker and continued to fire at the enemy. He was hit with shrapnel several times but he did not leave his post, even though he had been directed to. If Gus had gone into a bunker, the base would have been overrun. According to the survivors, he Saved a lot of lives that night.

There were other awards, navy crosses and a silver star. It took the Captain a half hour to read all the citations. When he finished, I quickly read a few of the comments from the Internet. A couple of seniors from the towers had a few things to say. I was surprised when a black man rose to walk to the front of the room. He did not have the bearing of a military man or the look of a cop. He just looked like a homeless man who had cleaned up for the day.

"Me and Gus was friends. He never treated me like the rest of you people. He wouldn't give me money for wine, but he would buy me food whenever he saw me. I'm gonna miss him for more than them hamburgers." It was a short statement, but it made me cry, when none of the others had,

We went to the Cop Out after the service where we all got drunk early. Jennifer had been at the service. She sat with Reverend Archer who led in a prayer at the end of the service.

"So where is the Reverend?" I asked.

"He had church things to take care of," she replied.

"Bullshit, he didn't want to be around cops. No telling what he would do with this many cops around."

"Who knows, anyway I'm headed for home. Wanted to tell you how sorry I am about Gus."