Chapter 2
For Rob it had started at Camp Crowder where Laura and Rob first met. She was working for the USO there while Rob served out his enlistment in the entertainment wing of the U.S. Army. They’d met one afternoon while Laura was practicing a dance routine in the camp theater. Laura was tall, slim and moved with such grace. Robert Petrie fell instantly in love with her. She took some convincing. There’d been resistance at the start and that resistance would never quite vanish. The “Bivouac Baby Contest” was where Rob’s pathology first surfaced. The winner of the contest was awarded a date with Camp Crowder’s--Bivouac Baby--Laura Meehan.
A handsome fellow, a Sergeant from supply won the contest. Laura was hesitant to fulfill the date.
“Rob, I won’t if you tell me not to.” She looked intently for his response.
But, Rob did not want to forbid it. And though he disliked Sergeant Williams he desired the date to take place.
“No, Laura, it wouldn’t be right for you to refuse.”
“But, Rob.”
“No, it will be okay.”
“If you say so, darling.” Though she wanted to assure Rob that nothing untoward would occur during their Friday night date.
“Nothing will happen, Rob, I promise.”
But, the more Rob thought about the date the more he wanted something to occur. And he wanted to see it, to bear witness to it. He couldn’t explain it, but, it was real and it was strong. And it was undeniable.
He did not query where the date would take place. All he knew was that Van Williams would pick Laura up Friday night at her apartment. Rob also knew he’d be there and he would follow them, and he’d watch.
Chapter 3
Friday night found Rob standing across the street from Laura’s apartment building next to an Army Jeep he’d borrowed from a buddy in the motor pool.
Williams was prompt, even a little early, arriving in a late model Pontiac convertible/top down. Rob sank back into the darkness and peeled his eye.
The couple came out a few minutes later, and they were hand-in-hand, she in a light blue summer dress that showed off her figure and long legs. He was in uniform.
“What a ham.” Rob spat from the shadows.
Laura scooted into the front seat past the wheel, but, stopped abruptly half way across. Rob’s heart raced as Laura held station-Williams settled in next to her. Instead of hitting the ignition the couple conversed for a while. Rob could hear Laura’s laughter cascading across the street.
“If this is their first date Bing Crosby can’t sing.” Rob grunted.
Soon the laughter stopped and kissing began. Rob clenched his teeth and his fists. And was torn between rushing across the street-announcing his presence and going back to the barracks, holing up in the latrine with his thoughts and the visions.
‘“Nothing will happen” my ass.’ Rob said to himself.
“But you wanted this, didn’t you? Yes. Why? I have no earthly idea.”
Williams started the Pontiac, hit reverse and cruised on down the street as Rob slammed himself against the wall of the closed Texaco station he was hiding next to.
By the time Petrie scrambled into the Jeep it was too late. He’d missed his chance.
On the drive back to the motor pool Rob imagined all manner of exploits, from parking in a secluded spot to taking a motel room for the night. There was a string of such motels in the exact direction they were headed to when last he spied their disappearing tail lights.
“Go back and check it out.” Rob prompted himself.
“No.”
“Do it. You know you want to. You know you want to find them there.”
“No.” Nonetheless he executed a perfect three-point turn and went back.
He never told Laura that he’d found the Sergeant’s Pontiac at the Candy Cane Motel. It was parked in front of room nine. He left the Jeep a half mile up the road, then trekked back and took station across the road in a slightly elevated wooded area. He also never told Laura that he’d purchased a pair of binoculars from Sears and Roebucks that very afternoon.
“Yes, sir, these are our most powerful model. You’ll be right on top of the action. It will be like you’re in the huddle.”
Rob had told the salesman he needed the binoculars for watching football. Rob s ed out the $150.00 even though it left him flat broke.
Fumbling with the binoculars in the dark woods caused Rob to curse himself for not trying them out earlier. Looking thru the powerful lenses caused his stomach to lurch, his chow hall dinner threatening to reverse course. Then the rear end of the Pontiac came into the viewfinder followed by door number nine. He shifted right and found the window. He also found a wedge of pale light twixt the drapes, the bed, a yard beyond.