| Subject: Go Navy Blue- Ch. 2 |
Author:
Grandma JAG
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Date Posted: 15:04:34 11/03/02 Sun
In reply to:
Grandma JAG
's message, "Go Navy Blue" on 14:56:06 11/03/02 Sun
Part 2
United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland
Saturday morning 1030 hours
They had decided to travel together in one vehicle. When Mac pointed out that if one of them wanted to come home each weekend or wanted to go someplace off campus, Harm said that they could go together, or the one could use the vehicle while the other stayed at the house. Either way, he reasoned, everything they needed was within walking distance. It wouldn’t make sense to have two vehicles since they were only given one parking pass. Besides, they could use the time driving up to Annapolis together to finalize their lesson plans. They took Harm’s SUV since, as Harm pointed out, Mac’s corvette could barely hold one suitcase.
So they loaded up the SUV with their suitcases and personal items to begin the trek up to the Naval Academy: a place that Harm was very familiar with, and that Mac had only visited once or twice. The trip up had been pretty uneventful, the usual lighthearted banter that they had been enjoying the past few months. But as they entered the gates of the United States Naval Academy, Mac grew unusually quiet.
Harm and Mac showed their I.D.’s to the guard at the gate.
“Ah, yes, Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie, we’ve been expecting you. Here is the key to your quarters. If you follow this road to the south and then turn left.....” The guard was interrupted by Harm.
“I know where it is, Corporal,” Harm said, looking at the address. “Thank you.” The guard saluted and Harm responded in kind.
Harm continued to drive in silence as Mac took in their surroundings. It was a magnificent campus, full of tradition. Mac tried to imagine what it looked like the year it opened, 1865. The end of the Civil War, the death of President Lincoln, a new beginning for an embattled country.
Harm seemed to be reading Mac’s thoughts as he spoke quietly, giving her some of the background of the school that had made such an impact on his life.
“The Naval Academy started out with only 50 students on a ten acre campus. It has now grown to over 4,000 midshipmen on a 338-acre campus. It has 600 faculty members.”
“602,” Mac corrected, smiling. She had the feeling that she was going to see a different side of Harm these next six weeks, someone more nostalgic and, dare she say, melancholy? She knew that being here would definitely take him back, and she hoped it was to a place that included her.
Harm turned down Porter Street, or ‘Captain’s Row’ as it was called. The prim and proper white houses with neatly trimmed lawns and window boxes with flowers made Mac think of a Norman Rockwell painting. Every house had an American flag flying from the front porch or on a pole in the front yard. On each step in front of the front door was the name of the officer and his family who resided there.
Harm scanned each house for its address and presently pulled in front of a house with a blank placard on the front doorstep. “Here we are, home sweet home!” Harm declared.
Mac stared at the blank placard, and for a moment imagined that it said ‘Commander and Colonel Harmon Rabb, Jr.’ She shook her head and rubbed her eyes.
“You okay, Mac?” Harm asked, concern showing on his face.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, just fine,” Mac replied, her voice wavering just a bit. ‘I’ve got to get some sleep,’ she thought to herself.
“Maybe we can both get a good night’s sleep here,” Harm commented, as if reading her thoughts. “Come on, let’s unpack the car and get settled.” He hopped out of the SUV like a freshman entering his dorm for the first time. Mac couldn’t help but grin as he took the steps two at a time to unlock the door.
They toured the house, which was exactly as the Admiral had described: two bedrooms with private baths, on opposite ends of the house, separated by a small living room and even smaller kitchen.
“Not bad,” Harm remarked. “Better than a cave!”
“Or a submarine,” Mac shot back.
“Or a carrier!” Harm was quick to respond.
“Or a motel room in Moscow!” Mac laughed.
“We’ve shared some interesting quarters over the years, haven’t we?” Harm looked at Mac and smiled.
“I guess we have at that!” she replied. “I guess we can make do with this for the next few weeks, considering we survived all those other experiences!”
“Which room do you want?” Harm asked.
Mac looked at both rooms and replied, “Harm, they’re both exactly the same, so it doesn’t matter to me. I guess it depends on whether you want the sun in the morning or the evening.”
“Well, you’re the early bird, so I’ll take the room facing west.” Harm threw his suitcase onto the bed and went to open the curtain. Mac gasped at the view. There outside Harm’s bedroom window was the chapel she had heard so much about.
“Come on, get unpacked, and I’ll take you on a tour,” Harm said, excitedly. He felt like a fourth classman again, eager to show his parents around the campus.
Later, as Harm and Mac walked around the campus, Harm pointed out all the buildings to her, and of course had a story to tell about each one. Halsey Field House, where he played basketball and did his physical training; Dahlgren Hall, where he broke his ankle trying to impress a girl while ice skating; Tecumseh Court, where they gathered for formations and saluted the statue of Tecumseh left-handed during the week of the Army-Navy game; the Herndon Monument, which is greased with 200 pounds of lard, and plebes boost each other up until one reaches the top. Harm chuckled at that memory. “Legend has it that the midshipman who accomplishes this feat will be the first in the class to make admiral. Needless-to-say, it wasn’t me!”
As they walked past Bancroft Hall, the dorm which houses all the midshipmen, voices could be heard shouting from within the walls. Harm smiled as he realized what it was. “The new class of plebes is getting their introduction to following orders and respecting their senior officers.” Mac smiled as well, remembering her own experiences at boot camp, glad those days were over.
“Well, what do you say we head to the store and get us some groceries?” Harm asked, as they made their way back to their quarters.
“Like we’re even going to agree on food items!” Mac responded, sarcastically.
“Hey, you pick out yours and I’ll pick out mine,” Harm responded, with a grin. “We might actually come to a consensus on some things, you never know!” He was beginning to relax, now that he was in familiar surroundings.
Later as they were loading up the refrigerator with Harm’s vegetables and Mac’s steaks, they heard a voice on the front porch.
“Yoo hoo, anybody home?” A woman with bright red hair, wearing a bright pink blouse and white capri pants stood at the front door.
Mac opened the door and greeted this friendly woman, who promptly walked past Mac into the living room, holding out a covered plate.
“Welcome to the Yard!” the woman exclaimed. On seeing Mac’s confused look, she explained, “That’s what we call the campus grounds of the academy. My name is Millie Young. My husband, Joe, and I live right next door! He’s on the faculty---teaches engineering classes.”
Mac introduced herself. “I’m Sarah MacKenzie and this is Harmon Rabb. We’re with the Judge Advocate General’s office in D.C., here to conduct a six week seminar on military law. But you can call us Mac and Harm.”
“Oh, honey, I know who you are!” Millie drawled in a noticeable southern accent. Texas, Mac guessed. “I just came over to welcome you to the neighborhood and bring you some brownies.” She handed the plate to Harm, who promptly took one and bit into it.
“Ummm---delicious!” Harm said with his mouth full.
“It’s my secret recipe,” Millie purred. “Well, I’m sure you have lots to do to get settled, so I won’t keep you from it. If you need anything, just let us know!” She batted her eyelashes at Harm and wiggled her hips slightly as she went out the door. “Bye, now!”
Mac closed the door and turned to face Harm, who had stopped in the middle of chewing. “It’s my secret recipe,” she mimicked, batting her eyes. “If you need anything, just let me know.”
Harm had to swallow before he burst out laughing. “What in the world was that?”
“Oh, just a little southern hospitality, I reckon,” Mac said. She walked to the kitchen, wiggling her hips in imitation of Millie, which caused Harm to laugh even harder. “Now, sailor, what shall we fix for dinner?”
#
USNA Captain’s Row
Sunday Morning 1000 hours
Mac returned from her morning run to find Harm sitting at the kitchen table, in uniform, drinking coffee and reading the morning paper.
Surprised to see him in uniform, she asked, “Am I forgetting something? Are we supposed to be somewhere today?”
“I thought I’d go to church,” Harm replied, without looking up from the paper.
“You? Church?” Mac asked, flabbergasted.
Harm finally looked up from the paper and smirked, “You don’t have to act so surprised. I used to go to church every Sunday when I was a student here.”
“That’s because it was a requirement back then,” Mac pointed out.
“Even so, I got more out of it than I realized. The chapel is a beautiful setting, and with the new plebes being there and all-----I just thought I’d go, that’s all. Care to join me?” Harm looked at her serenely.
“Do I have time for a quick shower?” Mac asked. When Harm nodded, she hurried into the bathroom and thought, ‘What am I doing? I haven’t been to church in years! This place is starting to have a magical effect on you as well, MacKenzie,’ she told herself.
Later, as they sat in the chapel, Mac looked around in awe at the beautiful architecture of the building. Each stained glass window along the side depicted a biblical story having to do with the sea. The pipes of the organ lined the back of the chapel, and the organist looked like a small insect by comparison. The walls and ceilings were ornately carved, and the front altar, with its stained glass window and blue carpeting was breathlessly beautiful. Mac looked around her at all the new plebes in their white uniforms. They all looked so young, so anxious. It was awe-inspiring to her. Here they were with their whole lives in front of them, their expectations high. ‘How different their lives are than mine was at that age,’ she thought. Then again, she was sure that many had probably overcome similar challenges in their lives as well.
Without staring at him, Mac studied her partner sitting next to her. He had overcome challenges in his life, as well. Many thought that he had it made growing up--living in a beautiful home in La Jolla, getting an appointment to the Naval Academy, becoming a pilot. But she knew better. Losing his father at such an early age plagued his relationship with his mother and stepfather. Not knowing for sure until four years ago if his father had died, he had consistently held out hope that he would return some day. Following in his father’s footsteps had been his quest in life, and Mac knew that was what had driven him to succeed.
Harm glanced over at Mac, who quickly looked away. Thinking she was just overwhelmed by the chapel’s ambiance, he smiled and squeezed her hand. Suddenly, Mac began to see what made her partner tick, and why he felt so strongly about the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment. Those were exactly the things the chaplain was talking about in his sermon. Yes, it was going to be an interesting six weeks!
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