First and foremost, thank you to all who have read my past blog posts and my book, “Homey’s Adventures.”
As promised, I am writing this book as a sequel to the happy ending of my first book. I decided to share this with you. So, without delay here is Chapter 19 of my third book:
Chapter 19 – A Field Day
My dad’s 19th mission was bombing the Kyushu airfields again:
“Hey Shorty, I got another letter from Andy.”
“Did he tell you that he loved you and asked about how you and little Andy are doing?”
My mom sighed: “No he said that they were having a field day killing Jap planes. The Japs are throwing phosphorus at them, and they are shooting them down.”
“My land! I got to read this one.”
Aunt Shorty takes the letter and reads it.
“How are they throwing phosphorus at them?
“Don’t know sis, but that what it says.”
“Some field day. Shooting Jap planes down and getting bomb by phosphorus. Sometimes men have the strangest perspectives about things.”
My mom sniffles a little: “I’m worried sis Not only does that not sound like a field day, but it also sounds awful.”
Aunt Shorty puts her arms around my mom: “It’s going to be okay dear. We will pray that God will protect him. I wish he would tell you how much he loves you and little Andy. It will not be long before little Andy joins us.”
I found wartime intel specifications on the internet for the phosphorus bombs:
After the bomb dropped from the fighter, the fuse burst the central charge and scattered white phosphorous filled steel pellets which ignited on contact with the air. If the phosphorus encountered the B29 plane, it would be hot enough (800 degrees Celsius) to burn through the metal skin of the plane. The phosphorus could also Ignite the magnesium cowling of the engines which would burn up the entire engine and possibly that part of the wing.
The Japanese were clearly trying to find a way to overcome the advantage of speed and attitude of the B29. The Japanese fighters could not fly as high or as fast as the B29.
Unlike me, my dad was not a romantic man. There is not one romantic “I love you” or “I hope you and my child are doing well” in his entire journal. Growing up, I think I resented that my father lack of tenderness towards my mom. As I got older, I realized that it was related to where and how he grew up. My father grew up in northeastern Oklahoma. His father was sheriff. He grew up in a culture more akin to a cowboy culture.
I remember a scene from the end of the western movie “Rio Bravo” with John Wayne (John T.) and Angie Dickinson (Feathers). John is in Feathers’ hotel room at the start of the last scene and Angie is behind a screen dressing when it starts:
Feathers: “Hi, John T., Just a second while I get my shoe. There. “
Feathers comes out from behind the screen looking incredibly hot in an outfit of black silk stockings and a black leotard that barely covers her essentials.
Feathers asks: “It’s all over, isn’t it, John T.?”
John: “Where’d you get those things?”
Feathers: “I wore them the last place I worked.”
John: “Why are you wearing them now?”
Feathers: “Tonight’s a big night.
Feathers: “Consuelo thought a little entertainment might help. I’m going to do a song.”
(Consuelo is the wife of the hotel and bar owner)
John: “You need a rig like that to sing?”
Feathers smiles: “You haven’t heard me sing. My legs aren’t so bad. Consuelo thought these tights might help.
Feathers runs her hands over the shape of her curves and frowns: “But you don’t like them.”
John grimaces: “I didn’t say that.”
Feathers continues her complaint: “You don’t want me to wear them.”
John grimaces again: “I didn’t say that either.”
Feathers angrily teasing: “Is it because they show so much of me?”
John nods his head: “They certainly do that.”
Feathers now angry: “You’re a stubborn man, John T. Sometimes I know what you’re thinking. And other times…. You just can’t make up your mind about me, can you? You like what you see. You like kissing me. You like what you touch. But you decided in the beginning…what kind of a girl I was. And I haven’t helped much. I wore these before I met you. I wanted you to know it…To know what kind of a girl you were getting. I wanted you to get that funny look on your face and tell me not to wear them. But it didn’t work. You didn’t even get mad. I told you once you wouldn’t have to say anything. That I’d know, but I don’t know. So, you’re going to have to talk. I’m hard to get, John. You’re going to have to say you want me.
Feathers starts to head for the door.
John looking puzzled: “Where’re you going?”
Feathers defiantly: “Downstairs.”
John raises his voice a little: “You’d better not.”
Feathers defiantly: “Why had I better not”
John authoritatively: “Because I’m still sheriff. You wear those things in public, I’ll arrest you.”
Feathers resolve melts almost sobbing: “John T. I’ve waited so long for you to say that. I thought you were never…. You have the funniest way of saying things. Just when I think you’re going to say one thing–”
John commands: “Get those darn things off. I’ll wait outside.”
Feathers now nervously talking a mile a minute and walks behind the dressing screen: “No, you don’t have to go. I can use this screen. Besides, I want you to stay here……because the other thing is all over now, isn’t it? I’m trying to hurry, but I’m all thumbs. What I had to go through! Put on these tights. Ask a lot of question……start to walk out. I thought you were never going to say it.
John looking puzzled: “Say what?”
Feathers now sweetly: “That you loved me.”
John retorts: “I said I’d arrest you.”
Feathers: “It means the same thing, you know that.
You just won’t say it. We’re different. I’ll have to get used to you. Me, I just talk all the time.”
John nods his head: “You most certainly do.”
Feathers come from behind the screen with the outfit in her hands, smiles, approaches John and they embrace: “You’ll get used to that. You’ll have to. Either that or start talking, too.”
Feathers sweetly kisses John and pulls back: “Tell me something. These tights, now why didn’t you don’t want me to wear them?”
John: “Because I didn’t want anybody but me to see you in them.”
Feathers broadly smiles: “I like that! You’re getting better already. Shall I save them and wear them just for you?”
John takes the outfit from Feathers and throws it out the window. He pulls Feathers in, and they passionately kiss.
If you have not seen the movie “Rio Bravo,” I strongly recommend it. This is one of John Wayne’s greatest love scenes and Angie Dickerson is incredible as Feathers.
My father was raised in the cowboy old west culture. He did not even think of telling a woman that he loved her. He said it in the only way he could by sending her his journal.
My father nicknamed his older brother Lightning. Anyone who sat down and talked with Lightning had to be patient. He chose his words carefully. You just had to wait until he said them. My dad was more spontaneous and more gregarious. In a lot of ways, my father was more like Will Rogers than a John Wayne character, but the two arose from the same type of culture.
In one month, my mother would give birth to my older brother. I really cannot imagine how stressful the situation was. Pregnancy is hard enough. My dad having a field day with Japanese fighters and phosphorus bombs was unimaginable. I wish I could fully understand what was going on in my mom’s mind. As a man, I confess that I cannot fully understand the situation.
End Of Chapter 19
I encourage anyone who had a parent or grandparent who flew in the B29’s from Tinian Island in 1945 to contact me. Without these heroes protecting our freedoms, we would not be able to celebrate our country’s founding on Independence Day.
Originally, I started this blog as an eclectic mix of what I was thinking during the week and book reviews. I will do some of that too. So, you do not want to miss what follows. Follow my blog to make sure you receive it.
If you do not want to wait that long and you have not read my first book. I encourage you to go to my website, www.homeysadventures.com. You can read the first two chapters for free, and you can also buy it. Or you can buy it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other fine retailers. Just search for it using the words: Homey’s Adventures by Jim Wish.
If you liked this blog post, please click on the like button at the bottom of this page. If you Love my work, then please donate to my future writing:
I liken myself to the Vienna Violinist described in chapter 5 of Homey’s Adventures Too. I play (write) for your enjoyment and mine. God bless you all.
Jimwish.com 