Horizons of Heroes Read online

  HORIZONS OF HEROES

  THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS

  CAMERON N.A. PRICE

  PO Box 221974 Anchorage, Alaska 99522-1974

  [email protected]—www.publicationconsultants.com

  ISBN: 978-1-59433-733-8

  eISBN: 978-1-59433-734-5

  Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2017955432

  Copyright 2017 Cameron N.A. Price

  —First Edition—

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in any form, or by any mechanical or electronic means including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, in whole or in part in any form, and in any case not without the written permission of the author and publisher.

  Manufactured in the United States of America.

  Horizons of Heroes: The Next Twenty Years is based on many true stories and events, lightly salted with spice, that happened over forty years ago. The author has tried to recreate events, locales, and conversations from his memories of them. Names of individuals have been changed to protect their privacy. Additionally, he has changed some identifying characteristics and details such as physical properties, occupations, cities, and countries. Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Any resemblance to actual person(s), living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Horizons of Heroes: The Next Twenty Years copyright 2017. This is the author’s second book following, Horizon of Heroes: Free and Wild copyright 2014. All rights reserved. No part of either book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Acknowledgments

  This book was inspired by many good friends and true stories. My readers also deserve sincere praise for requesting Book Two. A special thanks to my editors who helped polish this book.

  This book was edited by M. Burkhart, J. Kauranen, M. van der Lende, D. Pool, and J. Price.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1:Welcome Home

  Chapter 2:Big El

  Chapter 3:Cameron’s College Years

  Chapter 4:Susan and Big El’s Wedding

  Chapter 5:Cameron’s View on How a Women Knows if it is

  “Real Love”

  Chapter 6:Cameron’s Law School Years

  Chapter 7:Cameron and Michelle’s Wedding

  Chapter 8:Cameron’s Search for Employment

  Chapter 9:Big El and Cameron’s Reunion

  Chapter 10:Cameron in Corporate America

  Chapter 11:Cameron’s Six Degrees of Separation

  Chapter 12:A Tuskegee Airman’s Adventure following World War II

  Chapter 13:Big El is Injured during an Arrest

  Chapter 14:Cameron, the Truth Shall Set You Free

  Character List in Alphabetical Order

  Chapter 1

  Welcome Home

  Sitting in their military aircraft seats, Big El and Cameron laughed hard as they rehashed their many adventures of the past four years. Their friendship had been filled with days of endless laughter, which to them was life’s warmest creation. Now, they were about to land back in the “real world,” or back on American soil.

  The pilot came on the intercom, “Please ensure your seat belts are buckled tightly as we will be on the ground in fifteen minutes. Men, he continued, the Vietnam War is not a popular war, so after we land, change out of your uniform as soon as possible. Good luck to all of you.”

  The aircraft, carrying 120 airmen, made a sharp dive, then landed smoothly on the tarmac at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. The excited men quickly exited the military aircraft and walked to the large white Administration building, where they would be released from military duty. It was a bright, sunny, and brisk November day in 1972. Cameron and Big El chuckled as they saw one airman drop to his knees and kiss the ground. These men were lucky as they had survived the war which had left more than 58,200 US soldiers killed and over 303,500 wounded. Sadly, nearly 2,600,000 U.S. soldiers were deployed to South Vietnam and the total military and civilian casualties from the United States and Vietnam numbered nearly 5,500,000.

  Big El and Cameron were the last airmen to leave the plane. Moments after stepping off the plane, they noticed a large band. It started playing the air force theme song by Robert Crawford:

  “Off we go into the wild blue yonder, climbing high into the sun;

  Here they come zooming to meet our thunder, at ‘em boys. Give ‘er the gun now!

  Down we dive, spouting our flame from under, Off with one helluva roar!

  We live in fame or go down in flame.

  Hey! Nothing’ll stop the U.S. Air Force!”

  Cameron noticed that the band was led by his old friend Doug, from basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, who had wanted to play the saxophone in the military band. Cameron had helped motivate him to pass the make, or, break timed track event. Failure would have resulted in his washout from the service. Here he was living his dream leading the military band. Cameron smiled at Doug for the very nice honor. Good friends were for life!

  “Cam, I have been tracking your locations with the hope that someday I could repay you for saving my career. I am indebted to you forever. I asked the captain, when I learned that you would be coming to McGuire, for permission to lead the band today. Captain obtained approval from the base commander. Cam, you are home, but I have to tell you that you must have done amazing things overseas for the commander to approve the request.” With tears flowing down his face, he gave Cameron a big hug. Doug went on to spend 20 years leading military bands throughout the United States. Prior to retiring, he was assigned to the White House. When asked by the President, “What was your greatest moment in your career as the best band instructor in the military?” He replied, “Well, sir, I don’t know about being the best, but the answer is easy. If it wasn’t for the action of an airman years ago who believed in me and pushed me during basic training, I would not be here.”

  In the Administration building, Big El and Cameron processed out of the service receiving good conduct awards and honorable discharges. There were no purple hearts, bronze, or silver stars or other medals for them as military spys do not receive such medals. Prior to leaving the building, they walked into a mandatory class on veteran employment opportunities.

  “Men, as you transition to civilian life, jobs are going to be difficult to secure. There are three jobs that I urge you to consider: refrigerator repair, air conditioning, and wedding photography. They all pay well and you should have no trouble landing a job in these fields,” Big El and Cameron thanked the sergeant for his recommendation.

  They walked out of the building, free men. The high fives continued between the men. Then, there she was leaning against Big El’s powder blue Camaro muscle car. Susan was absolutely beautiful. Cameron had never seen Big El move so fast as when he ran to Susan. They kissed passionately while he lifted her off the ground twirling her around and around. Her hair and dress twinkling in the sunlight. She started crying as she was so happy. He tried to wipe away her tears but the flood gates had opened.

  Cameron was witnessing true love firsthand. Susan and Big El loved each other so much. Months, make that years, of separation had only made their love stronger. Big El slowly put Susan back on the ground and said, “You are the love of my life.”

  Susan, wiping away the tears, hugged and kissed Cameron on the
cheek and said, “Thank you so very much for bringing my Elston back to me.”

  “Susan,” said Cam, “there was absolutely nothing that could have kept Big El from returning to you. I am so happy to share this magic moment watching you both.” They all laughed. It was great to be home.

  Cameron knew that Big El had given up a possible professional career as a Hollywood comic or movie star to follow his heart. Nothing mattered but Susan.

  Susan was a nurse and worked about 10 miles from her parents’ house. She had graduated from University of Rhode Island with a nursing degree and was now working at the Rhode Island Hospital. She loved putting smiles on her patients’ faces.

  “Okay, Cameron, you ride shotgun and Susan, you sit in the middle. We are going to stay at Susan’s parents’ house for a few days.”

  Driving his powerful Camaro, it still took approximately four hours to reach Susan’s parents’ home in rural Rhode Island. Heading up the long asphalt drive-way, Big El suddenly stopped his car and rolled down the window. He yelled, “Sano roo, Nikki, sano roo!” Nikki was a giant Siberian husky who ran up to the car with a wailing greeting: “Sano roo.” Everyone jumped out of the car laughing and petting Nikki. Nikki obviously remembered Big El and danced lovingly around him, almost doing flips.

  Susan’s brother, Larry Junior, came out of the house drinking a beer. Larry worked at a car parts dealership. He knew how to fix cars and make them fly. “What the crap, you made it out of the war alive. Good for you Elston. Nice meeting you Cameron, wanna beer?”

  “In a minute,” said Cameron.

  Next out was Granny. Granny had moved to America from Finland when she was about 19. She was approximately 90 years old now, had a delightful Finnish accent, and moved like a track star. She ran up to Cameron and said enthusiastically, “My favorite drink is peach schnapps. Have you tried schnapps?”

  “No,” said Cameron.

  “I will get you a glass. You will love it.”

  She ran back into the house.

  Next were Betty and Larry Senior. Cameron learned from Larry that they had purchased the nearly twenty-acre lot over 30 years ago and Larry had built the beautiful brick home all by himself. They also built a huge sauna next to a large pond called Schnapps’ Pond. The log fire sauna could hold ten people and they could raise the temperature up to approximately 220 degrees. “We will take you down there tonight,” said Big El. “To get you mentally prepared, think in terms of having a beer and pouring cold water over a hot fire. The hot steam fills the sauna until you see the Finnish angel called, Lordie Lordie Lordie! Then you walk to the pond, which is now covered in ice. We have to cut a hole in the ice where you jump in. As quickly as you jump in, he continued, “you jump out and run back to the sauna for another beer, and then the process repeats itself.”

  Betty asked Cameron, “Have you ever had Krispy Cringle? It’s a Finnish dish.”

  “Sounds wonderful,” said Cameron with a pleasing smile.

  Granny came back with two glasses of peach schnapps. “Here, Cameron, take a slug and let me know what you think.” As she sat next to Cameron, she put one arm around him. “My Cameron, you are certainly built strong. Are those muscles all over your body?” She squeezed him with delight.

  Cameron laughed, as he could tell that ole’ granny liked him. He took a slug of peach schnapps and said, “Granny, this is wonderful!”

  Dinner was ready and they were all called to the dinner table. Granny said, “I want Cameron to sit next to me.”

  Everyone laughed as Granny was a happy lady.

  Larry Junior, said, “Hey brother, you my brother from now on.”

  Cameron asked Larry Senior how he met Betty. He smiled and said, “We first met at a rural formal country ball about 35 years ago. I was wearing a suit, which I hate to wear, and I was loosening my tight collar when I noticed this vision of loveliness. It was Betty. She was wearing a beautiful pink gown and was a very pretty lady. After two or three drinks, I got up the courage to ask her to dance. The band was playing loudly as I approached Betty. I tapped her on her shoulder. I was so nervous that when she turned to look at me that I let out the biggest and loudest fart ever heard, just as the band stopped playing. Everyone, I mean everyone, heard that fart. I smiled, and loudly said, “That is quite all right, my dear. I will tell everyone that it was me that farted.” Betty was so embarrassed that she nearly fainted. To say the least, she remembered me when I called on her the next week. She said that she had never laughed so hard and she had to give me a chance. We got married two years later.”

  Later that night they went down to Schnapps’ Pond for a fantastic sauna. The air was crisp and the pond was frozen. They cut a hole in the ice. The Finnish tradition of hot sauna and drinks should be considered by many Americans, as it so relaxing. Larry Junior brought his girlfriend. “I thought I could drink he said, but Elston and Cameron, you guys can really drink.”

  Big El said, “After stomping grapes, we became grand connoisseurs of wine and when no wine was available we turned to our favorites, Johnny Walker and Jack Daniels.”

  The next evening, Susan, Big El, and Cam went to Big El’s favorite restaurant, the Oak Plank Brew House, where his friend Happy was working. When Happy saw Big El, he worked his way across the restaurant and said “Elston, I missed you my friend!”

  “And I missed you too, Happy,” said Big El. “You remember my girlfriend, Susan, and this is my best buddy Cameron. We survived the war together.”

  “Nice meeting you, Cameron.”

  “I’m going to take good care of you this evening. Cameron, do you want to taste the best steak and lobster in America?”

  “Absolutely and it is great to meet you,” Cameron replied.

  “Happy, also, please bring us two Jacks and one Johnny Red on the rocks.”

  “You got it. I will be back in a flash,” said Happy, thrilled at seeing an old friend after such a long time.

  Cameron walked slowly to the men’s room exploring this very special rustic restaurant. The lovely cedar furnishings were beautifully adorned with many plants, trees, and flowers. On the way back he saw Susan and Big El hugging and kissing. Happy had now returned with the drinks so Cam returned to the table. Susan held up a glass and said, “I would like to propose a toast. Here’s to the new Mod Squad.” The Mod Squad was a 1970s hit TV series featuring a white man and woman and a black man who shared incredible adventures.

  “Susan, you may never have realized it, but you made our platoon of 50 service men, some of the happiest men in the world. When our men first saw you by the Administration building in Texas, you gave each of them hope that if they could survive the Vietnam war they might someday find a beautiful woman. Our men did not want to die and you inspired them to serve their country and protect themselves from an early demise.”

  “Oh, you are so kind,” she said, “but I was just a young gal wearing the best outfit I could afford, taking a gamble that I might see Big El, who seemed worth waiting for.”

  Happy outdid himself as he brought out three 36 ounce steaks and six huge lobsters plus the biggest baked potatoes and salads. Everyone thanked him and ordered more drinks.

  When Susan went to the ladies’ room, Big El said, “Cam, why don’t you live here with us? We could have so much fun together and I am certain you can get a job.” Cam knew that Big El really wanted him to stay.

  “Big El, I have some unfinished business I must complete. As mentioned in San Sabina, I have to return to Seattle to complete college. Along the way, I want to see Abrianna and maybe Amy to see if the passion is still there. Also, I may look up Sharon to see if I am still in love with her.”

  “Okay buddy, I understand.” Big El leaned over to Cam and whispered, “Do me a favor. If you see Trista, tell her I died in a car accident in Greece. I feel her love and I need it to stop.”

  “Big El, are you sure? Nothing happened between you two so all you have to do is to tell her it is all over.”

  “I am sure, buddy,
thanks.”

  “Big El, now it is your turn to show Susan what a great catch and good provider you are going to be by landing that State Trooper’s job. Someday, I hope to find love like you have with Susan.”

  “Elston,” said Happy, “the boss says dinner is on us and welcome home!”

  Big El, Susan, and Cam all hugged Happy.

  Driving up the drive-way at Susan’s parent’s house, Cameron leaned out the window and yelled, “Sano roo, Nikki, Sano roo! Nikki barked out “sano roo sano roo” and ran up to Cameron.

  The next morning after a delicious serving of Krispy Cringle, plus a garlic and onion omelet and a plate of sliced watermelon, Granny gave Cameron a kiss on the cheek. “We will miss you when you leave today and look forward, god willing, to your next visit.”

  “On your next visit,” said Big El, “I want you to meet my side of the family, who live near Boston.”

  Then Larry Senior, came forward holding an arrow and said, “do you have a moment, Cam?”

  Cameron followed him into another room. “As a young man,” said Larry. “I got to go hunting for big moose and fishing for king salmon in Alaska. A Native Alaskan gave me this arrow and I want to give it to you. His message and my message to you are simple. In all life’s dealings, fly straight as an arrow.”

  Cameron took the arrow and hugged Larry. “Thank you for your warm hospitality. I promise to fly straight as an arrow. I really look forward to seeing you again.”

  Cameron’s bags were packed and Big El and Susan gave him a ride to the Greyhound station.

  The moment had come where they would be going in different directions. This was a day that they had hoped would never come. Now their great friendship would be tested. This could be a very sad moment, but they knew that they would see each other again soon. “Long live Camel,” said Cam.