“That was quick. When did you go to Gate 2 Street Rick?"
"You bastards. Payback is going to be hell for that one Naylor." Rick threatened with a friendly smile.
"So tell us about her, Rick"
"No. I only met her Sunday. Bought her a drink and dinner and I was back on base to meet you at the NCO club as I said I would Bob."
"Now it's dinner. First thing this morning he just had supper with her. Now he's buying her dinner, Bob. Draw your own conclusions." Don expounded.
By 1030 the crew chiefs had finished their preflight and the flight crew had the tanker ready to leave.
1100 hours and no word from command post to start engines so crew chiefs and flight crew sat around on the ramp enjoying the morning sun. They had left the junior copilot in the cockpit to monitor the radio.
By 1115 the A/C was getting impatient and told the copilot to call the CP and find out if they could provide them with a wheels up time or at least get a status of the Marine F4 that they were supposed to refuel.
Finally at 1200 hours the CP said to stand down. The F4 had never taken off and wouldn't be taking off any time soon.
"Okay guys, let's call it a day and go downtown." The pilot said and the crew started to gather their gear in anticipation of a bus coming to take them to the BOQ.
"So much for a day off" Bob Kruse said when he arrived at 3653. "Get your gear down and button her up. Your off until 0500 tomorrow. Then you're going to fly a round robin to UT, Guam and be back here early afternoon on Thursday. I'll take you guys to the barracks."
Just before Kruse pulled up in front of the enlisted barracks he asked both crew chiefs. "You guys want to meet me at the NCO Club for supper? I get off at 1700."
"Why not. You in Don?" Rick asked "1800 at the club?"
TEN
The round robin trip was basically uneventful. 3653 performed almost flawlessly. A minor hydraulic leak kept them on the ground at UT for 40 minutes longer than expected but with Don and Rick taking off wing panels for the hydraulic shop a hydraulic line with a small rub spot in it was found and replaced quickly.
Rick started all four engines and ran the hydraulic system through its paces and was satisfied that all was well. He was about to shut down the engines when the flight crew arrived and the pilot motioned to him to just shut down engines 3 and 4 to facilitate replacing a wing panel and for the copilot to get in his seat while the pilot and Rick did a fast walk around and loaded the flight crew's gear aboard 3653.
It was 1300 on Thursday, 8/24 when he and Naylor came off the tanker to meet Kruse.
"I'll do the forms, Rick. Go ahead and get out of here." Don said as he took the aircraft forms from Rick and sat down by the nose gear to read them and make any entries that had to be done.
Rick jumped on the base shuttle bus to Gate 2 Street with the intention of getting something to eat and cruise the pawn shops. He wanted to get a Panasonic portable radio which he could keep on the tanker without feeling bad if it was stolen somewhere in his travels.
Rick walked down Gate 2 Street towards BC Street and only got as far as the Goya restaurant before his hunger pangs overwhelmed his desire to find a cheap radio. He went to a small table with just two chairs next to a front window so he could watch the people walking up and down BC Street. There were a few airman from Kadena on the street with a small mix of Navy and Marines from outlying bases. It was easy to tell the difference. The sailors and particularly the Seabees, had short hair and the Marines had what they called 'white side-walls'. Though they had some hair on the top of their heads, from the line at the bottom of their uniform hats down were hairless. In many cases shaved just like their beards and a tan line showed where their hats ended.
There were some couples amongst the walkers. Many of them were mixed couples of GI and Okinawan girls. A few round-eye couples who were either married or members of the military. He watched several Okinawan girls in pairs or alone hurrying along the street before disappearing into one of the many bars, small stores, pawn shop or restaurants lining the street. He watched an Okinawan girl coming across the street and felt that he had seen her before. He lost sight of her when she reached the sidewalk on the Goya's side of the street and continued to watch for her to come back into his vision.
At the same time as the waitress came to take his order, the restaurant's front door opened catching Rick's eye. Sure she's familiar. Is she looking for me? He felt an upsurge of hope that Kim was in fact coming to meet him, but he also realized that she might not care if he was there or not. She might have already forgotten about him.
Kim knew exactly where he was sitting and looked directly at him. They made eye contact both breaking into smiles when she started across the restaurant towards him.
He watched and appreciated the small, but nicely put together girl walking towards him.
With her now familiar smile she spoke when she reached his table. "My turn to buy lunch."
Then with a smile she spoke to the waitress. "Chotto matte kudasai."
The waitress smiled and nodded before walking over to a table of two GIs to take their orders.
"Can I join you? I’ve been waiting for you. Hoping you would get time off and come to Koza."
"Please, sit down. I'm glad to see you, Kim. I was going to stop in the bar after I ate, hoping you would be there."
"You flew yesterday, neh."
"Yeah. And were on standby today until almost 1200 this morning. Then I came here to get something to eat and see if I could find you.
"I knew that you were flying and would not be here last night. I didn't come to the Palms last night. After class yesterday, I went shopping in Naha, then spent the night at home with my sobo. That is my grandmother. I came to Koza about an hour ago, then I watched to see if you would be here."
"You must be psychic to know I was flying."
"I just knew. Early yesterday morning before I got out of bed I felt that you were leaving the island."
"I guess that I should have gone to the bar first after I left the base. I was not sure that you would remember or even care whether I did or not."
"I do care and hoped to see you even for a little bit of time today. I won't go back to the bar if you want to spend the afternoon with me. Go to a movie, or maybe I can show you some of my home. Okinawa I mean."
"I'd like that. Maybe see more of the island than BC Street and Kokusai Dori."
"What would you like to see? We can take a taxi or ride the Okinawan buses anywhere that we want to go."
Rick thought and was interrupted when the waitress came back to their table.
"Would you like to try some yakamesa today and share some sushi again?" Kim asked him.
"Yakamesa? That's fried rice?"
"Hai. It is. And you want chicken with it, neh?"
Rick smiled, got brave and answered in what he thought was the correct Japanese words. "Hai, yakamesa and sushi would be great, dozo."
"Kim smiled, gave their order to the waitress before turning her smiling face back to Rick. "You are learning Japanese, neh?"
"Hai. I'm trying. Hai is yes and neh is do you agree?"
"Hai. A good start at learning and I'm glad and impressed that you are trying to learn my language."
"I doubt if I'll ever get as good speaking Japanese as you speak English, and I don't think that I will be able to speak but a few words to anybody but you."
"Oh? Why is that?
And thank you for telling me my English is so good, I try very hard but the only Americans that I can practice on are GIs and I'm not too sure how smart some of them are."
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a shy person. Especially around pretty women."
"Really? I hadn't noticed. We have never had any trouble talking though we don't know much about nor have known each other very long.
Does that mean that you don't think that I'm a pretty woman?" Kim smiled letting him know th
at she hadn't taken offense, but wasn't letting him get away with such a statement all together.
"Oh, hell. I'm sorry. I didn't mean you. I think that you are a very pretty girl who makes me wonder why she is interested in someone older than herself."
Still smiling, Kim retorted. "A girl? Interested in an older man? How old do you think I am? I think I'm older than you think I am."
"I think that I'll just shut up and maybe I can stay out of trouble." Rick retorted.
Their food came and they were quiet for several minutes. Rick watched Kim manipulate her chopsticks and tried to emulate her which brought a burst of giggles from across the table.
"What's so funny?"
"Here." Kim took his hand and wrapped his fingers around the chopsticks, held his hand and chopsticks with her left hand while with her right hand started to eat some of his fried rice. "Take your time, Rick-san. There is no hurry especially for a learner."
"Yes, Teacher. Thank you" He smiled and was rewarded by a bright and friendly smile on her face.
"You did not answer my questions. You are not getting a reprieve because we're eating."
"What were the questions, again."
"Rick Davis-san." Kim spoke in mock frustration. "You know what I asked you. Now answer me. Dozo? Please, My Dear?"
"Yes, yes. I know the questions.
I think that you are about 20 years old, which makes you a woman, but very close to being a girl in my way of thinking.
I'm 32. That makes me 12 years older than you. I guess that could be taken as an older man depending on your culture and way of thinking."
Kim was laughing and was having a hard time stifling her outburst so she could answer Rick. "Really, it is only 8 years. I'm 23 now and will be 24 in January.
When is your birthday?"
"October 20th. I'll be 32."
"So you are 8 and one half years older than I am. Thank you for thinking I am still a girl. A woman always wants to remain a girl whether she admits it or not. To me personally, 8 or 9 years between us does not make you an older man. Also, on Okinawa such a difference either way, is not important. I could be 8 or 9 years older than you and it would be acceptable."
"I stand corrected. I didn't mean to belittle you or think less of you, Kim. You know that, yes?"
"Are you ready to go? I think that we should go to Naha. I want to show you my school. The University of the Ryukyus. and where, if you would like, you could meet me when I don't come to BC Street."
"You won't get in trouble and lose your job or something in the bar if you don't go back?"
With a small laugh and kind of a crooked little smile Kim took his hand as they went out the door of the restaurant.
"You didn't pay?'
"No. They charge it to the bar.
I won't have any trouble if we go to Naha. My oba owns the bar."
"Oba?"
"My aunt. She is my father's sister. I am not really a bar girl. I am the cashier and sometimes tend bar when Kayoko, you saw her the day you picked me up, tending bar."
Rick started to speak, but Kim stepped off the curb to hail a cab.
"Hey, Kim. Why don't we grab the base shuttle bus to Gate #1 and we can catch a cab there to Naha."
"You do not mind taking me on base?"
"Of course not. Why should I? You're my tomodachi and girlfriend."
"I'm your girlfriend? For sure?"
"Do you want to be?" Rick asked her as Kim hurried to catch up to him. She took his hand again and they walked towards the base gate.
"You walk so fast. My short legs have a hard job to stay up with you. Of course I want to be your girl friend. But how do we know we want to be. This is only the second time we have been together."
"Nice way to find out isn't it?"
"Yes."
The bus came just a couple of minutes after they went in the gate. When they sat down in the back of the almost empty bus, Kim leaned over and pressed her head on Rick's shoulder speaking so low that he had to lean down to hear her. "Rick, I want to be your girlfriend, but I have never slept with a GI. Or made love to a GI. Do you mind if we wait?"
He placed his arm across her slim shoulders and drew her closer against him. "I think it is a little too soon to think about sleeping together. After awhile, if that is what we want, we can talk about it."
"GIs always want Okinawan girl friends that they can stay with overnight or to live with as long as they are on Okinawa. That is why they come to the bar and buy the nesans drinks and pay to take them home or to a hotel. It's okay because the nesans need the money and the GIs need to be men."
"As I remember correctly, it was you who picked me up. I was minding my own business listening to the music and enjoying my drink."
"Hai. You are correct. I was not needed to be the cashier and I wanted to talk to you. It was nice wasn't it?"
"Yes it was. But why talk to me?"
"Because you were quiet and seemed very nice. You weren't paying any attention to the nesans. I knew you were a bit older than I was, but you didn't wear a ring like married GIs sometimes do."
"What will your family think about you having an American boyfriend?
We have to get off the bus here." He told her.
"You have never rode the bus across the base?"
"No. I was only on the base once before. A baby-san airman took me to the club one night. He was so young and quiet I liked him when he came into the bar. He never tried to buy any of the nesans drinks, or take any of them to a hotel. I thought he would be nice to me. I was only 18 years old, but in the base club he bought me drinks and no one seemed to care. Then he wanted me to go to a hotel with him. I said no and had to walk from the club to the gate, then to the bar because he would not leave the club and take me home. He said that since he took me out and bought me dinner and drinks that I should fuck him. That is not a nice word, I know, but that is what he said.
Before you, he is the only American that I have ever gone anywhere with." Kim's voice trailed off and she changed the subject.
"My obasan and oba also, have told me I have been a very nice girl not to get involved with a GI or even an Okinawan boy. But they have been concerned that maybe I have put too much time into work and going to school.
They will learn what a nice person you are and say, 'smart girl' You picked a nice GI."
"What are you taking? Majoring in?"
"I have already completed a minor in English. I will have enough credits at the end of December in 1969 to graduate my major of Philosophy.
I want to help my Okinawans have a better education and understand their world."
"You have to get your degree. No questions, no matter what happens between us. That is not up for discussion."
"You really care that I get my degree? I have never told you about what I want, but you want me to do it?"
"Yes. For sure."
ELEVEN
"Let's catch an Okinawan bus. Can we ride one all the way to Naha?" Rick asked as they walked hand in hand out the air base gate and went towards the civilian bus stop on Highway #1.
"Honto. It is the long way around, but we can change buses in Futenma and take one that goes through the area where there are farms. It goes to Nishihara where my home is, which is not far from the University. Maybe next time we will catch the bus in Koza. It would be more direct."
Rick wasn't sure what to expect once they left the area of the base and BC Street, but Kimi again took his hand after they changed buses in Futenma. As they moved half way to the back of the bus to find a seat. "You sit next to the window so you can see more. I have passed over these roads many times and can tell you where we are." Kim said before she sat next to him on the outside seat and slid close so her hip was against his. The seats on the bus were smaller than an American bus since the Okinawans and Japanese people were smaller than the average Americans.
Coming down a lon
g hill Rick caught glimpses of the blue/green ocean and white breakers coming over the coral reefs and amongst the darker green of the trees the red tile roofs of a small town.
"What's this town, Kimi?"
"It is Nakagusuku. The water is Nakagusuku Bay. Way out there is the Philippine Sea. Watch and in a minute we will see where the Okinawans make salt. See? They have built pools of salt water in the sand. The sun evaporates the water.
There. That white sand is really salt. They will scrape it up and package it to sell."
"It looks like a very old town. It survived the invasion?"
"Parts of it did. Most parts have been rebuilt using the first stones. I think that is the wrong word. Original stone? That is correct?"
"Yes, that's the right way to say it. What is that growing in those big fields?"
"It's sugar cane. It grows really well here on the island. See those chimneys a long ways in front of us?"
"Yeah. I've seen something like that somewhere else. Maybe in Hawaii?"
"You're probably right. It is a sugar plant. They take the sugar cane there and make sugar. It smells really bad when they are processing the cane."
The bus stayed on the road which followed the coastline for a few more miles passing through several very small villages and many fields with crops growing in them.
That is cabbage in the first field. Behind it is field of onion. The sukoshi plot next to the farmers home has daikon. Radish you call it. It is for the farmer's okusan to use. You can see this is mostly farmland. Some of the fields are very large. They're used to raise vegetables to sell in the city and to the American bases."
"We call them truck farms."
"I think I have heard that term used.
This is Nishihara. My home is just a little ways up the hill. We will get off the bus here and walk there. Then later we can catch a bus to Shuri where the University is."
A few steps from where they left the bus was a typical Okinawan style store. The whole front bordering on the street was open. Two or three glass showcases lined the front making a wall of sorts, but still managing to display the store's wares. Pots, pans, and other cooking utensils as well as clothing hung from the walls and ceiling allowing just narrow walkways through the merchandise. A glass fronted cooler stood against the back wall which divided the store from the owner's home. Inside the cooler were maybe a dozen bottles of Orion the locally brewed Okinawan beer. A dozen mixed bottles of Coke, grape and orange soda, next to several quarter and half liter bottles of milk lined the right side of the cooler. Beside the milk bottles was a basket full of brown shelled hen's eggs. Next to the basket was a ceramic bowl with five eggs and a small sign in Kanji on it.