Just a Story Ch. 06

Catrina: "Lisa, this got started when Commander Troy called out KXTC for packing up after the Democrat announcement but before the Republican one. What does that say about KXTC's reporting?"

Lisa Fillmore: "One thing KXTC and the SNN Networks absolutely cannot allow their viewers to see is a beautiful, strong, confident, independent black woman running for office as a Republican. They absolutely were not going to show Katina Jones's announcement, and the packing up like that was an additional insult, like giving her the finger or something. And what's more, they don't care about anyone else's evaluation of it. Yes, they are biased, they are dishonest, and they are corrupt... and they don't care."

Lisa: "The Mainstream Media, which KXTC is very much a part of, does not care about reporting a story fairly and accurately. They believe it is their right and their job to tell their viewers what to think. They think it is their prerogative to do whatever they need to in order to get the candidates they want elected, and they do that by showing what they think you should see, and hiding and suppressing what they don't want you to see. And what they don't want you to see is a successful black person leaving the Democrat Plantation of dependence and helplessness."

Catrina: "Greg, Edward Steele was on the Charter Commission with Edna Carter and Commander Troy, and he was on the stage with them, though he did not speak. He did speak for Katina Jones, who is running for the District 3 Council seat he currently holds. Sheriff Griswold also stood with Mrs. Carter and Ms. Jones. And Donald Troy, the Iron Crowbar, stood with both. Does that give us any hope of bipartisanship, of finding ways to come together instead of the increasingly hateful, violent rhetoric the Parties are spewing at each other right now?"

Greg Wallace: "Don't get your hopes up. People have wondered for years why T-Square and Sheriff Griswold seem to have a close relationship, and we have no answer. T-Square's niece is Commander Troy's daughter, so they have that in common. Edward Steele and Commander Troy are good friends, their wives are Department Heads on the University Faculty, and their daughters are in school together. So those are personal relationships, not political ones."

Wallace: "Commander Troy especially is an anomaly. If you call him a Republican, he will very quickly correct you and tell you he is not. He's clearly not a Democrat, either, and my point is that he will not let you define him and put him into one box or the other, which is what happens to most people politically."

Wallace: "He does not fall into lockstep with Republicans on a number of issues, and he is passionately against the Democrats on some issues, like gun rights. And because of that, the Establishments of both Parties hate him, for being an independent thinker. And the Press loathes him, because he refuses to play their game by their rules."

Lisa Fillmore: "I agree with some of that, especially that you have to be in lockstep with the Party you're in, or else you're a pariah. The abortion issue, for example. If you don't believe life begins the moment the man has the woman's bra unhooked, the Republicans will ostracize you; if you don't believe in abortion up to birth at nine months, the Democrats will demonize you. There is no middle ground, and that extends to other issues."

Lisa: "Where I disagree with you, Greg, is on the Press and Commander Troy. He has sent reporters to prison when he's had the opportunity, and they have done everything in their power to harm him, including putting his daughter in a warehouse full of explosives to kill her, just so they could see him in pain." (Author's note: 'Teresa's Christmas Finale'.)

Lisa: "It is personal between the Press and Donald Troy. They are out to destroy him, like they tried to destroy me, like they tried to destroy you, Dana. He lives rent-free in their heads, and I was told once that Amber Harris and Bettina Wurtzburg allegedly both admitted that they wake up every morning asking themselves what they can do to harm Donald Troy. But unlike many, that are either unable or unwilling to withstand being 'canceled' by the Press, Donald Troy fights back, and he pulls no punches..."

Part 14 - Party People

Friday, December 10th. The University President's annual Christmas reception was this evening. Laura and I had been invited; since she was a Department Head, it would have been unacceptable for her to not have been invited.

Still, Celeste Moore, or whoever was handling those things for her, made the invitation as rude as possible. It said merely 'Dr. Fredricson Plus One', instead of calling and finding out who Dr. Fredricson's date would be; indeed, Professor Stephanie Steele's invitation had 'Councilperson Edward R. Steele and Professor Stephanie Steele'.

Todd Burke's invitation had 'Trustee Todd Burke Plus One', as well. And both Todd's and Laura's invitations had on them, written in by hand, 'civilian attire only please', a direct shot at me and Teresa. I found out later that the Professor of Military Science, the head of Army ROTC, also had that written on his invitation.

Laura was a Rebel with a Cause. She said she wanted me to wear my uniform, even if just my Duty Dress uniform with 'boxes', a step down from ribbons, which was a step down from medals. But as we were dressing in the otherwise empty Mountain Nest (everyone else was at The Cabin), I began dressing in a civilian suit and red tie, to my wife's amazement... and anger. And that's when the fight started.

Well, more of an argument. "Aren't you going to wear your uniform, like I asked you to?"

"They might not let us in." I replied whimsically. "Not that I would mind that, of course."

"Oh, they'll let us in." Laura said "You have no idea of the holy hell I will raise if they don't."

Well, that didn't work, I thought to myself. So I said "Okay, then... I have two reasons I would rather not wear my uniform tonight." This was virtually unheard of; I almost always wear my uniform when I can as well as when I should.

Me: "First, I just don't want to pick that particular fight right now. And second, I want to make observations and deductions of everyone there, and that will be easier to do if I'm wearing civvies, because they won't be reacting to me as a Police Officer in uniform."

"Do whatever you want, then." Laura said dismissively, then turned away.

As she walked towards the bedroom door, I said "Laura... Laura!" She had tried to ignore me, but finally turned her head. I looked her dead in the eye and said "Is there a problem here?"

She turned to face me and said "If you don't want to wear your uniform, even though I asked you to, then don't."

"That's not good enough." I said strongly, holding her blue eyes with my gray peepers. "You're obviously upset about it. Why? What's going on here?"

Laura said "If you must know: after that insulting invitation Celeste Moore sent, I think it's very, very important to push back, and throw it in her face. But if you don't want to... fine."

Any astute husband knows that when his wife says 'fine'... it's not 'fine'. But it was getting too late for me to change, I needed my formal uniform for the Fireman's Ball the next evening, and I still had my same reasons. "Let's get going, then." I said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was Patricia Allgood's sixth (sixth!) birthday, so we drove up to the Allgood's home and delivered Patricia's gifts to her, one being a wrapped gift of Barbie doll accessories, and the other Carole and Marie's hand-drawn booklet, which heavily featured Patricia and Bowser's daughter Dorothy.

We drove in silence to the University President's home. I parked my Police SUV in the 'Authorized Vehicles Only' lot nearby (it is good to be the Police Commander), in case I had to leave and get out quickly. I saw Teresa's Police SUV in the same lot, and parked next to it.

I was going to go around and open the door for Laura, but she got on out of the vehicle before I could get around to it. We walked around to the front of the building and went inside. The 'butler' calling the names said 'Commander Troy and Dr. Fredricson', and we went into the main reception room.

Waiting near the entrance for us were Todd and Teresa. He was wearing a suit and tie, like I was, but his tie was Bulldogs blue, while mine was (dontcha know) Wildcat red. Teresa was wearing a dark blue dress, not full formal like Laura's black dress and jewelry, but dressy enough.

Teresa said "We saw you coming up the road, so we waited for you before getting in line." I nodded, and saw Laura's look... as if she'd expected Teresa to be in uniform. I'd already talked to Teresa, and told her I was wearing civvies.

I guided Laura towards the reception line, with Todd and Teresa following. The line was virtually non-existent, and we were greeted quickly. "Hello, Doctor, Commander." said President Moore, his voice as stiff and formal as mannerisms as he shook her hand then my hand almost perfunctorily. "You know Celeste."

"How good of you to come." Celeste Moore said with studied if not forced politeness. "Oh, what a very nice suit, Commander. But a red tie? Not blue, like the School or even the Police Force?"

"It's Christmassy." I replied. "And it's the color of my alma mater." Celeste's look was a mix of displeasure and 'touché' at my reply. We moved on, and I heard Celeste compliment Teresa's civilian dress. I could feeeeel Laura's an-gerrrrr, to quote Emperor Palpatine.

Laura said "I should've told you, but I forgot: this is not a Christmas party. Like most rabidly Leftwing people, Celeste Moore despises both Christmas and Hanukkah. This is a (air quotes) 'Winter Solstice' reception."

I said "That is literally what Adolph Hitler did when the Nazis were in power in the 1930s... they called the Season the 'Winter Solstice' celebration. And I threw the Christmas theme in her face, just like you wanted me to."

I could feeeeel my wife's an-gerrrrr at that. And I was not obeying the rule that when in a deep hole, stop digging.

Laura was moving towards a group of people that had collected themselves together. Edward and Stephanie Steele, Dr. Clarence P. Chase and his wife, Dr. Lawrence Woodrow and his wife, Dr. Marvin Milton and... Maggie Ross?!?!

"We were babysitting Louise and Marty (the Milton kids) during the Orange Order walk." Maggie told me as Dr. Milton spoke with Laura. "We had a very nice evening talking together. Marvin asked me to lunch last Sunday, and then asked if I wanted to attend this function with him, and I accepted."

"Good!" I said. "I'm glad you came." After some more small talk, I noticed our little 'group' had gotten larger. The Maestro, Dr. Wolfgang Strauss of the School of Music, had come up to us with his date, Dr. Nicole Haven of the School of Art. Between them, I thought to myself, they were the equal of what Marie Steele was becoming in both music and art.

As Laura spoke to them, I spoke to Campus Police Commissioner and Provost Marshal Bob 'Brick' Briscoe. He normally wore civilian clothes, but tonight he was wearing his Campus Police uniform, which looked similar to the SBI's rarely-seen formal uniform. His 'fruit salad' of ribbons included his ribbons from his service with the TCPD, which was something of a faux pas, as it was unauthorized. But I let it pass.

Briscoe had a look of confusion. "You're not wearing your uniform, Commander?" he asked. "Your wife said you were going to."

That told me volumes. Laura had expected me to be wearing my uniform, and apparently she wanted Teresa and Briscoe to wear theirs as well. Briscoe had been glared at by the Moores when he went through the reception line, and he was miffed that he was 'out of place' by being the only person wearing a uniform. And he retaliated by throwing my wife under the proverbial bus with his comment.

"No." I said "I'm going to be wearing it at the Fireman's Ball tomorrow night---"

Just then another man came up to us, wearing a civilian suit. He was very short, no more than 5'5" tall, and he had a stocky, barrel-chested frame, not unlike Micah Rudistan. He was clean shaven except for a small brush mustache that, like his hair, was black flecked with a lot of gray. That hair was a mix of black and gray, perhaps deliberately so, and it was cut into a near-high-and-tight on the sides, and a flat-top on top. I humorously thought that he could be turned upside down and the top of his head used as a giant pencil eraser.

But he also had a a certain bearing about him, and along with the haircut and the fact that his clothes were pressed and sharp, his shoes shined, and his gig-line perfectly aligned, gave me the cluuues I needed to his identity.

"You must be the new Professor of Military Science." I said to him as I extended my hand. "I'm Police Commander Don Troy."

The man was taken aback, so Briscoe said "Yes, he's Lieutenant Colonel Warren E. Prescott, and he's been the head of our Army ROTC program since August. Colonel, this is the Iron Crowbar."

"Ahhh." said LTC Prescott as he looked (way) up at me and shook my hand firmly. "That explains how you knew. I've heard of you, and the cases you've solved. We really could have used you."

"You had me, sir." I said, mistaking what he meant. "I was an Army Reserve Military Police Officer some years ago."

"That's not what he meant, Darling." said Laura as she came up to me. She shook his hand and said "Hello, Warren. It's been a while since I've seen you. How is the new assignment?"

"Hello, Dr. Fredricson." said LTC Prescott. "It's good to see you again. Things are going well."

Laura said "Colonel Prescott is a Military Intelligence Officer, and I've worked with him before."

"Ah, I see." I said, realizing that he had meant that they could have used me... in the Central Intelligence Agency.

Todd came up and drew Laura away to speak to someone. I introduced Teresa to LTC Prescott. She said "You're not wearing your military uniform, Colonel?"

"I would have," said Prescott, "but Mrs. Moore had asked we not wear any uniforms."

"Same here." I said, and Teresa nodded vigorously in agreement. I saw Commissioner Briscoe's eyes flash at that. He excused himself and walked away from us...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I was making observations. This party was not very well attended at all, especially in comparison to the large, festive galas the Wellmans had hosted in the past. I noted that there were three groups of people. The first was Laura's Faculty Study Group, who were clustering together and talking amongst themselves. No one else talked to them more than polite greetings.

The second group clustered around the odious Dr. Lionel Carmela, Head of the Department of Political Science. He was wearing a gray 'Socialist' pantsuit, and an eye patch over the left eye that was gouged out of him. (Author's note: 'Consent of the Governed', Ch. 05.) His black hair and beard looked oily and unwashed, and his remaining eye had looked daggers at me when he saw me. He also had looked at the Faculty Study Group cluster with pure hated in that far-Leftist right eye.

I did not return his look, but I did make sure to notice who was in his orbit; they were the most radical Leftists of the University Faculty. The new Biology School leaders were with him, as was Dr. Jan Camp of the Women's Studies program. But it was the smallest of the three groups, and many others were doing whatever it took to avoid being seen with Carmela, despite Celeste Moore's attempts to bring them to him.

The third group were what I might call 'in-betweeners'. They were no friends of the Carmela cabal, but they didn't dare be seen with the Faculty Study Group and their allies. To my shock, Dr. Juanita Rivera of the Romance Languages Department was among them. She was rabidly Leftist, a friend of Dr. Jan Camp, and had really gone after me and Laura over ethics violations. I was more shocked that she was not in the Carmela cluster than anything else.

She saw that I had noticed her, and to my even greater shock she came over and said "Bonsoir, mon Commandant. Comment allez vous?" I was just going to take her hand in the European style, but she all but pulled me down to her and gave me a European-style two-cheek kiss.

We talked in French, which I translate here. She said "Ah, you are so stiff, so formal. And so surprised to be given a kiss?"

I said "Well, I'm always happy to be given a kiss by such a beautiful woman as yourself. I just wasn't... expecting it."

"Ah, you believe I am a supporter of that filthy cabron Carmela." Juanita said, using the Spanish word for 'bastard' amongst the French words. Truly one can curse in Spanish better than any other language, I thought as Juanita continued: "I can assure you that he is no longer any friend of mine."

I noted that people from the Carmela cluster had begun wandering around, to the table where the hors d'oeuvres and glasses of champagne were, and going close by us. But if they did not speak and understand French, they were shit out of luck figuring out what we were talking about.

I said "I was surprised because you and I have not exactly been on the same side on many issues."

Juanita said "True, we're not. But you probably thought I agree with that filthy piece of shit on the Climate Change issues. I normally would support it, but his Radicals are using it to subjugate European farmers and control the food supply of Europe. They are truly destroying my beloved Europe, and they are using Climate Change to do it. And I told him and his minions to shove his 'loyalty documents' up his fat ass... with a crowbar."

I chuckled, and made a point to look at her and not over towards him, which was easy to do; she looked much, much better than him. I said "I would like to make that happen. I take it you're not alone in your feelings about the 'loyalty documents'?"

Juanita said "Not much gets past you, Crowbar of Iron. Most of the Faculty supports liberal causes and Climate Change, but being told... not asked, but told... to sign those 'loyalty documents'? That's way too much. That's something the Nazis that overran Europe and killed members of my family did. You have more friends than you realize, Commander."

"And I had family that died at the hands of the Nazis, as well." I replied...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Teresa had told me that Laura had wanted Teresa to wear her formal uniform, but that after I had told her I wasn't going to, she decided not to, either. I told her that Campus Police Commissioner Briscoe was feeling 'ambushed', and to watch that situation carefully.

And I now was realizing why Laura had wanted me and Teresa to wear our uniforms. The Faculty Study Group was all here when they otherwise might not have been, and in a show of numbers as well as defiance of Dr. Jerry Moore's ugly policies, especially the 'loyalty documents'. Our wearing uniforms in the face of Celeste Moore writing on the invitations to not wear them was meant to be an 'in your face' move by Laura.

Other than my conversation with Juanita Rivera, the evening was dull and boring. There was no Christmas or otherwise festive spirit in the 'Winter Solstice' event, and Celeste Moore was a lousy host. Sally Wellman would've made sure to have people mingle, and introduce people to people, but Celeste apparently didn't have a clue, which annoyed Laura beyond the other issues.

I was relieved when Laura and Dr. Chase decided it was time to go. The Faculty Study Group left en masse, as one group and at the same time. The move stunned the Moores, who did not try to speak to us as we left.