Justification For Killing

by Larry Edward Hunt

  For the next hour, Olive Marie detailed her 28.4 seconds of her O.M. Film in minute detail, showing the instant President Kennedy was slain. The film also proved the motorcade stopped dead still for a couple of seconds after the first shot. A pan of the camera caught a glimpse of the ‘shooter’ on the Grassy Knoll. Enhancement of the film verified it was a woman. A view of the Texas School Book Depository indicated another shooter in a corner window nearest the spot where President Kennedy was killed. As the camera panned across the TSBD building, the top ‘sniper’s liar’ window on the sixth floor was vacant. No one was seen peering out. No one could be seen back in the shadows either. Finishing her presentation Olive Marie placed her pointer back on the board stand, turned to the assembled group, and with as a stern face a young lady could muster said, “Here is my condition: after this very moment no one and I mean no one in this room will EVER mention Babushka in connection with me again. Never ever again – understood? She disappeared from history on November 22, 1963 at 12:30 p.m. in Dealy Plaza, please let’s leave me and my red headscarf in Dallas!”

  The room fell dead silent. All heads were bowed; the message had been received loud and clear.

  Captain Scarburg regained the podium, “Okay, enough said on that subject. Now, as you all can see, we are left with a huge dilemma and a large responsibility – what should we do with our information since we have the facts, and we have the proof, especially the tape that Lonnie Joe and Rocky made of the meeting in Ruby’s Carousel Club with the CIA agents and the Mafia. No judge or jury in the world could question the validity of our findings.”

  “Okay, remember we all voted whether to go to Dallas or not, well we’re going to vote again.” Taking out a box of marbles, the Captain picked out twenty-eight - two for each person present. One white the other black. He instructed everyone, “You have one white marble and one black marble. As the black velvet bag passes around the table, indicate your vote as to whether we should make our data public. Remember it has been forty-nine years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Would it serve any purpose to expose the deep, dark secrets that have remained hidden for almost a half-century?

  “I do not know the right answer, so we are going to vote. And the vote must be unanimous - a white ball will indicate you want SCAR to store our data and say nothing... a single black marble will mean SCAR releases the information and we will let the chips fall where they may. There is one caveat if we release: Olive Marie as the “Babushka Lady” and her O.M. Film will never, repeat never, be released by SCAR!! We can never admit we were in Dallas that fateful day.”

  “Krista, you vote first and pass the bag to the next person.” Around the table, the bag moved from one person to the next. The last to vote was Captain Scarburg. Holding the bag in one hand he announced, “Well, I guess all that is left is to count the votes... remember one BLACK marble, and we release our findings to the world.”

  Reaching into the bag, he withdrew a marble and held it between his thumb and forefinger for all to see. It was a white marble, into the bag again - another white marble. He pulled marble after marble out of the bag, all white until only one was left. The mood in the room was so thick with tension it could be cut with a knife - the suspense was nerve-racking. Captain Scarburg slipped his hand into the bag for the last time, out came his brawny fist clenching tightly the last marble. Slowly he released his grip and held up the marble for all to see – it was… it was not BLACK.

  “LETS GO HOME”

  Applause broke out around the room, which was broken only by the speaker on the Interoffice Communication System. It was Bobby the guard at the front desk. “Sorry to bother you Captain Scarburg... I know you are in an important meeting, but there are some visitors here at the main entrance who are demanding to see you.”

  “Give them my regrets Bobby and ask them to make an appointment. I am too busy to see anyone at this time...”

  Interrupting the Captain, the guard responded, “I’m sorry sir, but the older gentlemen asked me to tell you:

  ♪Thru many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;

  ‘Tis Grace that bro’t me safe thus far, and Grace will lead me home.♪

  Does this mean something to you sir? The old gentleman believed you might recognize it.”

  What! Thought Captain Scarburg, that’s... that’s... ‘Amazing Grace’, “Yes Bobby, very much, would you please provide them with a personal escort up to the conference room immediately? Do not delay them any longer, bring them up right away!!”

  The room grew quiet; everyone looked at each other. Olive Marie, Rocky, Forrest, Bud and Lou cast a knowing look toward the Captain as he walked to the door of the conference room. They too had instantly recognized the ‘Amazing Grace’ lyrics Captain Scarburg spoke before boarding Pegasus for the return home.

  Spook turned to the SCAR personnel at the table, “What’s going on?” he quizzically asked. A couple of negative headshakes and a shoulder shrug indicated they had no idea either. Forrest spoke up quietly, “You all will find out in a minute.”

  “This cannot be happening,” said the Captain as he heard the footsteps echoing off the hard tiles in the hallway just outside. The steps were getting louder... they were approaching the door.

  Lady aroused by the sound of the footsteps on the floor picked her head up and began whimpering; suddenly she sprang to her feet. Her ears were up and alert as she began wagging her tail. Still whimpering, she was apprehensive of the approaching footsteps, her nails clicked on the floor as she trotted across the room and joined the Captain at the door.

  Slowly the handle to the room began to turn - all eyes were on it. The door began to open, slowly at first, then suddenly the door swung open and there in the hallway were an... an... old man, an elderly woman and Lonnie Joe Wheeler, but Lonnie Joe was so young looking. Next to Lonnie Joe stood an attractive woman and a young man about ten or twelve years of age. The old man clutched a walking stick, and the old woman was sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by a younger looking Lonnie Joe. “By-ned,” the Captain said, “By-ned, it is you Clem, isn’t it? It truly is you.” As he spoke, Lady ran past the Captain and with one mighty leap jumped from the floor into the lap of the old woman.

  “Lady, is this you, my little girl,” said the woman patting Lady’s head. “Oh, how I have missed you so. You look just as pretty as you did the day you left me, oh, so many years ago.”

  Turning to the amazed group sitting at the table, the Captain announced, “Folks I would like to introduce you to Clem and Penelope Ruby,” he said turning and gesturing, “our good friends from Celina, Texas. I do not know these other folks,” Captain Scarburg said motioning to the others at the door, “Clem will have to introduce them. Clem, you and Penelope, know most everyone here except Krista. She is Bud, Lou, Olive Marie and Forrest’s mother. Next to her is my son, Krista’s husband Trey and next to him is our chief engineer Mike Watkins. The next chair is my dear friend Dr. Spurgeon Loo Kim, better known to all of us as Spook, and then there is Tinker, Spook’s wife. Her given name is really Ling Lu. She got that nickname... no... no some other time,” he said laughing. “There’s Sam Lin and Si Lei, Spooks brothers, and Rocky Jollett you already know. Next to him is my wife Barbara or Baba as everyone calls her.”

  Waving to the group Clem said laughing, “Howdy, good to see y’all again - I just wish we had some of them “young” pills that y’all have been taking.”

  “Before you say another word Clem, tell us about Lonnie Joe. This young man is the spitting image of him. Where is LJ anyway?”

  “I’m sorry Captain... Lonnie passed away in 2002. A while after y’all left Lonnie Joe married Penelope, and they have one son... let me introduce you to my nephew and Godson, Lonnie Joe Wheeler Jr. and, of course, you know his mother and my sister, Mrs. Penelope Ruby Wheeler, and this beautiful woman is June, Lonnie Junior’s wife, and this handsome fellow is none other than Lonnie Joe Wheeler the III, we call him Trey too. Guess some of your habi
ts rubbed off on us too.”

  “Well, by-ned,” said Captain Scarburg. “Nice to meet you all. Lonnie Joe or is it LJ? Your Dad was a fine man,” and grinning as he shook the young man’s hand said, “and not a half bad doctor either.” Looking down at the wheelchair, “Penelope Ruby Wheeler! Well, by-ned... by ned...” was all he could say as he leaned over and placed a loving kiss on her old, wrinkled cheek.

  “Thank you Captain Scarburg,” answered Lonnie Joe Jr., “but most folks just call me Dr. Lonnie J. I took over Dad’s medical practice in Celina, but he will always be the only ‘LJ’. I’m following after my Father’s footsteps as a doctor, I suppose, but he will keep the ‘LJ’ name. It’s nice finally to meet you all too, my folks have talked about y’all all of my life. I do not believe a day has gone by that your name Captain Scarburg or one of the others there at the table has not been mentioned in our home. I’ve always wondered what you would look like.”

  “Captain, you would have been proud of Lonnie Joe he was Celina’s town doctor for many a year. Everyone thought the world of ole Doc Wheeler. A tornado came tearing through the town back in ’86, and if not for LJ’s doctoring, no tellin’ how many town folks we would have lost, he kept saying during that trying time how he wished y’all could be there to give him a hand,” Clem interjected.

  “Clem I was always proud of LJ, he was a good friend. Wait a minute,” interrupted the Captain, “your talking like you actually remembered us when we came to Celina back in ’63?”

  “At first we didn’t Captain, but as the days and months wore on it seemed like, with LJ’s help, our memory of y’all slowly returned. In a year, or so we remembered you all.”

  “Well, we were under the impression your memories would be totally erased thirty minutes after Pegasus left. Guess it wasn’t true, huh?”

  “No, Captain, I believe it was. You see, a few years later I met up with Linda Lou Dearmann, remember her from the Carousel Club? I hinted around about the day me and you went in and talked to Uncle Jack, you recall? You recall she told us about them mobsters sitting with Uncle Jack.”

  “By-ned Clem, do I ever.”

  “Anyway, it was the day you got arrested for stealing them overhalls and the red shirt, but you know, Linda Lou had no recollection of that day at all. Didn’t even remember you givin’ her that counterfeit ten-dollar bill.”

  “Now Clem, you know that wasn’t counterfeit!”

  “Yes, Captain we know,” said Penelope grinning. “Captain, for all these past, many, many years I think of you every time I prepare chicken and dumplings, and I cannot eat turnips and pork chops unless my thoughts are with you and those two sweet grandchildren of yours.” Looking at Olive Marie and Forrest, her old, weathered face lit up like a light. Managing a wistful smile she waved and with her raspy voice said, “Hello kids, good to see you again. You look like you haven’t aged a day.”

  Olive Marie leaned over and whispered into Forrest’s ear, “Heck, we haven’t!”

  “Come on into the conference room Clem, Penelope, Lonnie J, Joe, June and Trey. We were just rehashing our visit to the Ponderosa. Do you still have the Ponderosa?”

  “Well, yes and no Captain,” Clem answered, “you see after y’all left us in the cow-pasture, you know, at the time of the blizzard back in ‘63; I got to talking to Penelope and Lonnie J on the way back to the Ponderosa. You know through...”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know, through Saddlehorn Gulch...”

  “Right you are, Saddlehorn Gulch, I said, ‘Penelope you know with what we have seen today I believe the Captain has been telling us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth...,’ I got that part from you... remember? LJ was adamant you wouldn’t tell us nothing but the truth, and that you stood for truth, justice and the American way.”

  “By-ned Clem, the way you’re talking I believe I need to get me a cape.”

  “Aw shucks Captain, anyway, when we got back to the Ponderosa I pulled that piece of writtin’ paper out of Penelope’s valuables box, and me and Lonnie Joe went into town first thing Monday morning and mortgaged the Ponderosa for all the money I could get. I even sold Penelope’s old Nash Rambler, and I hate to say it Captain, I even sold your gold Rolex watch that was give to you by your men in Vietnam.

  “We took the money we raised and wagered every last penny of it on that Iron Bowl football game between your Alabama team and those Auburn Tigers you told me about. LJ hated to wager against his ole Crimson Tide, but we needed the money, bad. And Penelope, she was mad jest because we bet the money, you know she still gos to church and all, and don’t believe in that kind of gamblin’ stuff, but Captain we made a killin’. Penelope, LJ and I made so much money on that Iron Bowl that I went to see Mr. Larry Brock, and I bought that cow-pasture of his and all of the four thousand five hundred acres that went with it, he even throwed in that old, green, Ford pick-up truck and your Army Jeep. I still got’em – keep’em for sentimental reasons.

  “A few months after I bought the ranch a gigantic, new pond of oil was discovered right under our land, in an oil field that them experts thought had been pumped dry... we’ve been pumping oil there ever since.

  “You remember the spot, with the stump, where your flying machine landed. Well, I built me a brand new house right on that very spot, of course the view is not as good as from the Ponderosa, but when I look out and see all them oil wells I just return to the house and find me some purty views in magazines, and if I get real homesick I go down to the Ponderosa and spend a few days with LJ and Penelope. I give the Ponderosa to them and I give a couple thousand acres to Lonnie J and June. They built them a house in that grove of hardwood trees on the way back to the main road. You remember it, don’t you? They call their ranch ‘Red Oak’.”

  “Clem, you bet I do. Lonnie J and June, that magnificent seventy-five foot red oak right in the middle of that stand of trees was indescribably beautiful – I can see building a home there and the name fits perfectly.”

  “Once all that oil money started flowing in, we got filthy rich. I hired a couple of people to come over and teach Penelope and me how to act and talk like proper city folks. They taught us how to talk, and how to hold a cup with our little pinkie sticking out. LJ helped out a lot too, you know, he was such a smart fellow. That was okay, but we used a lot of our money to help other poor folks that needed help. We even have a foundation that monitors and keeps up with finding needy people, and givin’ them money. We call it ‘The SCAR Foundation’. For all these past years, we have been waiting for you and your flying machine to come back, but you never did; however, we never gave up hope that one-day y’all would return. By the way, I found that handsome metal plaque you left next to that stump when I was building my new Ponderosa, which I now call the Ponderosa Too, catchy name huh, Captain?”

  “Yeah, I get it Clem, catchy!”

  “Well, anyways, I had the architect mount that plaque on a marble pedestal that sits in a flower garden in my front yard. I did not understand what the symbols on it meant, but I knew that round hunk of brass was important to you, so I made a special place for it. Underneath the bronze plaque I had them write, ‘The Scarburgs Can Always Return’ and the date November 23, 1963. People have asked for years what the plaque and the S.C.A.R. name actually means, we just grin and say, ‘that’s for us to know and for you to find out.’

  “LJ told us, way back in ’63 that we wouldn’t be able to come see you until 2:57 on the afternoon of the 7th of December 2012. Today is the morning of the 8th of December 2012 we wanted to get here bright and early. Captain, we’ve been waiting forty-nine years to see you again. So we just wanted to come by and tell you in person how much you have meant to us, and how much Penelope and LJ appreciated what you did. I just wanted you to know also LJ was a happy and contented person living with us. I don’t believe he ever regretted staying with Penelope.

  “Oh, one other thing,” Clem said reaching into his pocket, “I want to give this back – those fellows of yours thought a l
ot of you Captain, and wanted you to have this.” Saying that he turned the watch over and read, “To Capt Robert Edward Scarburg, Jr. 5th SF (ABN), RVN, 1968.” Handing the watch to Captain Scarburg, “Returned to its rightful owner, Captain Robert Edward Scarburg, Jr., our friend then, now and for always,” he said bowing. “And in perfect repair and running smoothly. We would love to stay and talk, but now I’m sorry Captain, we must get going.”

  “Wait, you can’t leave, you just got here.”

  “Sorry we have to go, we promised Trey we’d take him to Disneyworld, might even get to spend them ten-dollar bills and quarters y’all left us! Just kidding, you know I’d never part with them,” turning toward the door Clem looked over his shoulder and raising his hand in a salute to Captain Scarburg said feebly,

  “♪Tis Grace that bro’t me safe thus far, and Grace will lead me home♪”

  “Come on Lady, let’s go home.”

  With a wag of her tail, out the door ran the little, sable and white sheepdog happily walking beside her two, old, grey-haired masters.

  The time was... was...

  Well the only time we have is TODAY... the best day of anyone’s life... yesterday, the past, is forever gone... and tomorrow, the future, might never come...

  Remember time is not a straight line... we cannot live in the past, we have not seen the future, we must only enjoy the present.