Chapter05 - Spin the Fates
Little did Snooky realize he was subject of an old Roman adage sic volvere parcas. 'Spin the fates'. The first fate spins the thread, a second fate measures it and the third fate cuts it. Snooky's ego spun the thread of conquest, his deliberate actions measured it and Rita cut it when he was most vulnerable.
Without fully collecting himself, Snooky made a dash for Barney's back door, leaving laughter from his unexpected predicament behind. Rita expressed her pleasure with a pleasant quiet smile as she quit the dance floor, gathered her things from the booth and walked majestically out the front door. Immediately following Snooky's hurried exit and Rita's slow deliberate withdrawal, a flurry of questions and eyewitness commentaries filled the room providing an unexpected source of amusement for Christmas revelers.
After celebrants collected themselves from witnessing the impromptu misadventure of Rita's verbal public castration of Snooky, celebrants enjoyed a belly-pumping laugh. Julie and Steve continued dancing finding they enjoyed each other's company enough for Steve to invite Julie to have dinner with him, she eagerly accepted.
Unusual exploits people suffer are often preserved and handed down from one generation to the next in myths and legends. History tell us about noble character who fought great battles, explored unknown countries and performed other virtuous feats. Unlike these legendary characters of old, Rita, a shy young country girl did none of the aforementioned feats; yet by uttering one declarative name and two questions she was transformed into a cosmopolitan virago, simply by asking her dancing partner where he purchased a certain item of haberdashery. Rita laid the first brick in the foundation for a legend she would continue to build throughout her working career.
With her budding legend firmly in place by Monday morning, Rita found herself elevated in social status along with unexpected changes at work. Over the weekend word of Snooky's off base party during working hours and the Snooky/Rita t?te-?-t?te reached the ears of Col. Ambry, head of base supply, After a few quick inquiries regarding Rita's and Snooky's job performance followed by making a few quick decisions. Col. Ambry promoted Rita and moved her to another department. Snooky didn't fair so well, after having been counseled recently concerning his style of management and followed with a report of his ungentlemanly behavior at an unsanctioned party, of his making, during working hours. Snooky was transferred to a small army post in Alaska where he would assume command of a quartermaster-provisioning warehouse.
Over the coming years, Rita accumulated an outstanding work record with particular notices for efficiency and effectiveness. When the equal opportunity legislation came into effect, Rita was perfectly positioned for quick advancement into positions of responsibility and authority. She acquired a reputation for being a problem solver, fix-it person and a reincarnated Lizzy Borden when personnel cuts were required and she was further known for not taking prisoners of those unfortunates caught in the way of her hatchet and broom.
In her early thirties, Rita learned medical science had progressed beyond the knowledge of Ol' Lizzy, making it possible to have a man without the danger of becoming pregnant. Armed with the latest information on sexual transmitted social diseases and pregnancy prevention, Rita occasionally enjoyed the company of a man, on her terms and was forced to admit men did have certain values, so long as they played by her rules.
In her early forties, Rita met a man with whom she felt comfortable. John was fifteen years her senior, financially secure and sexually undemanding. During their ten year pleasant relationship the subject of marriage was never broached.
Nine days after John and Rita returned from a month long cruise circumnavigating South America, they were sitting at home watching a TV movie following a leisurely barbequed steak dinner when John suffered a fatal heart attack.
With no immediate family, John willed his sizeable estate to Rita. After John's passing Rita remained alone and continued working until reaching age sixty-five and retired. During her years of employment as an Air Force civilian Rita moved frequently with the exception of the ten years she and John were together. As a result of her transient employment and a proclivity for being a loner, Rita lived up to the old axiom, 'A rolling stone gathers no moss.' and was perfectly content with living out of a set of travel luggage. A week following her retirement bash Rita packed her well-worn bags and set out to visit exotic world places she missed during her working years.
As a pleasant fallout from the ill fated Christmas party Lt. Snook contrived in hopes of snaring Rita, Lt. Steve Miller was surprised to discover Rita's friend Julie was more than, "just another woman." They dated for a year and married. Over the next five years their marriage was blessed with two children. With the arrival of their first child, Julie took an extended leave of absence and didn't return to work until their last child completed high school. The children moved into adulthood, had families and escaped the major growing traumas experienced by many families of the Spock inspired generation. Steve found he was not any army man at heart and tired of its built-in rigmarole further compounded by an extra layer of confusion when The Army Air Corp shifted into the U.S. Air Force. He resigned his commission and took a job in civil service. Steve and Julie found purpose and happiness in their marriage, but unfortunately it was brought to an untimely early end with Steve's quick death from cancer six months following his retirement.
Unlike Rita, Julie didn't have the fire of achievement burned into her genes and remained a clerk-typist until she went on extended maternity leave. When the last child completed high school, Julie returned to work and retired with Steve. Seven months after Steve's death her eldest grandson married; Julie rented him and his new bride her house and she joined Rita traveling, mostly following the sun.
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