frances was questioning her, i heard he say that she lived on cottage drive with her father. hmmm, that's several miles from here, and a wealthy neighborhood; maybe we could tell her that west park courts were closer to her neck of the woods, it might work.

"would you like to play carlee?" she asked. by god, yes--

"sure." i answered. i knew that she was too old to out maneuver me, i was sure that all the attention she had paid to her body had to slow her down physically. perhaps a good ass whipping would cause he to turn tail and run. tammy won the serve; she lobbed the ball over to my court-first mistake, honey-i hit the ball low and unto her left backcourt, she didn't have a prayer. "love -15" i heard a familiar voice shout. god, it was leo, the firemen must have finished eating, damn them. she served a second time, better, low and far back, but not out; i easily returned it to her midcourt. she slammed it directly toward me, it touch the top of the net, kissed it. a good backhand return started the volley which lasted for a while. i returned a decent ball far into her backcourt, she didn't bother with it. "out" another voice shouted, it was joe mason.

i couldn't let this girl beat me, i felt that i was already beaten, my life was crumbling around me. she served an ace that i couldn't capture. her add, another the next serve, and her game. she smiled, and walked off court toward the firemen, all of them, once my friends. i got frances, and we left. "where're y'all going?" one of the firemen asked. "come on over and be sociable." we continued our slow walk home.

"she's a pretty girl, that tammy." frances finally interjected.

"yes, but i've seen prettier." i said.

"i haven't." frances was a girl of few words. that was fine with me today. when i entered my house, i was crying. god, there sat dad, in his recliner.

"hey there." he said cheerfully. i was not cheerful. i walked past him. his long slender arm reached out and grabbed me by the waist. "hey brown eyes, was it something i said?" i knew he was trying to cheer me up, and it made me cry even more. tears were dripping from my face; he picked me up and put me in his lap, he stroked my pony tail with his left hand and kissed my cheek. "oh, carlee maree, i wish i could protect you from all of the bad things in life." he kissed away my tears from the other cheek. i held him tight, he was very strong, and i loved him so. my tears continued though, but i was feeling better. "you're not cut and bleeding little one, and i'm not going to ask you what's the matter." he said, as a matter of fact. "you can tell me if you want though." i didn't.

"i have some good news though." i looked up at him. "i've arranged a hunting trip for the two of us."

"a hunting trip?" i asked.

"yeah, do you have your licence?" he asked.

"i'm a child, colonel, i don't need a licence."

"you're not a child devona, you're a young lady, and you really don't need a licence where we are going." i was curious, and my tears stopped. i kicked off my shoes. "i have made reservations for us in chicago, at the museum of natural history, saturday."

"what can we hunt there?" i asked.

"we can hunt life there carlee, the mysteries of the universe, maybe even an answer which we are seeking in this wonderful world of thirteen."

"do you think we'll find it?" i asked.

"no, but we can hunt for it together, if it's alright with you."

the colonel was the best damn father that he could possibly be, he was a sorry substitute for a mother, and he knew that; though, he was caring and he was kind, and loving in his fashion; he would never understand my reason for crying today, but, neither did i, really..........

"i chill you a beer dad." i said, as i crawled out of his arms. "it is time, isn't it?"

he looked at his watch, "well, almost, thank you dear." i knew it wasn't time, the colonel was very precise, it wouldn't be time for his beer for several hours.

"can i put one in the freezer for me." i asked.

"i'd prefer you didn't, but you can if you want." i put one in for him, set time timer for fifteen precise minutes.

"why didn't you want me to have one dad?" i asked.

"because you have no business drinking beer carlee."

"no, business, don't you want someone to drink with? i asked.

"no, alone is good enough for me, thank you."

"you drink with other people sometimes."

"i do, and i preferable don't."

"you drink beer with major benson sometimes."

"carlee, major benson is an alcoholic, if he's here and i'm drinking, he will be drinking because that's what he does. and, it's not the same thing. major benson is important though. all people are important carlee, please don't forget that, ever" the conversation just wasn't going my way......"major benson got messed up in nam in the sixties, drinking seem to mellow him out, i feel very sorry for him."

"he seems happy enough."

"he's not though, believe me"

"Moooooooo." the timer said.

"moo? the timer used to ding."

"oh, it was a present from mrs. darcey, i think it's cool."

"well go and see if the beer is as cool." hmmm, it was. i brought it back to dad, and he drank it slowly. "what happened at the tennis court today?"

"nothing." i answered.

"you cry very easily then." he smiled.

"i don't want to tell you dad. i don't need a lecture." but i did tell him, like i always do, and i knew i was begging for a lecture.

"well, when our world crumbles, it does make us sad." he was toying with me, i started to get mad, he was making fun of me with his lack of encouraging words; damn, he knew me as well as i did him, ace, ace-end game, maybe he thought my little scene, that made me cry, wasn't worth dignifying. it probably wasn't.

"i don't really want to go to chicago dad."

"oh, why not carlee, i thought i would make a lovely outing for us, i have already booked reservations in a seafood bar that does the greatest lobsters." lobsters, how i love them, maybe the trip to the musuem would be worth it for lobsters. they would have shrimp and oysters also, i was sorry i said anything about not wanting to go. "hey." he said. "do you remember when you dressed up like a lobster at halloween when you were seven?"

i smiled, "how could i forget."

"you were so cute in that costume your aunt mary hand made for you." his expression changed---"your mom and i held hands, waiting for your safe return from goblin world. every neighbor called us when you left their house, and we appreciated it." he was smiling again, remembering. i wanted to interject a redundant statement like "you really loved us" but, i thought better of it, and let the colonel enjoy he beer and his reflective moment, so i did. i liked the look on his face though, it was beautiful......

"maybe the museum of natural history wouldn't be so bad afterall dad."

"maybe a lobster dinner would be ok too carlee maree."

"drive me to the tennis court dad, please." i thought that if he could see her that he wouldn't think me so petty, or, i didn't really know what made me ask him to go. reluctantly, he obliged. there was sexy joe and tammy playing tennis.i couldn't believe my eyes, i had never know joe to ever step onto that tennis court. dad stopped the car and watched. it was a pathetic site, how foolish joe appeared, how lovely she appeared.

"which ones joe and which one's tammy." he asked.

"oh, daddy."

"ok then, which one is the hunter you keep telling about?" that was a pretty good question, i guess he's smarter than i think.

when we returned home, i asked him. "what do you think of tammy."

as he made a drink he said-"'a violet by a mossy stone, half hidden from the eye, fair as a star, when only one is shining in the sky.' and the girl wasn't bad either."

"oh, daddy." i smiled.....as did he...

i felt good the next morning, dad had left very early and i fixed breakfast for frances and myself and called her when the bacon was half done. "frances, you're late, breakfast is almost ready." i said.

"sorry carlee, i'm on my way." i felt sorry for frances, she was fat, had yellow teeth, red hair and a ton of freckles. she was very quiet, turned red easily, but was very smart, and she was my friend. she rarely talked about sex, like most of us girls did then, which made more than one of us wonder if she were into the right kind of sex or not. she never messed with me that away though, and she would do anything in the world for me, i loved her, in my fashion.

i chose a pink ensemble for this day, very fashionable, even more new white shoes. i looked at myself in the mirror. "not bad" i said to myself. i turned sideways, my b and a half boobs didn't make a violent impression, but heck, they were only a small part of me, a very small part :) the outfit looked nice anyway. i wondered if the firemen whould think that i was as pretty as tammy, frances did at least.

"gosh carlee, you're exceptionally beautiful this morning." i smiled and thanked her. i wanted to say that she did to, but she looked like an unmade bed in cut offs that she herself had cut off, dirty hair and one of her brothers old tee shirts. i was afraid a compliment would hurt her feelings.

"a cheese omelet for my dearest friend." i changed the subject. "with bacon, toast and grits." i smiled. so did frances, as she dug in.

frances's tennis racket looked like my grandpa's "loose stringed" guitar, of course his was loose by choice. "we need to go racket shopping frances." i said.

"oh no carlee, i couldn't, this belonged to my dad." i knew that she never knew her father, only step dads, and there had been several. the racket was old, but she played a pretty good game in spite of it, there were many times that she lost because of it, but if it were so special, i wouldn't push the issue.

frances waddled and i scurried to the firehouse, it was only 0700, and the day was cool so far, but promised to be hot later. the firemen were finishing breakfast. "miss bell, and miss mccord, you both look radient this morning." joe announced. worm, that's what he was a slithering little worm. god, how i hated him. he wasn't interested in either frances nor myself, he was waiting for tammy.

frances and i played two sets, it was really warming up. frances took me the second set, but i did the first set very well. she was a good player, and i wondered what a new racket would do for her.

then, at 8 am, life ended. miss tammy arrived. she was dressed in the same soft pink outfit that i was wearing, even her shoes were new. the firemen sat there with their tongues hanging out, ralph and joe, leo, fred, and even the chief, morgan.

"good morning everyone." she sweetly announced.

"hi tammy."

"morning girl"

"you look nice today"

fools, all of them, even chief morgan. just because she had a smile that lit up the world, and piercing blue eyes that would stop a train, and shoulder length hair that ranged from platinum to gold--i remember my dear friend mr. leisure saying once about a lady "she ain't so muckin' fuch" i always thought that was funny, and i knew that the saying applied in this case.

tammy sat on the other side of the bench next to frances.i looked at her legs, then looked at mine. god, would i ever fill out. nathan "the terrible" mosely was up against suzanne westmoreland, my pretty friend. nathan was a senior in high school, and was the best at everything. his parents were rich and he wanted for nothing, he had the best tennis equipment that money could buy. he was short and thin, blond hair and funny looking teeth. he was a straight a student and was referred to as mr. rotc in some sects. he was going into the military after college. i hoped that he worked under the colonel, but dad would treat him right, as usual, he would come up tp talk with dad from time to time, i wouldn't go to bed with him for anything, love no money. he was so vain, he didn't even notice tammy. he was playing a light contender nicknamed "whooping cough", his mom even called him that, i never knew his real name. they said that whooping cough was a disease long ago, and he had it. he looked diseases, thin and frail, his nose was shaped like a potato and he was as ugly as sin. he played a good game though, but no match for mr. rotc.

the score was love 30 nathan, and his next serve was awesome. whooping returned it though and it went right past nathan, i don't believe he thought that the serve could possibly be returned. how smug.......

"who is that gorgeous hunk?" tammy asked.

"king nathan." frances answered "he's tops around here." frances proudly said. that was all i needed to hear.

"hey whoop." i shouted. he looked around at me. "can i play the winner?" i asked. he snarled at me, i didn't like that, i had never been snarled at before.

two more volleys and he walked off the court, he motioned at me then came over to our bench, checking out the fresh meat i suppose. i advanced to his spot on the court. "good morning carlee." nathan smugly said.

"morning nathan, are you ready to work up a sweat?" i snided. nathan looked at tammy, then back at me.

"who sweats, carlee." oh, what nerve.

i served and the king was unable to return it. the ball was fast and low. "way to go carlee!" tammy shouted. i glanced at her, what wonderful teeth.

"i can see why you don't sweat mosely." i laughingly said. i knew i was pushing my luck, he was edgy. he wore the same starched white shorts and polo shirt that he wore every day to the court, his mom layed them out for him.

"play, carlee." there was pure irration in his voice. he returned this serve and the volly was tight, right court, left court, way back and close to the net. nathan was good, no doubt of that, but i was holding my own. his face was red, redder than i had ever seen it; several of the others had arrived, and all eyes were on us. nathan sent a hopeless lob to my mid court. what was this about, what kind of trick? he ran quickly to the net. i was at a loss, didn't know what to do, i knew i had to hit it over his head....about that time the fire bell went off.

i had heard the alarm a dozen or so times this summer, and it was always frightening. so loud, more piercing than tammy's eyes. the firemen were running back to the firehouse up the stairs and to the cloak room. we ran around front, where the bright red truck was, we could see the first of them sliding down the beautiful brass pole. it was leo, but if you didn't know him you'de never recognize him. only his face emerged from the black firegear, he slid into black waist high firemens boots that were almost as tall as he was. last year, petey wickersham took a leak in one of their boots, we thought it was quite funny, but the city almost closed the tennis court, and petey was banned from playing tennis or even getting close to the court. ralph was driving and gunning the engine. i could recognize his huge teeth anywhere. when all of them were on, ralph fired up the siren and off the keystone cops went. joe stuck his long booted leg straight out from the back of the truck, it was an obscene jesture that i had seen before, everyone laughed. everyone except nathan and tammy. they weren't with the crowd of us.........