Judy had big, pretty, dark-blue eyes that could burn a hole right through your soul, and a smile that made the moon go dim in comparison. Her straight, fiery, red hair rained down her back. At 22-years-old, she had a body that could start a fist fight, and dainty, little, features that gave her an even younger appearance. She was the epitome of elegant, and femininity though she was a salty, seafaring Sailor in every sense of the term. The only problems with Judy were her terrible temper and a foul mouth that kept her in trouble up and down the chain of command. Judy couldn't manage her money to save her life, and that's where I came in. You see, Judy and I were stationed together on board the USS Rushmore almost two decades ago, when we both served in the United States Navy. She was part of the Medical Corpse and I was a Dental Technician, which meant we often worked together, especially on a ship as small as the Rushmore.
Now, since I was also the Supply Petty Officer of the Dental department, while she was in charge of the medical supply department of the entire ship, it was paramount that the lines of communication between us stayed open. On the day in question, or should I say, the day all the magic between us began, started off like any normal day. It was a few months before our ship's big, six-month deployment. Everyone was in the medical office getting the rest of the crew's medical and dental records ship ready for the deployment.
Although Judy and I had talked on many occasions, it was always on a formal, professional level. I tried to "holla' at her maybe once or twice, same as 90% of all the other guys on the ship. You couldn't blame any of us, she was, as the saying goes, 'drop-dead gorgeous'! But, like she did with all the other guys on board, Judy always blew me off (and not in a good way either). She particularly made it clear to me on several occasions that she really, wasn't into my type at all (she was only interested in blonde hair, blue eyes, if you know what I mean).
Her preferences really wasn't a big deal to me, because 7 months before the day in question, she married some young, kid, stationed on one of the other ships in our battle group; they married merely to gain extra income. Back then, the military (in particularly, the Navy) was trying to change its image to be more family oriented. As a result of this, not only were married couples allowed to live off base, you got a living allowance of $300 extra, for being married, and an extra $150 of Cost Of Living Allowance (COLA for short). There was also, a $25, end-of-year COLA increase). On the flip side, a single sailor had to live on the ship, or shore duty housing and subject to all the rules, regulation, inspections, and curfews that went along with it.
In any case, since Judy was off limits, I was happy to just bask in her beauty and charms, if only for brief moments at a time. So, I was sitting at the medical meeting table with three co-workers from dental, and two medical reps, one of which was Judy. We were busy updating records while shooting the breeze, you know, just making our work more enjoyable with a little casual conversation.
I do believe Judy was talking to Tracy, the dental tech sitting across from me. Tracy and I had a strange relationship. Although we'd spent a couple of wild, erotic, weekends together, in a hotel off base, (the first few months I arrived at the ship) it was clear that we were not right for each other. She was a hip, slightly overweight, soul sister with way too much swagger for her own good. Plus, Tracy preferred the typical, 'Hollywood, 'BLAXPLOITATION', stereotype, gangsta' brothers (Which surely wasn't me by a long-shot). I, on the other hand, (at least back then) preferred, flexible, thin girls who were closet nymphomaniacs. However, since Tracy and I were the only two African Americans in the medical/dental department of the ship, we remained good friends (with occasional benefits), great drinking buddies, and loyal co-workers who watched each other's backs while on the ship, (and many years thereafter).
I wasn't paying attention to their conversation (probably because it wasn't about me sexing up sweet, Judy) but, apparently Judy's 20-year-old husband purchased a car out in town from one of those crooked, car-dealer, cartels that the government shamelessly allowed to prey on stupid, young Sailors and Marines for a living... and he got ripped-off really bad. The car was only supposed to be a few years old, nonetheless, it had so much rotted damage that after driving it for only a few short weeks, the damn thing needed a new exhaust system. Now, as if that wasn't bad enough, it had obviously been submerged in a body of water or a flood, because the pistons, the carburetor, transmission and the universal joints all had bad rust on them. The whole damn engine was shot. Everyone who heard her story wondered how they were able to drive it for as long as they did.
The bottom line was, Judy needed money in the worst way possible. She and her husband were renting a small, townhouse five miles from the base that they really, couldn't afford. Because of her young husband's bad judgment, she was reduced to bumming rides to and from work, and everywhere else, (and expensive taxis on paydays). Naturally, the situation put a serious strain on their young, unstable marriage; it made her irritable and hard to work with, to talk to or even to be in the same room with her. So, after listening to her story Tracy said, "Girl, sounds like you need some serious help."
"Tell me about it," Judy casually answered, "things in my life are getting so crazy. I tried to borrow a $3,000 loan, from the Navy Credit union, but they practically laughed in my face."
"Three thousand dollars???" Tracy exclaimed before a wicked smile painted it's way across her chubby face.
"Girl, there's only one person I know who's mackin' like that..." Tracy said, pausing only long enough to point her index finger in my direction before she continued, "Rkeaeux just got that giant, reenlistment bonus. Maybe, if you're a good girl to him, he'll hook you up," she teased wearing a devilish grin, causing everyone at the table to laugh and giggle.
Tracy was right, (and she would know since she personally watched me hand her mother a thousand dollars, when her hot water heater broke down, two months prior). Back in those days of blatantly, frivolous, military spending, the Navy offered ridiculously huge bonuses for those in special rates, who chose to do consecutive tours. I was a military trained and seasoned Dental Equipment Repair Technician, which meant I could get out of the Navy and make major bucks on the outside. That is what most techs did after serving only 2 to 4 years in the Navy. As a result, the Navy offered me a thirty thousand dollar incentive bonus (yes, you heard me right $30.000) to re-enlist after my four-year tour was finished. I may have been crazy, but I wasn't a damn, country fool; I re-enlisted, Baby!
I also managed to save $15,000 on my own, during my first four years in the Navy. When you combined all that with the gold credit card I had (with a 10 thousand dollar credit limit) it was very safe to say that I wasn't hurting for money. Since I lived on the ship, I didn't have to pay rent, electric, gas, cable, food, or clothing; the Navy supplied all that for me. Most of the people on the ship knew of my good fortune because I had just wisely purchased a vintage, Harley Davidson motorcycle (1970, mint-condition) from a police auction, so yes! I admit it, I was mackin'!
"You hear that, Rkeeaux, Judy needs your help," Tracy added, to which I merely replied, "Is that a fact?"
"It is indeed a fact," Tracy teases as everyone at the table listened, quietly, to what was being said. Naturally, Tracy knew I wanted Judy's ass, so they didn't have to wait too long before Tracy added, "Three thousand is a drop in the bucket for a rich, baller like you, isn't it?"
Everyone in the room knew that we were only joking, at least that's what I thought when I casually returned, "Of course it is, but you know that bucket is attached to a couple of strings, don't cha'?"
Now, although everyone at the table filled the room with roars of laughter, Judy didn't find my humor funny at all. In fact, she got downright indignant when she barked at me in front of everyone, "LOOK, I ALREADY TOLD YOU SEVERAL TIMES I DON'T DO DARKIES! AND IF YOU KEEP ON TALKING TO ME THAT WAY, I'M GOING TO FILE SEXUAL HARASSMENT CHARGES! "
With that said, Judy slammed her record down on the table, jumped to her feet and stormed out of the Medical department, like a runaway tornado. Everyone in the room (especially me) was shocked and surprised by her actions, but it didn't stop her boss (Lieutenant Burke, a tall, blue-eyed, flaming homosexual with curly blonde hair) from reprimanding me in front of everyone.
*****
Two whole weeks had gone by since that disastrous day in the Medical department and still, Judy was without transportation. I had been urged by practically, the entire ship to stay away from Judy (living on a small ship was like living in a small community, everyone knows everyone else's business, and bad news traveled even faster). There were also several, crewmembers who strongly urged me to file a racial discrimination charge against her. So, when I had to drop-off important, time sensitive Dental supply forms, I desperately wanted someone else to deliver them for me. But alas... by the time I finished filling them out, everyone had already gone to lunch. I really, needed to get those forms to the office so they could be sent off with the 12-noon mail run.
Ever so cautiously, I made my way down the passageway, hoping (praying) that I could just leave them on the medical officer's desk, without having to run into, U-KNOW-WHO? As I peeked my head through the door, the coast was clear. I rushed past the front desk and shot through the admin office, to where the Lieutenant's desk was. Placing the forms on his desk, I spun around to make my fast exit when, DAMN IT! I ran right smack into Judy. I had so much force behind me that I knocked her back on her ass. Since she grabbed me, in an effort to stop herself from falling, I fell right along with her. In those few, precious seconds that I was lying on top of her, (between her soft, tender thighs), I could feel a wickedly uncontrollable erection forming in my pants.
"Oh my God! I am so terribly sorry, Judy," I exclaimed with horror as I jumped to my feet and grabbed her hand to help her up. While simultaneously trying to hide the huge bulge in the front of my pants, I offered, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she gasped, "What the hell were you running from, man?"
"I had to get those forms on the Lieutenant's desk before the mail went out and I honestly, didn't want to disturb you and make you angry, the way I did before."
