The Three Day Pass

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. As fiction, the characters are not bound by the usual dictates of modern society. Unsafe sexual practices can be undertaken with impunity only in the world of fantasy. In reality, it is both your obligation and your right to play safely, sanely and healthily. I hope you enjoy my work, and if you have any comments, or ideas that may inspire new work, please feel free to contact me - all e-mails will be answered to the best of my ability.

End of chapter 38

"You tell him that I will be in New York for a United Nations meeting in two weeks. If he is still serious about this, I will grant him a special audience and private meeting. I will meet secretly with him then and I will impress upon him that as a non-converted ally; he is worth much more than a hundred converts. I will convince him that he should not, cannot and will not have to do this. See to it that he does nothing till then. I am issuing an order to you to see that my will is enforced. Do you understand?"

"Yes your Eminence."

*

Joseph shouted above the din of revelers at Reinzi's Cafe. "Wonderful! A new light on the big street." "Worth is worth his weight in gold and tonight he is the toast of Broadway." "A new high in the art of theater. This play should run for years."

It was early Saturday morning at Reinzi's Cafe and along with friends, investors and the cast of Rich's new play, they had gathered for the time honored custom to party and wait for the reviews that would spell either success or failure for Rick's Broadway opening. And now the reviews were in and the play was pronounced a big hit. With these favorable reviews the party had turned into a real celebration.

"And now a word from the 'the star' of our party, Mr. Rich Worth."

Rich got up and looked around the room and said, "I guess most of you are asking yourselves why I chose this place to await the reviews instead of some fancy mid-town watering hole. I thought that just in case things did not pan out -- I did not want to go to my father and ask for the money to pay for a grander place.... But, all kidding aside, some of you close to me will know the real reason. As for the rest of you, I will now let you in on the big secret. Some of my best years of struggling were spent waiting on tables here. In fact, you could say that it all started here and you would not be far from the truth. The tips that I made here enabled me to attend acting school. And to tell the truth -- if this play had flopped, tomorrow would have found me right back here begging my old boss, Alfonzo, for my job back."

"And I would have been glad to have you back here." Called out Reinzi, the cafe owner, "You were the best waiter I ever had." This brought down the house in laughter and applause.

Smiling Richard continued, "I just want to thank my producers, the director, the author and our wonderful cast for all your help. Many times I've heard people say that they owe everything to a few people and in my case this is also true. Whatever success I may have I owe to everyone in this room. You were and are part and parcel of tonight's celebration. Eat, drink and have a great time. I did not want to forget any of you but, and this is a big but, most of my success is due to the love and friendship of three people. They are my mother, my father and a very special friend, Sgt. Joseph Benson of the U.S. Army, who will soon be broken to private. Broken to private citizen, that is! They had faith in me even when I thought that nothing would work out. I love all of you."

The partying went on and on until dawn. It was past seven A.M. when Rich and Joseph got to bed.

Sometime late afternoon on Saturday, Joseph's cell phone went off waking him up. Reaching for his phone Joseph noted that the call was coming from Bill Barns.

"Good morning Bill. How are you?"

"Morning?" questioned the F.B.I. agent. "Its way past afternoon! I guess you and Rich were up late celebrating last night. I thought you would like to know that that new President let it be known that he would like to meet you. Do you think you can make it next week?"

"I was wondering when he would want to meet me. Is he going to fire me?" Joseph said. "If he wants this fucking job he can have it."

"Fire you!", Bill said. "I really doubt that. I know that when the past president told him about you he asked the F.B.I. to send him your entire file. After reading it over three times, he told the Director that you were to continue your work and that he wants to meet with you ASAP. He said that he wants to meet with you and convince himself that you are not some loose cannon. He is scheduled to address the UN next week. If I could arrange it, would you be able to make it?"

"As a matter of fact, Allie tells me that I will be meeting with his Eminence, the Emir, sometime that week, also at the U.N. If the President wants to meet with me I would be honored. It would have to be done in secret. Perhaps I may have something new to tell him. In case he doesn't like what I have to say he can fire me then and there."

"Don't act or even talk that way -- the man is new on the job and just wants to make sure we are all playing on the same team. I've met with him and while I did not think he would fill "G.W.'s shoes, I found him to be capable and knowledgeable and willing to learn. He is a great guy and you two are really alike in many respects. You should hit it off. He just wants to get to know you. I don't think he believes what we have told him about your work and all you have done. He sounds like a hands-on guy and wants to see things with his own eyes. Don't make any snap judgments. He has been filled in on everything, and I do mean everything. He knows about you and Fazzi and also about you and our latest star. Unlike the last guy, this one did not blink an eye when he was told you were 'Gay'. Oh by the way, our new star, be sure to give him my congratulations. My wife and I were there last night. We enjoyed the play and he was great."

"I'll tell him you said that. I'm sure he would like to hear that. Meantime you make the arrangements and I will be there. If you don't have anything else, I will have to be on my way now. Good bye." Joseph said and hung up.

"The President wants to see me next week."

"I take it you are going." Rich said. "Look, You know how I hated the last guy. I like this man. I voted for him. I know you didn't, but maybe this time you were wrong. And maybe he will be able to end this shit."

"It's not up to him or any American President to end it, but I will go and see him and see what he wants." Joseph said. "By the way Bill, saw the play last night and says he loved it. He wanted me to tell you that. He also said the President knows about us and he has no problem with it."

"Well that's nice. As if I care what he thinks, or anyone else for that matter. The only thing that matters to me is what you think. Do you think it will ever end?"

"Richard, it will never end, not in our life times. Look, I'm going to have to get back to Paterson. You want to come along?"

"You know I have to stay here in the city for now at least until the play is established. Then I'm going to take some time off and we can take a trip to Canada in say about 3 months."

"Tell you what ---- lets make it a wedding trip!" Joseph said "I should be out of the Army by then and......"

"You're not joking are you???"

"No I'm not!"

"Was that a proposal of marriage I just heard?"

"It sure sounded like one to me!" Joseph stated. "Are you accepting?"

Richard ran into his arms and kissed him and asked, "Where is the ring?"

"Say yes and we will buy rings A.S.A.P."

"YES! But lets wait until you are discharged and free from the Army. I don't want anything to spoil this."

"You got it babe." Joseph said. "Now I have to go. I'll call you from Paterson."

"Do that and don't forget to dream about us tonight!"

Joseph kissed him and said he always did. He then dressed, had a cup of coffee, gave Rich a goodbye kiss and got into the BMW. He drove uptown over the GW Bridge and toward Paterson. Once in New Jersey, he pulled over and called his housekeeper and told her to have a light supper ready for him.

"Are you sure that you would not like a full dinner?" Summaya asked, "It would be no trouble for me to make it."

"No, just a sandwich will be fine. Mr. Balbak and I will be going out later this evening for Dinner."

"Are you sure you would not like to have me cook for the two of you?"

"No that will not be necessary as we will be dining in the country. We have business to talk over and we might spend the night at a Boys' Camp."

"By the way you have had some telephone calls from some women who have asked to see you."

"Women?" That's rather unusual he thought. " Who are they? Did they say what it was about?"

"All I know is that they are women from the community. They would not tell me what they wanted, but they did say that it was most important that they talk to you, in private and confidentially. They sounded very upset and they also stressed the fact that the meeting was to be as soon as you could meet with them and that it should be strictly private. They sounded frantic. I think you should see them. I don't usually try to tell you what you should do but..."

"Say no more. I will be home in about twenty minutes. If you can have them in the library I will see them then. Have some sandwiches, coffee and cakes set out and I will take my snack with them while we talk."

"I will arrange everything right now and thank you. They did sound like they were at wits' end. They would not even give me a hint as to the problem."

"They are most likely looking for some financial help. The Imam knows that I like to give alms to the poor and he must have sent them to me." he said. "In any event I will be glad to see them."

About twenty minutes later the Sergeant pulled his car into his driveway and he walked into the house. In the hallway he spotted the housekeeper pushing a serving cart into the library. "Here let me help you with that." Joseph called out.

"No need. I have everything under control. You freshen up. The ladies will be here soon." She said, "If you need me to translate, I will be in the kitchen. Are you sure Mr. Balbak will not be wanting anything before you leave?"

"Yes quite sure, but if he does he can dip into that tray. From the look of that cart you just wheeled in, I would say that there was enough food on it to feed half of Arab Paterson." Joseph jested and then he went into the hall bathroom to wash up. Finishing up, he headed into the library and poured a cup of coffee then sat down to munch on some of the treats the cook had made. About ten minutes later there was a light rap on the door.

"Yes, come in please." Joseph said wiping his hands and face on a napkin and getting to his feet.

Three women in traditional Muslim dress with face coverings entered the room with Summaya leading the way. She introduced the trio and then said that they spoke English and Joseph was right, she would not be needed as a translator, but she would be on hand if needed.

"Thank you Summaya, I don't know what I would do without you." He said as he directed the three ladies to soft chairs around the coffee table. "Now if you ladies will please join me in a little refreshment, we can get on with our business." After Summaya had left the room and Joseph had served his guests coffee, he asked them, "Now tell me how can I help you?"

They were nervous and ill at ease. Joseph asked them again, but this time he switched to very formal Arabic. "Perhaps it will be easier if we spoke Arabic? I would like to help you, but you must inform me as to the nature of the problem."

One of the women smiled and said, "We had heard that you speak Arabic, but we did not know how well. However that is not the problem. Our problem is fear! We are afraid to speak."

"You need have no fear of anything. What you and I discuss in this room will remain between us. I promise that on whatever is holy to you and I will take an oath on my Bible as well. Now open your heart to me so that I may try to help you."

After a few seconds, one of women said. "It is this way. We have heard that the fund is going to fund a certain boys' camp. Is that true?"

"As a matter of fact, it is true and not only that but I am thinking of funding a girls' camp as well. It will be good for our children to get out of the city during the summer months. Do you not think so?" he asked. "To swim and hike and learn crafts and sports."

"Yes, to do those things and only those things would be desirable, but there is something else that we have problems with." She said and then stopped talking suddenly afraid to continue, and then in a cautious tone asked, "Is it not enough that we just ask you not to fund the camp?"

"I am afraid not. If I am to withhold funds, I must have a good reason to do that. While I am not required to make that reason publicly known, at least in my own mind I must be assured that our money is used only for legal-legitimate Muslim purposes. Our fund is0 watched and investigated by the American Government. I myself am going to the camp later this evening and will investigate the camp. If you know of something that I should look out for, please let me know now. Again I tell you that I will not reveal your names to anyone. My decisions will be made on what I feel and see. Is that understood?"

"We hope that will be the case and what we are about to tell you is not something for which we have any definite proof, but we have what you Americans call 'a women's intuition'. And while in your culture, this is often praised and respected, in ours such feelings are of no value and can be very dangerous."

"I understand what you are saying and, while I do honor and respect a lot of things in that culture, that is not one of them and I will do what I can to rectify that aspect of Arab culture. Now tell me what you want to tell me so that I will know what I am looking for when I visit the camp."

"Some of us who have sent our children to this camp have found strange things going on when they have come home." She started by telling in a whisper. "Our children have become politicized and fundamentalist, even more so than some of our men folk. They have joined radical youth groups. But even more frightening is the fact that they are leaving our homes and traveling overseas. I hate to say this but we think they are being recruited for... I don't even want to mention who or what."

"My God, now I understand your concern. Have you told the Government of your suspicions?" Joseph asked.

"I am sure that one or two of the mothers wanted to do that. However no one will take them seriously. If it is true, you know what can and will happen to any of us that is known to have informed." She said drawing a finger over her throat and moving it from ear to ear.

"Enough said! I want you to know that I will look into this. One way or another your coming here today has never happened. I promise that you will never be involved, nor will word of anything you told me be related back to the community, Thank you for coming and you may call me at any time if you feel the need to do that. Here is my private cell phone number. You may call on me at any time if you need me. I suggest you learn it by heart and destroy the evidence."

After they left, Joseph got ready for his trip with Allie. While packing he thought over what the women had told him and decided that it could not be true. Not right out in the open. No, not true at all -- but he would look into it anyway.

Later, on the way out to the camp, he asked Allie to fill him in on the camp's objectives and plans for the future.

"The camp teaches the boys how to live as their ancestors lived in the desert. It is extremely rough with few amenities. The state requires showers, toilets and kitchen services. However the campers live in tents. These tents are on platforms so that rain will not flood out the bedding. Except in the administrative compound and kitchen and bath areas, there is no electric power." said Allie. "They sometimes go out on overnight hikes and have to learn to live off the land."

"Sounds like Survival Training School in the Army. I should feel right at home." Joseph said. "I think it is good for young boys to learn these skills. I hope that religion is also taught there."

"You can be sure of that. There are classes and prayers. You will see it is just like a scout camp. Many of the graduates continue their education by forming alumni groups which meet every week when they get home."

Several hours later they arrived at the camp and were shown into the camp administrator's 'cabin'. It was a large log cabin with a canvas roof. "Welcome to our camp." he gushed in Arabic. "We are most glad to have you here and hope that you find our enterprise worthy of the fund's support. You have picked a wonderful weekend to visit us. We are having Color War. This is like most of American camps have except that we have added a paint gun game to the usual athletics activities. Being in the American Army maybe you might like to participate."

"I'm afraid not." Joseph said. "Mr. Balbak and I have both served our time in the military and, speaking for myself, I have had my fill of it. We shall be happy to observe and perhaps give out rewards to the winners. Both of us feel that physical fitness and religious education go hand in hand. We also want to see that camps such as these should be available to all the Muslim children in our cities. And that includes the girls also -- but in separate camps."

"It is too bad that you and Allie will not be in our games. We were hoping to test our kids against both your military knowledge." he laughed.

"Perhaps next time." Allie said. "We are here to examine and enjoy your camp. We want to see what you have to offer. The fund is only one aspect of the visit. Perhaps I did not make it clear that Mr. Benson, himself is thinking of investing his own money and as you know he has many rich friends who he could bring in with him."

"Yes, I was thinking of making the camp free to all deserving Muslim youth. Or if this were not possible, perhaps to set up scholarships for the most needy."

"That would be most generous of you! Tell me, Mr. Benson, as an outsider, what are your reasons for doing such a thing?"

"Outsider!" Allie laughed. "Do you not know who this is? Did the camp organization not tell you who was coming to visit? This is Joseph Benson Muhammad, the son of the late sheik, Fazzi Muhammad and the man who is now in charge of a one half billion dollar charity fund, set up by his father and the Paterson Arab community."

"I'm sorry but I was just told that a possible donator was coming up and to treat him like a V.I.P." the director said. "It has been a long day and you look tired. Perhaps you would like to rest in your quarters and we can get a fresh start in the morning? We have a nice place for our visitors to stay with a nice full bed and cot. There is a refrigerator with food and drinks. We will wake you at 7 am for breakfast and first prayers."

They were shown their quarters and after the director left Allie asked, "Who gets the bed?"

"I really don't care. After last night I could sleep on the floor. I'll take the cot. I'm used to it anyway and I'll be dead to the world as soon as I hit the pillow."

"Are you joking? We both get the bed. It must be this mountain air. I'm bushed also, but from what I hear it gets real cold at night up here and we might be better off sharing the big bed." Allie said, as he and Joseph got ready for bed.