"God civilians," Mike complained after twenty four years the retired Chief Petty Officer now ran the coast guard repair shop. He had purchased this three story shore front town house after a fire had gutted the third floor before his second sea tour. Then the neighborhood had been different mostly oystermen so they had a lot in common. That had been fourteen years before now the neighborhood consisted of African American doctors, lawyers and other well to do folks. Mike was the sole hold out from the past area, as such they were constantly getting him to give them sailing lessons on his forty three foot Hinckley centerboard sloop. He had purchased the boat a couple years ago for a song, abandon by some officer at one of military marina. Now they were screaming because Mike planned on taking a three month cruise and wanted to lease his house out. He had spent all night arguing with neighbors.
"It will lower property value," the Doctor had argued at heart I knew he wished he could tag along. Mike had relented with regrets, which was why sleep was reluctant to come tonight. What the hell now he wondered hearing noise from down stairs. Being the sole white man living in the community his was the first home toilet papered on Halloween but it never went beyond a good prank as he knew most of the kids from sailing on his boat.
"God damn it Jessie," Mike growled snapping on the lights feeling foolish holding the three fifty seven revolver in his hand. The sound of tires squealing away told him this was not her idea, "You trying to get yourself killed." The tall black girl had been a friend and neighbor since he'd been forced to retire from the Navy.
"I am sorry Mr. Bandon," Jessie smiled nervously staring at the canon in my hand, "Tony figured, to get some money so we could take a trip."
"So you planned to rob me," Mike asked the gun still in his hand "Tony told me you got insurance. You really would not lose anything."
"You Just wait until your father gets here," Mike had already dialed his neighbors "They were so worried about property values."
"Please, I'll have to hear about this from mom for the rest of the summer," Mike felt sorry for the girl. She had been on the state track team, unable to go on her spring break because of a track meet was bad. But to make it worse the girls had been banded from competing because their coach could not keep it in his pants. "She'll ground me until I graduate from college."
"Why would I do that?" her mother demanded as the two came storming through my front door "Why the gun."
"Tony convinced me to steal Mr. Bandon's flat screen and see if he had any cash lying around." Jessie melted she never been really able to hide things from her parents.
"Do you realize how close that fucking no good boyfriend of yours came to getting you killed?" Jessie mother almost turned white with the realization the gun had been meant to deal with a home intruder. "God if it had been our home I would have shot you."
"Mom he has insurance." Jessie said as if it made everything alright.
"Are you going to press charges?" her father asked "I hope not she will never get into Georgetown with a record."
"Heaven's no," Mike replied "she's your daughter."
"Come on young lady and you can kiss your next three weeks good bye," Jessie mom told her.
"Hi Mr. Bandon," Jessie called walking past the boat, "You were right, you know Tony when a shacked up with another girl just so I take the fall all by myself. How stupid could I have been."
"Not stupid," Mike replied, "desperate for love. I have known a lot of girl who did stupid things for a man that should be allowed to hold their underwear."
"Thanks, I think" Jessie smiled, Mike had always been rather blunt, probably the reason at fifty he still unmarried, "I mean, well hell, you going out for a sail?"
"I don't know if I should share this with the neighborhood burglar," Mike laughed "But I am getting her ready for a three month trip down to the island of Curaçao I got a job down there."
"Sound dreamily wish I could go." Jessie smiled, "but mom is so mad right now. She already tried to get me on that program scared straight."
"You just need to find a better guy," Mike smiled up at the girl standing on the dock, "Or better yet just do without one until you get done college."
"That is easy for you to said being as how your gay," Jessie replied just about knock him off the boat. Looking up from the deck he had already been distracted by the girl's thong staring him in the face.
"Who said I was a homosexual?" Mike blustered, still focused on the girl's white thong.
"God," Jessie replied suddenly embarrassed because she realized Mike was looking up her dress "it was Tony he said you had to be gay because you don't have no Hoe serving you."
"No just like I was telling you, I waited until I was done with the Navy relationships just suck the life out of you," Mike laughed, "Shit girl no sense trying to hide that little piece of cloth now."
"So what do you do about those urges," Jessie asked pointing to Mike now exposed tent "Yes I can see you're not gay."
"Well, there are always people that are willing for a hook-up just for sex," Mike smiled, "easier for a girl then a guy even. After you get your life together Mr. Right will come along."
"You really think there is such a thing as a Mr. Right," Jessie asked bitterly "I mean my mom and dad were perfect for each other yet mom cheats on dad with the white partner at her firm."
"I am sure there is a soul mate for each of us," Mike replied filing the tidbit about Jessie's mom away for later. "Trouble is we settle for too soon so there is no room for growth."
"Well if mom said yes," Jessie asked, smiling "could you use a bikini clad deck hand it is the least I could do for being such a fool."
"Sure," Mike smiled his mind thinking of wonderful things they could do during the trip he knew she was sexual active her father had seen fit to talk to all the neighbors about that.
"Mr. Bandon what are you thinking inviting a nineteen year old on a three month cruise?" Nadia Chapman Jessie's mother demanded accusingly shaking her finger at Mike like he was some sort of criminal on trial, "You must be three times her age."
"First off, don't you come off at me like I the one sleeping with their white boss," Mike fumed "She asked me if she could go and I told her to ask you."
"How did you know about that?" Nadia replied suddenly all the fury taken out of her sails
"Does not matter," Mike replied, "I am the good neighbor keeps my eyes open and mouth shut remember."
