I had a few one nighter's before starting a relationship with a Navy girl. That lasted about two months when she found out that one of my "flings" prior to meeting her was with the two girls who lived above me. She had trust issues after that, and left me.
I did meet a girl who managed an up and coming rock band on the verge of signing a record deal. She was looking for some songs so she and I spent a few weeks ...... um ..... going through my song books.
I never even attempted to reach out to Lori while I was there. Nor any of her relatives.
I left Norfolk again in mid August that summer due to my grandfather. He was involved in an auto accident. I went back to Ohio to visit him in the hospital. Just when we thought a few days later he was recovering, he passed away. I was glad to have had at least those final moments with him.
Torn up over his passing, I decided not to return to Norfolk and remained in Chillicothe.
A few months later, Lori contacted me through my parents. She and Bernie came to stay with me. That lasted for about a month before she returned to Norfolk. I drove with her half the way before we got into an argument. She stranded me, more or less, in Richmond, Virginia. I took a bus to Tampa, Florida and spent the next year helping my brother get his business started before returning back to Ohio.
Not a month goes by without me at least reflecting back to something that happened to me in Norfolk that first time around. I pretty much lost touch with everyone eventually until I started posting this story to my blog. In the past few weeks I have either contacted, or been contacted by seven people from that time. Four of them girls.
While they, like myself, have aged, the memories of our younger days lingers on. It's been great catching up with them. One in particular.
"Hrisko" retired from the navy. He married a beautiful lady, has a son and he is now a millionaire. Good for him. Proof that great things do happen to great people. I'll always love that man.
"Torok" is married and is an avid hunter I hear.
"Penix" is a law enforcement officer.
"Karen" and her "sister" are happily married with children. She and "Sanoki" tried to make it, but it never worked out. "Andi" passed away about 6 years after her Norfolk vacation. No word on how she died.
"Julie" married and divorced twice. She has three kids.
"Lori" married twice, divorcing her first husband, who adopted "Bernie". Last I heard, she resides with her second husband in the Norfolk area. Bernie also lives in the area. No word if he is married or not or has any children of his own.
"Waylon Sr." has passed away. No word on Jr.
"Tiff" married and divorced and is now living with her "life mate". She has two kids from her marriage. I guess she still couldn't find a good man. Well, more power to her.
"Greg" now owns multiple motels and apartment complexes. I bet he would still give me a job if I ever showed up at his door. LOL
"Hammy" whereabouts are unknown, however, I heard that he got severely beaten one night after a poker game in Norfolk prior to us pulling out that September. No word on who his attacker(s) were.
I Heard "Neil" returned to Wyoming to resume being a cowboy. Cannonball also retired from the navy.
"Motown" whereabouts are also unknown. I'm still hoping to stumble across his book though.
"Shorty" passed away about six years after I left Norfolk. No word on how he passed away. Hey "Shorty'", remember that time I got my hat back? ... RIP my friend.
For me, I'm now writing stories, E-Books, poetry, songs and blogging. But you already knew that, didn't you?
To all those people who crossed my life path during that amazing time in Norfolk, I love you all. Thank you so much for being in my memories.
To someone special: "We'll always have Triumph"
To the rest of you, this:
"People say, don't ever look behind. Happiness is just a state of mind. Rock and roll lives and breathes in the hearts of the young. So carry on, you're running on borrowed time, trying hard to survive. Keep on running, your time is coming. Keep your dreams alive."
Follow your heart.
Good story. How did your friend become a millionaire? Have you always lived in Ohio?
ReplyDeleteHe made some wise investments.
DeleteFor the better part, I have always lived in Ohio. My thing was taking off periodically to travel. No matter where I went, Mardi Gras, Spring break in Florida, or Cancun, whatever, wherever, I only stayed for a week to a month. I always went back to Ohio until I decided to take off again to somewhere.
It was nice to know that I always had home to go back to.
I think it's worth noting, I am in the process of possibly reuniting with one of the girls from the story.
DeleteWell, we're discussing it anyway.
Life takes us all in crazy directions, but time has a way of repeating itself!
ReplyDeleteAfter a few years I guess since I posted this story of my time in the Navy and Norfolk, I have decided to mention a few things that got left out, due to the fact that I am still contemplating turning my Norfolk days into a novel.
ReplyDeleteThings I didn't mention:
1) A drug deal gone wrong and a drug dealer whose body was washed ashore one morning. As far as I know, nobody was ever arrested for it, but there were those who secretly pointed the finger at me.
2) A fire on board the ship that nearly took my life.
3) A man who came up missing during my last six month cruise, and again, some pointing suspicion in my direction.
4) My two weeks in the brig for disrespecting an officer verbally.
5) My encounter on land during a military skirmish with Cubans that led me to using my firearm that led to three enemy snipers being killed.
6) A stolen vehicle in which I was caught driving and how mysteriously the charges were dropped weeks later.
Sorry for leaving these events out, but you know, this was about my relationship(s). If I do ever write the book, it will under the tag of "fiction" lol and would cover the relationships and the things that got left out in these posts.