Jono's Journey Home Ch. 01

The Department of Children and Families put me in a group home run by friends of the family. I only had to move five acres away from my home. I was lucky; they too ran a horse ranch, although Uncle Jack used to make fun of Arabians, I always, loved them.

I voluntarily took summer school twice to skip another grade in high school, guaranteeing I would be the youngest and smallest kid in my class on graduation day. I was carrying a collage course load as well. I earned my associates degree just one week after I graduated high school. The goal was to start collage early and get my bachelor's degree. Sadly the funds were not there. My foster family was concerned, but signed off on my early entry forms into the Air Force at seventeen. I was pleased when the Medical Review Board approved my entry, with only one dissenting vote. Who listens to urologists anyway? Here I am a year later flying into my third overseas deployment. I loved seeing new things and experiencing life.

When I awoke I was crying and Vanessa was wiping my forehead. No words needed to be said, she knew.

When we arrived in Saudi Arabia the door was open then we climbed down the loading ramp. While Vanessa and I were relishing the blast of blissfully dry 110 degree heat, I do believe I heard Sasquatch actually whimper behind us. Our duffle bags were taken off the aircraft and dropped on the flight line for K-9 review. Fifty volunteers came from all across Europe to serve in Saudi Arabia. Out of all of those duffle bags lined in a row, the damned dog chose mine to piss on. I remember Vanessa laughing as I looked to the heavens saying, "Really?" The Air Force staff liaison officer to Riyadh came over and told us, "There will be a meet and greet tonight in the hotel banquet room to introduce you to our Saudi hosts. Class A uniforms are required, service jackets are optional. Your duty assignments are in your briefing packets in your rooms. Orientation begins tomorrow at oh-eight-hundred. If you'll follow me we'll get you on the bus and take you to the hotel grab your bags boys and girls."

Nessa waived at him and he smiled back. She told me she worked for him when she first arrived at our unit. Then he was transferred to NATO HQ. "Jono, He is how I knew to volunteer. Isn't he gorgeous?!?" She cooed.

"Nessa, guys do not call other guys are gorgeous." However, I could see her point. He looked a bit like a young Sam Elliot without the cheesy mustache. He had strong hairy arms, chestnut hair, steel gray eyes, squared broad shoulders, and a strong jaw, oh Gawd; he even had a cleft in his squared chin. Clearly this guy played football at some point in his life. Just like one of the guys I used to tutor in high school.

We arrived at the hotel, oh my LAWD! I've never seen anything so beautiful. Everything was gold and shiny. The woodwork was highly polished and finely fitted. There was a grand piano in the lobby by the elevators. We signed for our keys and headed upstairs. I remember the porter had a funny look on his face as he sniffed the air when he picked up my duffle bag. He opened the door and put my duffle bag on the baggage holder and made that odd sniffing face again. I smiled and told him what happened at the airport. He apologized and said "Just put what you need cleaned in this bag and put it in the hallway. Then call the front desk, we will pick it up immediately." I asked if I could include my duffle bag he smiled and replied absolutely sir. I spent the next 10 minutes trying to find a uniform that wasn't damp with urine. When the phone rang it was Vanessa, "Hey Jono, you open your info package yet?" "Nope, still looking for something dry to wear tonight. Fucking dog!"

"Sweetie, don't sweat the small shit. Be thankful, I'm the one who has to wear the long dress and long sleeves. Lastly honey, remember its only 60 degrees back in Bremerhaven. Give me a call when you open your packet. I got Riyadh; I hope we're working together."

Eureka! I got to the center of the bag and found one rolled short sleeve blue shirt and a clean t-shirt. I figured if I wore a tie it would be good enough. I began transferring my nameplate, and ribbon rack from my long sleeve shirt that I wore flying in, to my short sleeve, but dry and piss free shirt. Oh how I longed to wear my green fatigues. But Captain Nelson said "Class A" uniform shirt, tie, and ribbons.

I went to the table and broke the seal, CRAP! Al Kharj. I called Vanessa and gave her the bad news. Well at least we'll have a good meal together tonight. When will this day end? I looked at the clock and realized it was time to start heading downstairs I dumped my crap into the cleaning bag and called the front desk for pick up. Vanessa and I met at the elevator and went down to the lobby. When we got to there, Captain Nelson swept in like a pissed off water moccasin, "Airman Banks! What the hell is your issue? The instruction sheet said Class A's." Double crap! I am in country less than six hours and the boss already knows my name. I reminded the captain according to 35-10 to be a class A the uniform only had to have a tie and ribbons. I asked if he would prefer I ran up and got my service jacket, I added it was a bit wrinkled from the flight. I also reminded him he was there when the dog pissed on my bag. With that he smiled and said "Let me guess it's the only thing that didn't get soaked?" I nodded "Well, I guess you will be joining Sergeant Gilmore and I. Vanessa it is good to see you again, congratulations on your NCO appointment. Stay close to me, you two are going to get noticed." He looked at me, "Airman you look terrified..."

Vanessa responded, "Sir, that's his normal look in large groups. Jono, hovers somewhere between fight and 'oh my goodness I'm running as fast as I can.' If it wasn't for me I don't think the boy would ever have left the dormitory. When you were assigned to Basdahl, did you ever get to Duhnen Beach in Cuxhaven?"

He replied with a sly smile, "Which side?"

"Fabric optional side of course... it took me six weeks and a full parking lot to get him interested in crossing over to the nude side. That just wasn't normal for a 17 year old boy. When we laid out our blankets, I noticed he was red from head to his toes. Initially I thought he was having an allergic reaction to something. Then I realized just about his whole body blushes. Kind of like he's doing now."

I just wanted to curl up and die. The Captain ignored the fact that my supervisor saw me in the buff and asked, "Seventeen! How old are you?"

"I just turned eighteen three weeks ago sir. I earned my second stripe two days ago. I am an introvert, Sergeant Gilmore has been trying to drag me out of my shell. I'm going to miss working with her on this TDY."

He looked at me and asked, "Where are you going again? I can't remember where all 50 of you are posted."

I replied, "Al Kharj sir."

Vanessa chimed in, "Jono is real good in manual operations, but we are a killer team on the semi-automated system. I have been asking to put him into AST training early, he knows all the data, and has the skills. The leadership is concerned about his age, and command presence, not his knowledge. You should have seen his command presence as he briefed the base commander at Rhein-Main. How many E3s do you know that would have the stones to demand ID and need to know from a Major General?" The captain looked skeptical so I showed him the general's coin. Nessa continued, "Our squadron expert in manual operations is here too. Staff Sergeant Sasquamo rocks in the FACP ops configuration. Come to think of it, he worked FACP operations in Vietnam back in the day." A thought flipped through my head. Bus may I introduce you to Sasquatch, Sasquatch here's your bus. I couldn't believe she just threw him under it.

"Jono, you really carded General Ambrose? Then questioned his need to know? Damn, you DO have balls! I have to share that one with my boss. He hates the bastard."

"You may want to add the fact that the General was so impressed, he thanked me and offered me a job on his staff."

With that our stroll across the lobby had been completed. We reach the door of the banquet hall. There was a doorman posted in a bright green uniform with buttons down each side of his chest. As we approached he came to attention and fluidly opened the door. My eyes got big as saucers as I saw the size of the banquet hall, and how many people were within. Our whole squadron could fit inside that banquet hall twice over. Sergeant Gilmore took my hand smiling she looked at me and said "Deep breath, chill little dude. We got this." She let my hand drop as we entered.

When I was a little kid, I was once stalked by a panther in the Myakka River State Park. I was having that same feeling as we entered the banquet room.

Nelson, smiled and said "Tallyho" (I see the target) as a Saudi officer approached. He was at least 6' 4"; he looked like he was in his mid-20's, and HUGE muscles bulging everywhere. There was something else though I couldn't shake the feeling, I knew this man. There was something so familiar. It was frustrating. The one thing I did know Nessa and I were gonna get stiff necks talking to this crowd.

"Benjamin, welcome..." as he put out his had to shake our captain's "I was starting to think you were not going to come."

Nelson replied back, "Tamam, sorry for the delay. Airman Banks had a uniform malfunction courtesy of one of your security dogs on the airfield. Sergeant Gilmore was assisting her partner. Nessa, Jono, this is our host Captain Tamam Aza Asad Hassan."

Captain Hassan nodded in Nessa's direction then responded to me, "I heard of the unpleasantness, the dog handler has been directed to use more care, I am sorry for any inconvenience. I hope the hotel is taking care of the cleaning. I am sorry your introduction to our Kingdom has been so difficult." He was standing so uncomfortably close. His cologne was strong and exotic. It was far more overpowering than my Halston.

"Thank you Captain but, I can't blame the dog; he was just doing what dogs do. Let's face it from their perspective a duffel bag looks a heck of a lot like a bush. As to the welcome, the staff at the hotel has been outstanding. The inconvenience at the airfield, is just that an inconvenience. One thing for sure it can only get better." Everyone laughed.

The Captain Hassan told us that he was one of the project managers for the Saudi end of the project. Then he rested his hand on my bare arm and said, "Surely you are not old enough to be military. What skills do you bring?"

I looked up into the bottom of his chin (damn, he is tall!) and replied with great heat. "Sir, I may only be 18, but my skills have been put to the test. I have a near eidetic memory. I am fluent in several German dialects. This is without ever being exposed to the language prior to being assigned to Germany. My Danish, Italian, and French are rated very high as well. I am also fluent in Balochi, Mehri, Soqotri, Razihi, Armenian, Persian, Kurdish, Quashqai, Turkmen, Talysh, Hebrew, Feyli, Aramaic, Assyrian, and Arabic. In addition, I am conversationally fluent in Russian and several Eastern European languages. The list goes on, but I would not want to bore you. As far as my technical prowess, I was certified (with a highly qualified rating) in search scope operations within 30 days of my arrival. I had not fully in processed my base and unit when I was certified. We are required to earn our five level within one year of reporting for duty, I earned mine in 2 months with a near perfect score. As to systems skills, to my knowledge, I am the only person who has manually loaded the 407L's computer in 5 minutes 12 seconds, ever. Most require 20 to 30 minutes. Add to all of that I am a graduate of both survival and jump school." Hindsight being 20/20, I realized he was trying to push my buttons and BOY HOWDY, did he succeed. I knew immediately that I did not just step over the line, I carpet bombed the fucker it as I flew past it. What I said was not the issue how I said it was. With that realization, I dropped my gaze straight to my shoes.

"Jono!" Vanessa chided. "We are going to have to talk about this. In his defense Captain Hassan, he really is that good. As to his skills in communication, let's just say he's a cunning linguist, occasionally lacking tact." Her joke fell like a lead balloon but all politely smiled. "Seriously though our squadron, and wing, have used his translation skills in German and Danish to secure better deployment sites, and on occasion to defuse tense situations. He's really good at translating humor."

With my head still down; I uttered the first two Arabic words my papa taught me, "Ana asef... (I am sorry)" I lifted my head and continued in Arabic, "Sir, I think I shall be saying that a lot. Please I beg your forgiveness."

He smiled and asked in English, "Jono, who taught you our language?"

"I picked it up as a child sir. Please sir, can we leave it there?" I was spinning my father's wedding band on my index finger.

He patted my shoulder. "We are being called to table, please join me at mine."

Captain Hassan strode forward to the head table and the crowd parted in front of him. My captain put his hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Good recovery airman, just be a little more tactful in the future. I do not think I have ever seen anyone humble that man."

I whispered back, "I know the message was not wrong, but the delivery was. For that I am very sorry sir."

The dinner consisted of foods from across the kingdom. So that the teams would understand the local cuisine they would be experiencing.

I was both overjoyed and terrified when I saw the Kabsa on the table. I was overjoyed because it was one of my favorites, terrified because Vanessa was reaching for it. "Sarge, NO! It has pine nuts!" She backed off as if she was staring at a spitting cobra, and all color drained from her face. For all Vanessa's skill, intelligence, and bravado I knew her Achilles heel. She was deathly allergic to cashews and pine nuts. "Thanks for the save little buddy. That's two I owe you, Taz." I pointed out the dishes that I knew should be safe for her. "About six months back I had an exposure and dropped so fast that I couldn't deploy my epi-pen. Jono, found me on the floor unable to move or breathe. He was the one who got to jab me. Then he drove me to the base clinic. He saved my life." Tamam then ordered a steak for her from the kitchen.

The Saudis ate slowly and talked a lot. Vanessa was far better than I at feigning interest. But at least I was getting all of their names committed to memory. Captain Hassan kept looking at me. I had to admit I was returning his gaze, perhaps a bit too often in fact. I had the feeling I knew him from somewhere, the way he talked, his eyes and mouth were all so familiar but for the life of me I could not place how I knew him. For a person with an eidetic memory that is frustrating as hell.

Somewhere along the line we began the customary round-robins of 'who you are' and 'where do you come from.' I knew being the lowest ranking person at the table I would be skipped over. My place at these kinds of events was normally nothing more than stage dressing. Sit down, shut up, and color while the adults talk. Then there's my rule 3 "If you are asked questions smile and keep your answers short and polite." I felt free to let my eyes dart around the room. I was trying to take it all in when I locked onto a familiar form, that of Tech Sergeant Sasquamo. Poor bastard dripped harissa sauce all the way down the front of his shirt. I kept thinking that's one stain that will never come out. Captain Nelson noticed what I saw and shook his head.

I was shaken when the Captain Hassan asked, "So young Jono, where do you come from? How do you know our foods, and how to say I'm sorry like a small boy?"

Damn I thought. We went all the way around the table and now it was my turn. I was really hoping I'd be skipped. "I come from a small unincorporated town up in the Florida panhandle that no one has ever heard of..."

The Captain interrupted me and said "That is a region not a place."

I mumbled my city name; he cocked an eyebrow as if he didn't hear it correctly. I then slowly enunciated as my "LA" drawl thickened, "I comes from Fluffy Landing, Florida. Just down the beach from Niceville" The table erupted in laughter. "Oh, it gets worse; I grew up just off Jolly Bay." The laughter returned and intensified, I turned beet red and put my head down to my chest.

The Captain lifted his hand an inch off the table, and the Saudi side of the table immediately became silent, the American side followed in kind, "And the rest of my question?"

I replied, "Papa was a skilled jeweler originally from Al-Hareeq. I can tell you, there are a lot of Baptist women in Fluffy Landing who have Arabic script in their wedding bands. I used to love sitting in his lap listening to the stories of his childhood home in Saudi Arabia. Mom learned how to cook for him the dishes he enjoyed and missed. They loved each other greatly. I thought the sun would rise and set at his whim. It was Papa who taught me chess, backgammon, and how to appreciate science, art, history, and literature."

An odd smile crept across Captain Hassan's face. "Bank is not an Arab name, do you have another?"

"My mother's brother gave me the Banks name. In the eyes of the Saudi government, I am Jono bin Aban Al-Amin." Captain Nelson's eyes shot wide open. "Captain Nelson, I take it you have not received the briefing letter from my director of operations? I am sorry, you should have been informed that I do have dual citizenship."

It was then Lt Fakhoury (one of the Saudi officers) stated, "Your Papa must be proud of your posting here."

I saw the panicked look out of Vanessa from the corner of my eye. My throat tightened and my eyes began to sting as I responded, "I would like to think so. I hope he looks down and smiles on me. Papa was murdered by a drunk driver when I was ten." The little voice in my head was screaming, "Rule three" over and over again.

The poor bastard looked snake bit and tried to recover by adding "Still you bring honor to your family, they must be proud."

That was all I could take. I could feel waves of grief and sorrow crashing down on me. I stood quickly and addressed Captain Hassan. The look on his face was not one of surprise like everyone else at the table it was more like that of Vanessa. "Please forgive me sir. I'm suddenly not feeling so well. It has been a long day. I think I should call it a night. Good evening sirs, Sarge. As I turned to go I saw the look on Vanessa's face, she was going into full on "momma bear mode." I have no doubt by the time I hit the door she explained what had happened to my family. I could not handle the pity at that point. Tears were flowing down my cheeks by the time I reached the door to the elevator.

I felt a big hand on my shoulder. Crap! I cannot deal with anyone right now... I turned and it was Sasquatch. "Jono, you okay little buddy?"

As the doors opened I turned and entered the car. As the doors closed, I dismissively muttered, "Yeah Sas, I'm OKAY."

He spun me around to look me in the face, "Don't lie to me buddy. I know you're in full crisis mode. You are fighting the tears so hard you are shaking. Add to that, you are spinning your ring so fast it may cut your finger off. Remember, I was your rater long before Vanessa was. I know your tells." Then he pulled me in for a near bone crushing hug. "You are not alone."

I replied, "I'll be okay Papa Bear. You know this month is hard for me. It's the anniversary of the crash. Everything's really close to the surface right now. I should never have taken this TDY. After what I just did, I will probably have orders back to Germany in the morning. Sas, I've been curious about something. Did you volunteer for this TDY because of me?"