Watching the interplay in the rear view mirrors Krista giggled. “I’m a girl. I just have a birth defect that’ll be fixed when I’m old enough.”

The three children witnessed the exchange, looking intently at Krista to see if they could spot her birth defect.

Wayne’s mouth opened and closed like a fish as he looked between Krista, Diane and Leroy.

“I told you you’d never spot her,” Diane chuckled.

“You’re right,” Wayne admitted. “Krista, I apologize for my ignorance.”

“I accept and thank you,” Krista smiled.

“I told you our idea about transsexuals was totally wrong,” Diane smiled as she hugged her confused husband.

“It’s unfortunate that most people assume transsexuals are flamboyant drag queens,” Leroy declared. “If you intend to settle here you’ll have to learn the truth and give up your prejudice. Amongst the eighty four CWP members we have four MTF and one FTM Transsexuals as well as two gay and one lesbian couples. Most of us are Methodists but we have Catholics, Lutherans and two Wiccans. To us labels are unimportant. What’s inside the person is what’s important to us.”

“That sounds unreal,” Wayne declared as he tried to wrap his redneck upbringing around this new reality. “From what Diane told me the Clan Wells Point sounds almost like some sort of Utopia. However, my experiences have taught me not to hope for Utopia in real life.”

“Most of us thought the same way,” Leroy replied. “Krista taught us differently. Our fellowship as the Clan Wells Point is probably as close to Utopia as it gets.”

“Honey, this is what I tried to tell you,” Diane reassuredly squeezed Wayne’s hand. “It’s why I insisted we come here so I can interview for a deputy position here. I want the kids to grow up with this comradery.”

Things began to fall into place for Kyle. “Krista, are you like that girl, Jazz, who was on TV last year?”

“Yes I am,” Krista smiled. “She’s younger than I am and she knew she wasn’t a boy a lot sooner than I did. By going on 20/20 with Barbara Waters she and her family are showing being transgender is not a bad thing.”

John was confused. “What is transgender?”

“Transgender is the name for a medical condition,” Krista spoke up. “Before I explain further let me ask you a question. What I ask may sound weird and I don’t mean to get you upset. Are you a boy?”

John frowned. “Sure!”

Krista nodded. “How do you know you’re a boy?”

John was perplexed for a moment. “Because I have a willie.”

“I have a vajay-jay,” Judy spoke up. “That makes me a girl!”

“Yes. A willie and a vajay-jay are the physical indicators that a person is a boy or girl,” Krista said. “John, how else do you know you’re a boy?”

Now John was truly perplexed. “I don’t know... I just know I’m a boy.”

“Very Good,” Krista smiled. “Your mind tells you that you’re a boy. Judy, is there another way you know you’re a girl”

Judy shrugged her shoulders. “I guess my mind tells me I’m a girl.”

“Right! So there are two ways to know if you’re a boy or a girl,” Krista explained. “Being a boy or a girl is called your gender. For most people, the physical gender indicators, a willie or a vajay-jay, agree with the gender of your mind. For a few of us, our physical gender and our mind gender do NOT agree. I have a willie which means my body is a boy but my mind KNOWS I’m a girl. When your physical gender doesn’t agree with your mind gender that’s called being transgender.”

“That sounds like it’s really confusing,” Judy declared.

“It certainly can be confusing especially since some people won’t accept someone can have different physical and mind genders,” Krista declared. “Medical Science and doctors now know being transgender is a real condition. They’ve learned there is no way to change the gender of a mind. They have learned to change the gender of a physical body to match a mind’s gender.”

Judy frowned. “Why don’t you have that done?”

“I will, but the law says a person can’t do it until they’re eighteen years old,” Krista sighed.

The children nodded accepting what Krista told them.

Wayne just shook his head as he learned what being transgender was all about right along with his kids.

By the time the discussion was completed they had reached the end of Wells Point. The next three hours were spent on a leisurely tour of the CWP. The height of the DUKW made it easy to see every point of interest pointed out. Wayne was blown away by the manure digester on the farm. As a cowboy/farm worker he easily understood the differences between Texan farming practices on more arid farms often covering several square miles versus the damper acre intensive farms of the Chesapeake Bay. Wayne spent the entire next day with Larry observing the CWP farming process. The two hit it off and Wayne found himself hoping Diane would get the job so he could work on the farm.

The Hoffman children spent time with similarly aged CWP kids. On Monday Leroy took Diane into Easton for the interview for the deputy sheriff position. The interviews went well and Diane was offered the position. That evening the Hoffmans were accepted as members of the Clan Wells Point, now eighty nine members strong. Wayne eagerly accepted a job with the CWP farm.

Plans were made. The family would return to Texas to hand in their two week work notice and close up their apartment. They wanted to be in their new home, the recently purchased fourth refitted home on Almost Neavitt Road so the kids could begin the new school year.

*****

On Friday August 8 Krista’s phone rang a 5:00pm. “Hello, this is Krista.”

“Hi Krista, this is K8t Green. We’ve just reached the Chesapeake Bay at Annapolis. According to our GPS we should reach Neavitt in about an hour.”

“That’s great,” Krista enthused eager to meet the Greens. “We’ll meet you at the Clan Wells Point Bakery on Wells Point Lane just off the Bozman Neavitt Road. I’ll let everyone know you’re on the way.”

Krista and most of the teens were eagerly gathered at the Bakery by ten before 6:00pm. Kylie and Larry waited with Jane and Lisa at the front door of the bakery. Like all the Clan they’d been amazed about the confrontation the Greens had with the Bikers. Kylie, being a devout motorhead, was also eager to see the Big Green Machine. At 6:01 they heard the powerful resonate rumble of a decelerating vehicle. In seconds they saw the biggest car any of the teens had ever seen turning onto Wells Point Lane. The green metal flake paint 58TP left them know it was the Greens in their 1958 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser. The car rumbled slowly to a stop in the parking lot of the CWP Bakery as the awed teens swarmed the behemoth dubbed The Mean Green Machine. 58TPC

After the engine shut down the two doors opened. A pretty sixteen year old girl emerged from behind the wheel with a broad smile plastered on her face. A smiling sixteen year old boy exited from the passenger side. The front seats folded forward and a middle aged woman, an older woman and man exited.

“K8t,” Krista smiled as she stepped forward to hug the older teen. “How was the trip?”

“Good,” K8t replied. “We left at 10:00am, stopped every hour to swap off drivers and for restrooms breaks and leg stretches and once for lunch.”

Krista smiled. “How far did you travel?”

“Four hundred and sixty miles,” K8t answered.

“Whoa, that’s quite a one day trip,” Jane said as the adults joined them.

“I’m Kylie,” she introduced herself to M8t. “I run CWP Engine and Mechanical Repair. How did the Big Green Machine perform?”

“Smooth,” M8t smiled. “Even at highway speeds the engine never strained. Would you like to see the engine?”

“Sure,” Kylie smiled.

K8t reached back inside and popped the hood. The teens were surprised to see the hood open backwards. When they saw the engine they all gasped at the massive size that virtually filled the huge engine compartment. Engine

“It’s a 430 cubic inch Super Maurder engine that tested on a dynamiter at 430hp @ 5500 rpm,” M8t proudly reported. “This Y-block engine with triple two barrel carburetors was the first American production automobile engine to attain a 400 hp rating right off the assembly line.”

“This is a genuine classic,” Kylie said with awe. “I guess the side pipes upped the horsepower above factory specs.”

“That it did,” The older man chuckled. “I’m Dinky Dow. These two found a rusting derelict that had been hidden in a collapsing shed for forty one years. K8t’s great grandpa bought it new and parked it after his wife was too afraid of it’s power to ride in it. There were 6407 58 TurnPike Cruisers made and only 100 had this engine.”

Tony asked, “How much does it weight?”

“The factory weight was 4320 pounds,” M8t answered. “We added two five gallon fuel tanks sealed from the interior under the rear seats. Fully fueled the Big Green Machine weighs in at 4350 pounds.”

Jimmy asked, “How fast can it go?”

We’re not sure,” K8t said. “We took it to a street drag competition shortly after we completed the rebuild. We ran four times, the slowest was 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds and it finished the quarter mile in 14.57 seconds at 99.10mph. We won the competition when The Big Green Machine went from 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds and finished the quarter mile in 14.02 seconds at 101.52mph. We beat every other street legal car at the competition.”
drag
Everyone was awed by the huge behemoth the Greens proudly displayed.

“I think we’ve done enough jawing,” Jane smiled. “Let’s head down to the CWP Landing for a picnic supper. The entire Clan will be there. We can all get to know each other. I’m sure your car will attract a lot of attention too!”

The teens hopped on their bikes and took off helter skelter down the Wells Point Lane. Jane and Lisa got into their car as did Kylie and Larry. The Greens piled back into the 58 TPC to follow the others.

Needless to say the arrival of the Big Green Machine drew nearly the entire Clan to drool over the flashy behemoth. Brenda and Harriet followed Jane and Lisa to where the picnic was being prepared as Dinky, M8t and K8t showed off their pride and joy answering any and all questions.

When the question of how long it took to rebuild the rusted derelict M8t and K8t blushed as Dinky proudly answered. “These two found it in the shed where it sat for forty one years when they were thirteen. The first I knew about it was when they brought the wheels with rotted flat tires to my garage to be fixed so they could move it. They had to dig holes in the dirt floored shed to jack the body high enough to get the tires off. When they told me it was the first step in restoring the car I just shook my head at their youthful naivete. Then they told me the wheels were from K8t’s great grandpa’s 58 TPC. I’d seen the monster driving around when it was new so I was eager to see it get back on the road. They were determined to rebuild it themselves so I had them start working for me part time in my repair and salvage business. As they learned I instructed and supervised as they did all the work. Once they had used tires on the wheels I towed it to my shop. They spent nearly three years stripping it down to the frame, refinishing the frame and body parts as well as rebuilding the engine. We had the chrome parts sent out for replating once they sanded them down. When everything was refurbished, they reassembled it. They refitted the entire interior with the suede leather. The car was ready to drive by the time they turned sixteen. Both passed their driver’s test in April and May driving the 58 TPC. They did all the work themselves. I just supervised and instructed.”

By then the picnic was ready. After they were all seated at the picnic tables and Grace had been said, K8t stood. “If it’s alright with everyone, I’d like to dedicate this meal to my Grandmother Harriet and her new husband Dinky Dow. They were married last Saturday and this trip is their honeymoon.”

Everyone stood, applauded and congratulated the newlyweds.

Several people were curious about Dinky’s name. Jasmine finally gathered enough courage to ask how he got his nickname. Dinky just smiled and deferred to Harriet.

“In school I was a few years ahead of a young man everyone thought was at best slightly insane. Of course, Dinky never liked his given name, Clarence Dimwity. He was a loner and the weird intense young man enlisted in the Marines right out of high school in 1966. He served two thirteen month tours in Vietnam. Those who knew him said he was not quite right before he went to ‘nam’ and he certainly wasn’t any better when he returned.”

Everyone chuckled a bit as Dinky stood and bowed before Harriet continued.

“In Nam, Dinky was with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines during the siege of Hill 881 outside Khe Sanh from January through April 1968. The company was surrounded and cut off for the entire time, supplied only by helicopters. In actions before the siege the Vietnamese rangers he’d fought alongside had called his berserk battle behavior ‘dien cai dau’ which meant ‘crazy’. His fellow grunts nick named him the American pronunciation for the French/Vietnamese words, Dinky Dow. During the siege on Hill 881 he lived up to that designation. As the relief choppers swooped in to offload supplies and take out casualties he was one of the men who consistently broke from the safety of their positions to carry stretchers with wounded and dead to the choppers and to lug the supplies to safety. One time a chopper lifted off before he’d gotten clear of the underslung cargo net and one foot was snagged in netting. He flew the five miles from Hill 881 to Khe Sanh dangling beneath the chopper by that one foot. Two days later he flew back to Hill 881 on the next supply run. During his tours Dinky earned three purple hearts, a Bronze Star, a Silver Star, and numerous South Vietnamese medals for his fierce selfless actions.”

Everyone was impressed. Then Dinky stood and spoke. “It wasn’t until I’d shipped back to the US that the PTSD hit me. Nearly everyone thought I was at best slightly insane. I stayed by myself and avoided people. After a few months I used my military pay to buy a closed garage and started my business. My mechanical ability, honesty and fair business dealings made the business succeed. I’ll admit I was civil to customers while still being anti-social. I lived in a small mobile home behind the garage and proudly flew Old Glory above a USMC flag. It wasn’t until two scrawny kids showed up with four wheels with rotted flat tires that I began to open up. They helped me overcome my PTSD. Through them I met Harriet, the rest is history.”

Again everyone smiled. From the correspondence between Krista and K8t The CWP members already knew that K8t was transgender and that M8t was her boyfriend. They knew the name changes had been prompted due to public hatred of transsexuals and that the pair had endured a lot of harassment yet persevered to a begrudging acceptance with quite a bit of acceptance. They also knew about the horrific battle with the bikers. By the end of the picnic the Greens felt welcomed. The fatigue of their long trip was catching up with the Greens so once the meal was completed, they headed up the lanes to the Clan Wells Point B&B where they were staying.

Saturday Krista and Tony took the Greens for a horseback tour of the CWP. The farm with it’s state of the art milking parlor and the manure digesting system was impressive. The CWP Youth Rehab Hostel along with Barney Flint and Freddy Grant really impressed the Greens. They ate lunch at the O’Brien homestead then Kylie showed them her workshop in the barn. Once more the pink and green plaid DUKW attracted their attention.

As the licensed pilot Kylie accompanied Krista as she drove the DUKW from the garage, loaded the Greens, then headed out into Broad Creek. They headed north around Wells Point skirting the shore of the CWP. Turning about they headed back to swing around the CWP Balls Creek shore. Then they headed south into Broad Creek sailing about the Neavitt Peninsula rounding the tip at Nelson Point. From there they crossed Harris Creek to Tilgham Island into Knapps Narrow cruising under the Tilgham draw bridge into the Chesapeake. Riding in the DUKW brought memories back for Dinky who had ridden in them back in ‘Nam. By the time they returned it was time for supper. This time they ate at the main farmhouse. K8t found the fact that Kylie was a post op transsexual, married to Krista’s uncle Larry and the mother of adopted twins gave her hope for a similar future. The other members of the Clan Wells Point made the Greens feel like old friends.

Sunday morning the Greens left for home at 10:00am having made lifelong friends with the Clan Wells Point. They were giving a great deal of thought to the offer the CWP made to have them move and join the Clan. Dinky would easily fit in to the CWP Engine & Mechanical Repair and Brenda CWP Youth Rehab Hostel. Harriet would fit in the CWP, LLC. M8t and K8t would fit into CWP Organic Farm but most likely would relocate Gr8 Green Lawn Services. But they had business responsibilities and wanted to finish school in West Virginia. They promised to keep in touch.

*****

With the continued growth of the Clan Wells Point a few changes were needed. The main farmhouse could no longer hold the expanded CWP for meals. At the same time, the business of CWP Engine and Mechanical Repair was growing. While the barn on the O’Brien Farmstead was large enough to handle the increase, it was a bit to far off the Bozman-Neavitt Road to be convenient for the growing non CWP clientele. Being closer to the CWP Collision Repair and Body Shop would also be beneficial. Once vacated, the barn could be modified to make a suitable CWP meeting place. The ideal place to move the CWP Engine and Mechanical Repair would be a new building between Almost Neavitt Road and the Cemetery along the Bozman-Neavitt Road.

The forty feet by one hundred thirty five feet new service station was designed with six twelve feet by twenty six feet service bays and three sixteen by forty feet service bays with a fifteen feet by forty feet office parallel to the Bozman-Neavit Road with restrooms and showers on the north wall. A fourteen by seventy five feet warehouse was located behind the shorter bays. The Bays were accessed from the north side of Almost Neavitt Road. The move to the new site was on October 8.

While that was going on the former milk house of the O’Brien homestead barn Jane had been using for chickens was stripped bare and pressure washed. The twenty feet by twenty feet annex was then outfitted with a state of the art commercial kitchen. The barn would be thoroughly cleaned to serve as the gathering spot for the Clan.

*****

The rest of the summer passed quickly for the Clan. Good news arrived from Texas on August 20, the courts had approved Callie’s appeal of her conviction and sentence. The Hoffmans arrived from Texas in time for the kids to begin the 2008-2009 school year on August 26. They moved into the first home on Almost Neavitt Road. All of the students from the Clan were eager to return to school. Gretchen was enrolled at The University of Maryland as a sophomore in their Physical Therapy program. All the credits she’d earned during her freshman year at the University of British Columbia had been accepted. She’d be staying two blocks off the campus at the CWP House returning home for the weekends. Grandmother Cynthia would be taking care of Benny and George when they weren’t at the daycare. Ivy offered to help Cynthia with her cousins after school.

Since April the CWP Youth Rehab Hostel with the cooperation of CWP Collision Repair and Body Shop and CWP Engine and Mechanical Repair completed a project they’d begun in January. It had taken Leo Kahn three months to locate two vans suitable to be converted into a handicap accessible passenger van. Two 2002 Ford E350 cargo vans, one an extended version. Both were in rough shape. The drive trains were shot and the bodies dented. The frames and suspensions were solid.

Kylie removed and rebuilt the two drive trains into one while Leo, Brandon and Gary reworked the bodies. Utilizing the extended van as the base with the drive train removed, they cut the van in two just behind the drivers seat. They then cut the center out of the other van, from behind the dash to just in front of the rear wheels. They welded the center section of the smaller van between the severed portions of the larger van thus extending the van six feet. In the process they reversed the inserted unit so there would be side doors on both sides. Since cargo vans don’t have windows behind the front, they cut out the side panels to install windows to convert it from a cargo van to a wagon van. They removed the roof and installed an eighteen inch fiberglass raised roof. Removing the rear doors they installed a remote control six hundred pound capacity wheelchair lift with power doors. Inside the wheelchair lift in place of a rear bench seat they installed two side by side wheelchair tie down points and across a narrow aisle was another tie down point. Thanks to the rebuilt extended body there were four rows of three person bench seats with a narrow front to rear aisle. The rear two bench seats were removable which revealed three additional wheelchair tie down points each. When completed, the van could be configured to carry three people in wheelchairs, thirteen passengers and a driver or six people in wheelchairs, ten passengers and a driver or nine people in wheelchairs, seven passengers and a driver. The entire frame was reinforced and the original single drive shaft was replaced by a double unit to accommodate the longer wheelbase. The suspension was strengthened to handle the increased weight. The last step was to paint the now twenty five feet long van in the green and pink CWP tartan.

The van was ready for use by the time the school year began and served as a private transport from the CWP for the thirteen students attending St. Michaels Junior Senior High School. While Benny had his prosthesis, there were days when he still needed a power wheel chair.

With the start of the school year, as what had become defacto CWP practice, new seventh graders Marcus Olsen and Holly Reese began working, Marcus with his dad in CPW Metal Works and Holly with at the CWP Landing. All CWP businesses were holding their own even as the stock market and many businesses began stumbling.

*****

For the 2008-2009 school year the students from the Clan Wells Point were in 12th grade: Jamie Ewell, Freddy Grant and Barney Flint; 8th grade: Krista Scott, Tony Masters, Jasmine Reese, Jimmy Boswell, Phil Abott, Dwayne Harper, Jenny Ewell and Sam Evans; 7th grade: Holly Reese and Marcus Olsen. Amongst them six were LGBT, all of whom had come out the previous year. Because of their trail blazing ten students came out as LGBT for the new school year.

St. Michaels Middle/Senior High school had an enrollment of three hundred ninety students with an average sixty five students per grade. LGBT population in the USA is LGB by a percentage of 3.5% and T of 0.3%. According to these percentages the school should have 13 to 14 LGB students and one T student. For this year there were thirteen LGB students and four T. While the number of transgender was statistically out of proportion all were from the Clan Wells Point. Only two were originally locals, the other two moved into the area.

As they had the previous school year the school administration and staff accepted and supported the LGBT students as did seventy five percent of the students. They made a concerted effort to squash any bullying.

As it had done the previous school year, two small groups were upset by the open acceptance of the LGBT, the Christian fundamentalists and the few redneck skinheads who had forgotten the lesson the tragic crash Barney, Freddy, Dwayne and Phil had last Halloween. The Bay Hundred area, St. Michaels and the entire peninsula, was unlike many nearby areas. Because of the physical layout of the peninsula with it’s many creeks and coves the shoreline was immense. This made the area extremely attractive for waterfront development. There were hundreds of vacation homes most with their own dock. It wasn’t unusual for waterfront properties to be worth millions of dollars. The affluent owners lifestyles were urban rather than rural and thus usually quite liberal in their attitudes. Starting in the early nineteen seventies St. Michaels grew into a tourist mecca with many boutiques, restaurants, and historical sites, museums, artists and artisans in residence who by their very nature liberal. The majority of the tourists in St. Michaels were also of the liberal persuasion. The vast majority of the economy revolved around tourists spending money or meeting the wants and desires of the shore front property owners. In fact, two out of three working residents of the Bay Hundred area were employed in some aspect of directly serving the well to do shore line property owners and tourists.

The locals, if they wanted to flourish, had to cater to the sensitivities of their paymasters. For those who took the Bible literally, suppressing their conservative ideals around the financially secure liberals took a high toll. Over the years most eventually moved leaving a small isolated cadre. The same happened to the skinheads and other hater rednecks. Thirty five years of catering to the liberals thinned the ranks of the oft stubborn conservative base population that had dominated the Bay Hundred area prior to the changes of the seventies.

The Christian Fundamentalists students voiced their opinions and disdain of the LGBT but avoided open confrontation. The four ever rebellious skinheads were not that smart. The first two weeks saw numerous non physical but verbally nasty confrontations. Thanks to the vigilance of the staff all such encounters were quickly squashed and the instigators appropriately disciplined until they learned to be non-confrontational.

*****

In mid September many in the school (as well as the world) who were aware of the economy were surprised and stunned by the collapse of Lehman Brothers Bank, the USA’s fourth largest bank. This rippled to London and the world. At nearly the same time Bank of America gobbled up Merrill Lynch which was on the verge of collapsing financially. The world's biggest insurance company, AIG, had seen its stock market value collapse. There were fears that if the firm were to go under it would bring the world banking system down. The head of the US Federal Reserve knew that, unlike Lehman Brothers, he could not let AIG fail. He announced an $85 billion emergency loan. The students from the Clan Wells point were not surprised since Steven had warned them a financial collapse was imminent. While the immediate effect in the Bay Hundred area was muted, the well to do non local waterfront property owners would be hit hard over the coming months and years.

*****

Krista and Tony were once more nominated for their class representatives for the student council. No one ran against them and on September 21 they were elected. Senior Ken Poore, the president, suggested that with the increased number of openly LGBT students the council should sponsor a Gay-Straight Alliance as a means of counteracting the haters. The idea was unanimously endorsed and would be presented to the administration. Another decision was to once again have a Halloween Dance. Tony and Krista had already received the okay from the Clan to host the event in the barn at the O’Brien homestead where it had been held last year. Like last year, a raffle was scheduled to raise the money to pay for the insurance and other expenses with the excess going to Toys for Tots. Since Halloween fell on a Friday that would be the date of the dance. Krista brought up another idea.

“In June a seventy six year old farmer neighbor had a stroke while he was working in his fields,” Krista began. “He’s home now and recovering but he’ll never work the fields again. The Clan Wells Point took over preparing his fields while he was hospitalized. Once it was clear he wasn’t going to be able to resume farming we bought the farm granting he and his wife clan membership. Once he came home he had problems adapting to not farming so we teens spent time talking to him. Mr. Jablonski had an interesting life. He was born in Poland in 1932, came to the US with his parents before WWII who settled on the farm. In 1950 he joined the Marine Corp and fought in the Korean War. He was with the 1st Marine Division at the Battle of Chosin Resevoir where 30,000 Marines were surrounded by 120,000 Chinese soldiers. They were stretched out along a road in the mountains in below freezing weather. When ordered to retreat Marine General Oliver Smith remarked: "Retreat, hell! We're not retreating, we're just advancing in a different direction." It took fourteen days to fight their way out.”

“The reason I’m telling you this is because veterans like Theodore Jablonski fought for us,” Krista declared. “Many died, more were wounded, and to some extent all suffered PTSD. Mr. Jablonski was eighteen in 1950. He’s seventy six now and amongst the youngest Korean War vets. The vets from WWII are at least five years older, most are older. These heros are dying off. Mr. Jablonski would like to go to Washington, DC to visit the Korean War Memorial to say goodbye to his fellow soldiers in arms who have already passed on. I’m sure a lot of the Vets from WWII would like to see the WWII Memorial. Unfortunately at their age they can’t go on their own. They need younger people to help them push their wheel chairs or give them an arm to lean on. They need us. If we can help these Vets we should.”

“We can do it,” Krista stated. “I’d like to suggest we use the band to raise funds. The band already has an impressive repertoire of appropriate tunes so rehearsals shouldn’t be an issue. We could hold a concert of Big Band and Swing Music. We’ll contact the local VFW and American Legion posts to non financially sponsor the concert and supply us with the names of WWII and Korean Vets. If we begin now we can reserve busses to take the vets and we helpers to DC to Tour the Memorials sometime during the Veterans Day weekend. We can become local road based veteran support group like the Honor Flight Network to help vets who can’t get their on their own visit the DC Memorials.”

The student council was excited about the idea and agreed to speak to the administration about the idea. By the end of the month the idea was eagerly accepted by the administration and the band teacher/director, a Big Band and Swing afficionado, leapt into the concert preparations. Fortunately the band already had quite a repertoire of suitable music. The two veteran organizations in Talbot County, the American Legion Talbot Post 70 at 29511 Canvasback Drive, Easton and the Veterans of Foreign Wars 5118 at 355 Glebe Road, Easton were pleased and excited about the idea to bus the older vets to the Memorials during the Veterans Day weekend. Delmarva Community Transit who provided public bus service for Talbot County agreed to supply buses to transport the vets and assistants at cost.

*****

The plans for the Halloween Party pretty much followed those of the last year. Since the precedent had been established last year, the students decided print four thousand $5.00 raffle tickets, doubling the amount. Just as they had no problem selling two thousand tickets, during the weeks leading up to Halloween they easily sold the four thousand tickets this year raising $20,000.00. The event insurance policy covering liability at the barn went up $50 to $550.00. The printing costs rose slightly to $130.00 from $100.00. The raffle prizes were increased to encourage sales, first place to $150.00, second to $100.00, third to $75.00, fourth to $50.00, fifth changed to $25.00 with sixth through tenth at $10.00. So $450.00 went for prize money. Total expenses came to $1130.00 meaning that Toys for Tots would receive $18,870.00.

*****

The Veterans Concert was scheduled for Friday October 24 in the Gym of the St. Michaels Middle High School. Covered with patriotic red white and blue bunting a raised stage had been assembled at one end. The gymnasium was packed. The bleachers on either side of the basketball court each sat three hundred twelve people and were filled with friends and family of the students. The six hundred twenty five folding chairs were set up on the basketball court filled with veterans and their families. Harry Halls from WOBC-TV channel 16 in Salisbury, having heard about the concert and the plan to take the vets to the WWII Memorial for the Veterans Day weekend, made arrangements to film the concert.

The band and singers were excitedly anxious as the event sold out. The band was dressed in khaki trousers, olive green dress shirts and spit polished black shoes mimicking WWII military uniforms. The singers, Krista, Jasmine and Jenny dressed in WAC costumes as the Andrews Sisters did during their wartime performances. A cacophony of mumbled expectant voices filled the gym as the audience waited for the show to begin. The WOBC-TV16 crew had discreetly set up microphones at the sides and center of the stage in the back of the gymnasium while setting up a small platform in the front to film over the heads of the audience. A roving camera to film the audience reactions was also present.

The long sharp trilling of a whistle sounded from the lobby at the front of the gymnasium caused the murmuring voices of the audience to begin subsiding. The instant the whistle stopped, the band began playing Sousa’s most famous march, ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’. Stars

The doors leading to the lobby were opened. Krista carrying the American Flag followed by Jasmine and Jenny carrying the flags of the Talbot County VFW Post and the American Legion Post led the band in a column of twos as they marched in playing the rousing tune. Everyone who was capable of standing did so. They marched one circuit of the aisles between the bleachers and seats on the basketball court before mounting the stage. The VFW flag was placed on the right front corner of the stage and the American Legion flag on the left corner just as the march ended. The two girls moved to flank Krista as she placed the American Flag in the Center of the stage. The band and girls stood at attention then saluted the flag as the three girls, standing at a vintage WWII microphone, began an acapella rendition of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’. SSB

When the girls began to sing the audience fell silent, many with their mouths open in delighted surprise at the girls’ clear voices and fantastic harmony as they sang. When they finished the gym erupted in raucous cheers, whistles and applause.

When the cheers quieted Krista began to speak. “We’d like to welcome and thank everyone who came out tonight to honor our veterans. The girls and I as well as several of the band are from the Clan Wells Point. When a neighbor had a stroke while working his farm late last spring we stepped up to assist him. He and his wife were accepted into the Clan and we remodeled his home to accommodate his disabilities and took over running his farm. My friends and I had seen and waved to this couple but we only met this Korean War vet after he returned home. Part of his therapy was to stimulate his mind. We spent hours asking questions about his past and listening to his answers. We learned he immigrated to the US as a child and were impressed by his honesty, work ethic, strength and devotion to his family and adopted country. We learned about the horrors he and his fellow Marines faced when they were cut off at the Chosin Reservoir enduring the brutal cold and snow. When ordered to retreat Marine General Oliver Smith remarked: "Retreat, hell! We're not retreating, we're just advancing in a different direction”. Outnumbered four to one it took fourteen days to fight their way out losing many men in the process yet they did their best to bring their wounded and dead with them. These men, like all veterans, were heros.”

“In school we “LEARN” about the wars and battles our country fought. But until we talked to this man we never fathomed the hell that is war. The way he recounted his story we could feel the biting cold and anguish. That helped us realize that nearly every combat veteran suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The brutality of combat changes them. Most refuse to talk about their experiences because it dredges up bad memories. Instead they bury the horror which only allows it to fester. Those of us who have benefitted from their sacrifices owe these vets a debt we cant’ repay. We need to help them deal with their demons. We must not force them to discuss their nightmarish past, but we have to let them know we’ll listen when they’re ready to talk as my friends did and do for one of the heros of the Korean War.”

“During our interaction with this hero we felt his pain. We could sense his bond of brotherhood with his fellow leathernecks. Many of his buddies died in Korea. Many were wounded. After returning home he lost contact with his former comrades in arms. Now in his later years, he yearns to reunite with those that survive. The fact he never had the opportunity to say goodbye or pay last respects to those who died knaws at his soul.”

“We talked to the other veterans in the Clan Wells Point about their combat experiences. One is a vet from The Vietnam War. He explained to us that any combat situation is hell and the men you fight beside become closer than brothers. Like the Korean War vet he had buddies wounded or killed and then lost track of his comrades, partially because they were unable to discuss their trauma and the hatred for Vietnam vets that was rampant when they came home. For him visiting the Vietnam War Memorial was cathartic. It allowed him to remember the chaos of combat and the shared fraternity of his buddies. He explained to us he could recognize the other vets present by their reactions and found it was easy to talk to them about their shared angst.”

“That motivated us to try to help the older vets who may have physical issues visiting the DC WWII and Korean War Memorials. When the school year started we suggested the Student Council take up the effort to help our older vets, each with a student assistant, visit the Memorials. We’re all here tonight because we want to thank the vets for their service and sacrifice. Now, without further ado, we’ll begin our concert with what we think is the most appropriate song for our brave veterans, ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’!”

Everyone applauded as the three girls gathered around the microphone. The audience smiled as the familiar intro to the jaunty tune began. The girls did a bit of jitterbugging between verses. (start at 0.24) bugle

The audience burst out in cheers, whistles and applause as the girls curtseyed and walked off stage. The band director/teacher announced each song before the band launched into them, ‘Harbor Lights’ by Shep Fields then ‘Perfidia’ by Jerry Dorsey followed by ‘Take the A Train’ by Billy Strayhorn. The tunes each received well deserved enthusiastic applause.

“While this tune is from 1954 we really like it and feel it fits right in,” Krista explained to the smiling audience as the girls returned to the microphone. “Please enjoy ‘Mr. Sandman’!” sand

Once more the audience responded enthusiastically. The girls stepped offstage as the band began the next song, ‘String of Pearls’, followed by ‘Pennsylvania 6-5000' followed by ‘Habenero’, all by Glenn Miller. Again each song was well received and appreciated.

“This is another old favorite,” Krista stated as the girls returned to the microphone. “Please enjoy ‘Moonlight Serenade’ by Glenn Miller

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHYv2XoLMiI Carly Simon) moon

The audience was once more awed by the girls’ harmony and burst into applause. The Band then launched into ‘Woodchoppers Ball’ by Woody Herman then ‘Sentimental Journey’ by Les Brown followed by ‘Dancing in the Dark’ by Artie Shaw.

“We’ll have a twenty minute intermission after this song. There are refreshment tables set up in the lobby,” Krista announced as the girls returned to the mic. “This is an old favorite, please enjoy ‘I’ll be With you in Apple Blossom Time’.” apple

The audience cheered and whistled as the girls and Band bowed, then exited behind the stage. The audience stood and stretched. Smiles were endemic. Nearly everyone was delighted with the quality of the music. The excited discussions swelled in volume.

The performers returned to the stage at the end of the intermission. Keeping with the big band theme the drummer began a Gene Kruppa style drum solo. kruppa

The audience returned to their seats and quieted as the 3 minute drum solo thrummed. The audience cheered and applauded as the solo ended.

“Welcome back,” Krista spoke as she and the girls gathered around the mic. “Lets start off with the quintessential Big Band tune, ‘In the Mood’! mood

The audience cheered and applauded. As the girls curtseyed and stepped aside the band struck up the next tunes, ‘I’m Getting Sentimental Over You’ by Tommy Dorsey, ‘Sunrise Serenade’ by Glenn Miller and ‘Oh Lady Be Good’ by Count Bassie. The audience enthusiastically cheered and clapped after each song.

“This selection was another favorite,” Krista smiled as she and the girls returned to center stage. “Please enjoy ‘Begin the Beguine’! begin

The audience showed their appreciation of the girls who stepped aside as the band played ‘Stardust’ by Artie Shaw, ‘Sentimental Journey’ by Les Brown and ‘Marie’ by Tommy Dorsey. The audience enthusiastically showed their appreciation.

“Our next song is another classic,” Krista said as the girls returned. “We know you’ll enjoy ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’!” choo

The audience enthusiastically showed their appreciation of the girl’s singing. As the girls stepped off the band presented ‘Perdido’ by Duke Ellington, ‘One O’clock Jump’ by Count Bassie and ‘Stompin At the Savoy’ by Benny Goodman. The audience eagerly applauded their efforts.

“Before we present our last tune,” Krista enthused as the girls took the stage. “We’d like to thank everyone for coming out tonight. I know I speak for the band when I say we had a terrific time performing for you. We’d like to end the night with a rousing tune. We know you’ll enjoy ‘Sing Sing Sing’!” sing

When the song ended everyone who could stood for a raucous standing ovation. The cheers, whistles, and applause resounded through the gymnasium. The band put down their instruments to step to the front of the stage where with the girls they all linked hands and bowed to the audience.

“We’d like to thank you for making this fund raising concert a success,” Krista enthused into the mic as the applause lessened. “Delmarva Community Transit has agreed to support our effort by providing up to six tour buses at cost to transport us to DC. The Clan Wells Point is providing their handicap accessible van which can accommodate up to nine people in manual or power wheel chairs. We have sign up sheets in the lobby for anyone who would like to join us on the trip to DC on Saturday November 8. We’ll leave from the St. Michaels Middle/High School Parking lot at 8:30am. The only costs for vets and one guest will be for food and souvenirs. Further information will be sent to all who sign up. Thank You!”

Again there was applause which the teens basked in for a few moments before they moved off the stage to stand in a line on the floor in front of the stage to greet the audience. It seemed nearly everyone stepped forward. The older grizzled vets, many in wheelchairs or using walkers, made the effort to shake the performers hands. Quite a few had damp eyes. The family members who accompanied them were visibly grateful for the kids’ effort.

As the last of the well wishers trailed past the tired but elated teens the kids noticed Harry Halls and his mobile cameraman had positioned himself so he could address them. “I’d like to congratulate everyone! That was a fantastic concert! Knowing this bunch I expected a good show but you far surpassed my expectations. What you’re doing for these vets is wonderful! With your permission, I’d like to accompany your trip.”

Krista looked over her classmates all of whom were smiling, then to the band director and the school principal who nodded their approval. “Mr. Halls, we’d be honored to have you join the trip.”

“Thank you,” Harry replied. “With your approval, I’ll produce a DVD of the concert. All profit from selling DVDs would go to assist getting Eastern Shore veterans to the DC Memorials.”

The band enthusiastically approved while the band director and school principal agreed to get official approval.

That night on the nightly news Harry reported on the two hour concert. “Tonight I had the privilege to witness a wonderful concert at the St. Michaels Middle/High School! The brainchild of the spitfire we met last year, Krista Scott. Inspired by a Korean War veteran she brought the idea to transport and accompany vets who couldn’t otherwise make it to their war Memorials in DC. The student council took the idea and ran with it holding a successful sold out fund raising concert tonight. Here are a few highlights.” The band entry to ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ and the girls acapella Star Spangled Banner were shown in their entirety while snippets of the rest of the show were highlighted. Harry ended the report by stating that if the school granted approval, DVDs of the concert would be available with profits to help vets get to the DC Memorials.