The Coin By Showfan06 Coins are used as tokens of different squadrons, events and ranks in the Air Force. There was a tradition with my father's coin which is what led to this story. The tradition Holder will carry a military coin at all times. Exception Challenges will not be made while performing duties on the flight line or onboard an aircraft. When a coin check is demanded, the holder will produce their coin from their person within 10 seconds on a hard surface. If checked and unable to produce the coin within 10 seconds, the holder agrees to buy, for all coin holders present, a beverage of their choice Non-alcoholic beverages only during normal duty hours If the coin holder calls for a coin check and all coin holders present are able to produce their coin within 10 seconds, the caller agrees to buy the round If a debate occurs, the junior ranking person in attendance will determine the outcome The tradition in action It is the end of yet another long and weary shift for Station 51s A shift. Twelve calls for the squad, one near miss and four calls for the engine make for a very cranky bunch of men. Paramedic Roy Desoto gets an idea to play a trick on some of the guys to get them to relax. The guys are in the dayroom trying to shake off their rough shift when Roy decides to spring his idea on the group. Roy: Boys, before we go home I think we all need to go relax after a shift like this. Heads nod around the room, even the normally quiet engineer Mike Stoker decides to take Roy's bait.  Captain Hank Stanley is curious as to what the normally mellow paramedic has up his sleeve. Hank: What do you have in mind Roy? Roy: Getting changed and heading out for a quick drink with the boys. Ever the schemer and prankster Chet Kelly pipes in: Well somebody's got to buy. Since it was your idea Roy maybe you should buy. Roy laughs evilly. Roy: We'll see about that one Chet. With everybody being so tired, nobody picks up on the trap that Roy has in mind. Roy had given Mike and Johnny squadron coins from his time in the Air Force. Chet had done the same with Hank and Marco. Hank: You know that sounds like a good idea. I'm not sure we would be very good company even to our families right now after this shift. With their off shift adventure planned the boys head for the locker room. Not wanting to make things obvious Roy casually walks over towards the squad like he forgot something. Even his young partner Johnny Gage falls for it. Johnny thinks nothing of it since the squad had returned to quarters not long before. After a few minutes Roy heads for the locker room, with his squadron coin in hand.  As the guys get changed nobody pays attention when Roy opens his hand and the coin clinks to the ground. Chet: You're kidding? Roy smiles. Roy: You wish Kelly. Realizing what Roy dropped Mike, Hank and Johnny quickly drop their coins too. Marco is lucky to find he had carried his that day in his pants as it hits the floor. Chet groans. Chet: The one day I don't bring it Roy: You know as well as I do Chet you can get coin checked anywhere in the world. Chet groans. Johnny laughs. Johnny: Nice one Roy. Roy laughs. Roy: Hey it's not always the pigeon and phantom that strike. The guys laugh as they leave the locker room. They head for a local watering hole where Chet buys the one and only round. The coin shows up at work and will stay in the lives of 51s A shift depending on how this story goes. It can show up in various other locations and believe me some are strange. The Coin Chapter 2 Johnny Gage sat in his living folding his laundry and felt a hard object in the pocket of his work pants.  He pulled it out and sat looking at the coin that Roy had given him and the game that he had introduced.  Roy had told stories about how he and his crew in the Air Force all carried a special coin and if it was dropped by a member, the others all dropped theirs as well. Whoever didn't have their coin with them was responsible for buying a round of drinks for the entire group.  Roy had "coin checked" his shift mates the day before and poor Chet had ended up with the tab.  Johnny snickered, it was finally time the Phantom paid some of his dues. Johnny finished his task and relaxed on his couch for a moment, thinking. Today was the first day of the annual air show at LAX.   Johnny decided he wanted to go, and remembering that Roy was in the Air Force he called Roy to see if he wanted to go as well. Roy was watching TV and enjoying his empty house when the phone rang. Roy:  Hello, Desoto household. Johnny:  Hey pally. Roy:  Hey junior, whats up? Johnny:  You want to go to the air show? Roy smiles. Roy:  Junior, like always, you read my mind. I was just about to call the rest of the guys and see who wants to go. How bout we car pool using the Rover since Joanne has the van with the kids at her parents today? Johnny:  I'll be there in a few minutes. Roy:  Okay. I'll call the rest of the guys while you're on your way over. Johnny:  Okay. Johnny and Roy hang up. Roy dials Chet's number. Chet:  Hello. Roy: Hey Chet, wanna go to the air show? Chet: You bet I do. I never give up a chance to see the planes again. Roy:  Be at my house in ten minutes. Johnny is on his way now. I'll finish the shift call and see who wants to join us. Chet: I'll be there. Chet and Roy hang up. Roy dials Marco's number. Marco:  Hola Roy:  Hey Marco. Marco: Hey Roy, sorry bout that. I just got off the phone with my mom. It took me a minute to switch. Roy:  No problem. Listen are you busy? Marco: Nah. Roy:  Wanna go to the air show? Marco:  Sure. Roy:  Can you be here in about ten minutes?  Chet and Johnny are on their way over and I'll call Cap and Mike and see if they wanna go too. Marco: Save me a seat. I'll be there. Roy:  You got it. Roy and Marco hang up. Roy dials Mike's number. Mike: Hello? Roy: Hey Mike. Mike: Hey Roy, what's up? Roy: Was wondering you want to go to the air show? Mike: Sure. I heard some of the planes practicing earlier and it sounds like fun. Roy: Chet, Johnny and Marco are on their way over. Can you be here in like ten minutes? Mike: Save me a seat I'm on my way now. Roy: You got it. Roy and Mike hang up. Roy dials Hank's number next. Hank: Hello Captain Stanley speaking. Roy: Hi Cap. Hank is surprised to hear Roy's voice and becomes a bit concerned. Hank: Hi Roy, is everything okay? Roy: Everything's fine Cap. I actually just had a quick question for you. Hank: Shoot. Roy: Do you wanna go to the air show? Joanne's not home and Johnny called and asked if I wanted to go and I said yes. Then I called the rest of the guys and they're on their way over. Hank: I'll be there in about fifteen minutes with my camera in hand. Roy: You got it Cap. Roy and Hank hang up. Roy reaches over and picks up the squadron coin he had at work the day before. He smiles as he fingers the inscription on it. Roy (thinking out loud): I can't go on a tarmac without this; I'd feel like something was missing. This thing went around the world into countries the guys will never know about and countries that like us. Rubbing his hands over the inscriptions on both sides one last time Roy slowly puts the coin in his pocket.  Even though he has quite a few coins from his time in the service he always carries his last squadron coin with him. That squadron was more like a big family to him, much like 51's A shift is now. Minutes after Roy and Hank hang up, Johnny shows up. Johnny just walks in the house, knowing he doesn't have to knock or anything. Johnny: Hey pally. Roy jumps because he hadn't heard Johnny come in. Roy: Hey junior, whatcha trying to give me a heart attack? Johnny laughs. Johnny: Hey at least if I did, I could save you from it. Roy: Oh har har. Johnny throws a lopsided grin. Johnny: I try pally I try. Roy grins. Roy: Junior, thanks for the idea. Johnny: Hey no problem pally. It's been a while since you've seen the planes huh? Roy: To long junior way to long. Johnny misses the fleeting look on Roy's face. Within twenty minutes of Roy calling Chet, A shift is assembled in the Desoto living room. Roy: Guys, bring sunscreen, your camera and your wallet. You can leave your keys here since we're all riding together. The guys pile their keys on a table close to Roy's front door and head back outside. Hank: Johnny, do you have enough room in your rover for all of us? Johnny: I should Cap. We just can't get a ton of souvenirs to bring home. Roy: Believe me most of the stuff won't be worth getting. Hank: Okay. Johnny: Pally, do you want to drive? Roy: Sure. Johnny throws Roy his keys and climbs in. Chet and Marco take the very back with Mike and Johnny taking the back seat. Hank and Roy are in the front. Roy: We ready to go? Guys: Yes. Roy pulls out of his driveway and heads for the airport. Chet: For once I actually have to thank you Gage. Johnny is confused by Chet's comment. Johnny: For what? Chet: For suggesting the air show. It's been quite a few years since I've been to one. Johnny: Oh you're welcome. Roy: Guys make sure you put the sunscreen on. I don't want you to land at hotel Rampart because of first degree burns. At the mention of burns the guys quickly lather on the sunscreen. Twenty minutes after leaving the house, Roy pulls up to the air show. Chet: Man I think this is the first time I've ever had to park for one of these things. When I was still in I worked almost all of them so I didn't need to park or anything. Roy: I know what you mean Chet I was the same way. The guys get out of the rover. Roy: Hang on a minute guys. Roy quickly puts some suntan lotion himself. Roy: That's better. Roy throws the sunscreen back in the truck. Johnny locks the truck up. As they walk toward the gate one by one they make sure they have their squadron coins with them. After what happened at the station the day before nobody wants to get caught without their coin. Roy and Chet lead the guys up to the entrance.  The guys are greeted by the sounds of engines warming up. Roy smiles broadly. Roy: Ah the sounds of home. Chet grins. Chet: My alarm clock for years. Roy grins at both the sounds at Chet's statement. Roy: You betcha. Chet: Depending on the demo schedules can we go walk around the static displays first? AN Static displays are the planes that are actually parked on the tarmac during the air show. Roy: Sounds good. Any objections? Nobody says anything. Roy: Okay. The guys pay and head into the air show, making sure they pick up a flight schedule first. Chet looks at the schedule. Chet: The first demo doesn't start for a couple of hours. Roy smiles. Roy: Static time. Roy and Chet lead the guys through the various static displays. Suddenly Roy stops dead in his tracks. Seeing his senior paramedic stop dead especially since nobody had anything out of the ordinary concerns Hank. Hank: Roy, you okay pal? Roy: Oh yeah Cap I'm okay. Just got a little side tracked with memories. Marco: That plane in front of us? Roy: Yeah. That gentlemen is the C-141 B Starlifter. Lets just say I became really close friends with that plane. I took it to places that I can't even tell you about and would rather not even if I could. The guys walk up to the Starlifter as Roy says he became close friends with the plane. Senior Master Sargent (from behind the plane): And with us. How are you Sarge? Roy jumps when he recognizes the voice. He turns on his heel as does the rest of A shift. He is shocked to see the Senior Master Sargent standing in front of him. Roy: Ski, is that you? Ski smiles. Ski: The one and only Sarge. Roy and Ski slap each other on the back. Roy: Dear god man, how are you? Sarge: Hanging in there, we came out here to play since we were quiet for a while. Roy smiles. Roy: I knew something about this place felt like home. Ski smiles. Ski: That would be us Sarge. Roy: Always has been. Hey Ski, let me introduce you to my new family in blue. The crew of LAFD station 51 A shift. Our Captain Hank Stanley. Hank and Ski shake hands. Roy: Our engineer Mike Stoker. Mike and Ski shake hands. Roy: Firefighter Marco Lopez. Marco and Ski shake hands. Roy: Firefighter Chet Kelly, also known as the Phantom. Chet and Ski shake hands. Ski laughs at Chet's nickname. Ski: Do I want to know? Roy: He pulls more practical jokes then you ever did. Ski: I didn't think that was possible. The guys laugh. Roy: And finally my paramedic partner and best friend Johnny Gage. Ski shakes hands with Johnny and smiles. Ski: Good to meet you guys. You can call me Ski. Hank: You too Ski. Now it is Chet's turn to be confused by nicknames. Chet: Ski? Roy: It's easier then his last name. Believe me you guys would choke for a week trying to say it. Ski smiles broadly. Ski: Got that right Sarge. I know you did. Roy groans. Roy: Don't remind me. So who else is here? Ski: Everybody. Roy proudly leads the guys up the loading ramp of the plane. Ski: Hey guys look what the wind just blew in. The rest of Roy's former squadron mates turn around. They are shocked to see Roy standing at the top of the loading ramp. Squad; Sarge! As the guys head for Roy to say hi Roy casually drops his squadron coin out his pocket. The coin lands with a loud echo in the plane. Everybody jumps until they realize what the clink was. Ski: Ah Sarge you're kiddin. Quickly the rest of A shift drops their coins followed by everybody in the squadron but Ski. The sound of the coins hitting the plane catch the ears of some curious onlookers who try to figure out if somebody is playing a shooting game. When the onlookers figure out that everything is okay they just keep walking, keeping to their own business. Roy laughs heartedly. Roy: Ski, I learned from you never go anywhere without my coin. Unless I'm on duty I don't. Even when I am on duty it's usually in the squad with me or in my locker at the station. Now you didn't think I'd come especially here, after all the places it has been, without having it on me did you? The group laughs. Ski: Welcome back Sarge. Roy smiles. Roy: Good to be back Ski. Good to be back. Hey guys come here, let me introduce you to my new family. The guys walk over to A shift. Roy: Cap, guys, I'd like you to meet my family from the Air Force. Ski, boys, meet my LAFD family. My Captain Hank Stanley, our engineer Mike Stoker, firefighter Marco Lopez, firefighter Chet Kelly and my paramedic partner Johnny Gage. A shift shakes hands with the military guys. Major: Good to meet you guys. Hank: You too guys. Major: Sarge, you're still in medicine huh? Hank, Johnny and Roy smile proudly. Roy: Yes sir I was part of the first paramedic class in the county. Ski whistles. Ski: Wow. Johnny: He recruited and trained me. Ski: Johnny, I'm so sorry. The guys laugh. Ski: No in all seriousness Johnny you're working with the best. Johnny: Believe me Ski I know. Major: Well guys, since you're up here do you want a tour of the bird? A shift grins. Marco: That would be great sir. The major shows the guys around the plane. Roy winces when he sees the seats. Roy: To many trips on that thing. Ski: Way to many Sarge way to many. Roy: At least we don't have to pull pea soup on these guys. Mike is confused by the pea soup comment. Mike: I know I'm going to regret this but pea soup? The military guys groan. Ski: Before I tell you what that is I have to know does everybody have a strong stomach? Roy: Always. Johnny: With our line of work for the most part. Chet: Yeah. Hank: We have to have one to survive Chet's cooking. A shift laughs as Chet blushes. Marco: Yeah I like to think so. Mike: Yeah I do. Ski: What do you think Sarge, should I tell them? Roy; Let me say something before you do. Chester, do not and I repeat do not even think of pulling off something like this. One, I have seen it to many times and would warn everybody before you did. Two, it doesn't work on solid ground. Chet: Okay okay Roy. Roy: Okay Ski now you can. Ski: Okay. Well this is only something that we would pull to loosen each other after a hard mission or when we knew we had somebody new among us. The trick is for the first and last people in the plane to set things up before hand. You get the back full of guys and take off. Sometime during the trip the first on the guy on the plane pulls out a barf bag and acts as if he is getting sick. Then closes it up passes the bag down. Well that will actually get a few people sick but that's nothing compared to what the first guy on the plane does. Hank groans not sure he wants to know. Chet: What? Ski: The first guy in the plane would open the bag up and start eating it because most of the time it was jello of some kind. If not jello then it was pudding. Now seeing this the guys who weren't already sick would usually end up seeing lunch again while the two jokesters would be laughing their heads off. AN: Sick but true this joke was pulled on many unsuspecting people during my father's career in the Air Force. A shift groans. Chet: Oh believe me Cap, I won't even think of that. Hank: Good because if you did you and the latrine would be good friends for about a year. The group laughs as they finish their tour and walk off the plane. Johnny: What time do you guys get off? Ski: 2200 just before the show closes. Hank: We have tomorrow off boys if you want to pay up tonight Ski. Ski: Sure sir. Hank: Okay. The military guys smile. Major: It will be a good reunion Hank. Roy smiles. Roy: For me too sir. Major: Listen I hate to do this guys but we have to get going. Catch ya later. Roy: We'll be here. The group breaks up. Roy looks longingly at the plane for a few minutes as memories of times gone by play in his mind. Finally he shakes his head to put the memories away. Johnny: You okay pally? Roy: I am now junior. Johnny: Okay. Roy: God it felt good seeing them on that plane. Chet smiles. Chet: Man Roy I can't believe you did that to them. Roy laughs. Roy: Chet, believe me after some of the places they've coin checked me I was nice to them. The guys groan. Marco: Do I even want to know? Roy: Ask Ski tonight. Warning though we were like a squadron of the pigeon and phantom on the road. Hank groans. Hank: Twits. A shift laughs. Roy smiles broadly. Roy: Away from work and we were proud of it sir. The guys laugh as they take off to walk around the rest of the air show. After a full day at the air show the guys return to the C-141. Roy 's former commander greets the guys. Major: Hi guys. Have fun? Roy smiles. Roy: You bet we did sir. I forgot how good the tarmac feels under my feet. Major: Miss that? Roy: At times I admit yes I do sir. I mean don't get me wrong I love my job and all now but there's still something about the feel of a tarmac that I'll never forget. Major: Oh I understand Roy believe me. Roy: I know sir. Major:  We're just about ready to go, just locking it down. Roy: Been there many times. Major (smiling): You want to help them? Roy: Nah sir this one I'll just watch. Major: Okay. Roy: Thanks for asking though. Major: You're welcome. The guys wait another twenty minutes before the squadron joins them. Ski: Alright Sarge where does a guy get a good drink that won't cost an arm and leg? Roy: Go change boys then we'll show you. The A shift crew waits while the guys go and change. Roy: Guys, how bout we take them to the place we were last night? Hank: I think it should be big enough. Ski and the guys come back over. Ski: Alright Sarge you guys know this town better then us. Johnny: Ski, believe me you don't want to know this town or any for that matter as good as we know it. Chet smiles at Ski. Chet: At least you're buying this round. Roy checked us last night when got off after a rough shift and I had to buy. Ski laughs. Ski: Nice one Sarge. Roy grins and shrugs his shoulders. Roy: Hey I try. Besides why not after where I got checked a few times. Johnny: Okay boys you have my curiosity up. Ski: Believe me Johnny, you're going to want a beer and probably a bib to hear these. The guys groan. Marco: Why a bib? Ski grins evilly. Ski: To mop up the beer you spit out as we turn the Sarge's face red. Roy groans. Roy: This is going to be a very long night. Ski laughs. Ski: You betcha. Come on Sarge, you know you missed us. Roy groans as the group breaks up. Minutes later the major is following Johnny out of the parking lot. Roy: I have a feeling I'm going to regret having coin checked Ski. Johnny: Pally, I hate to say it but I think you're right. Roy groans again. Chet grins wickedly. Chet: Hemming and hawing the call signs of food for the phantom. Roy groans and slides further down into the seat. Roy: Yep I screwed up checking Ski. Ten minutes after leaving LAX the guys get to the chosen watering hole for the night. The major parks next to Johnny's rover and the guys all get out. Ski: This place expensive? Chet: Nah. This is where I just bought the round last night. Marco: Good prices and good drinks. Ski: Okay. The group heads into the watering hole. Waitress: Chet, back so soon? Chet smiles. Chet: Yeah but I'm not paying this round. We brought some friends. The waitress looks up and silently counts the group. Waitress: Our back room is open just big enough to fit everybody. Chet: Great. The waitress leads the group back. Waitress: Real food or just snacks and drinks. Ski: Snacks and drinks please. Put the first round on one tab and the rest on separate. Waitress: You got it. The guys sit down. Ski: Oh and if you have them can we have a round of bibs? The waitress is confused as to why a room full of grown men will need bibs for just snacks and beer but decides not to ask, afraid of the answer she'll receive. Waitress: Sure. The waitress leaves to get the first round. Ski: Shall we start the stories now? Roy: Lets wait til we get the first round. I have a feeling I'm going to need it. All to soon for Roy the waitress returns with the first round of beer and snacks for the guys. She also has the requested bibs. Ski: Thank you ma'am. We'll take it from here. Waitress: You're welcome. Would you like me to close the door? Roy: Please. Waitress: Yes sir. I'll come by and check on you guys again in a little bit. The waitress turns and leaves. Ski passes out the bibs and first round to everybody. Roy quickly takes a few swigs of the beer. Ski grins. Ski: Sarge, you asked for it as soon as you checked me. Roy groans. Roy: Don't remind me. Johnny starts getting antsy wanting to know what exactly has Roy regretting have checked Ski. Johnny: Alright lets hear em. Major: Before we do, Cap always keep in mind no matter what the situation was Roy was ready to respond. Hank is confused by the Major's comment but figures he figure everything out as the night wears on. Hank: Oookay. Ski: You guys pick: the shower, the movies or the wake up call. Roy feels like he just wants to melt. Roy: You had to pick the three worst ones didn't you Ski? Ski grins like a fool. Ski: Damn straight Sarge. Roy slaps himself in the head. Roy: Oy vey. Chet grins evilly. Chet: Ah Ski I'll take the shower for a hundred. The group laughs. Ski laughs a bit evilly. Roy and the Major groan. Ski: I can't be to specific but lets just say this was the Middle East. Airman: Ski, may I set it up? Ski: Go ahead Dave. Dave: We had just gotten off of a week of 12 on 12 off work. Taxing in planes, fixing them and turning 'em around. Ski and the rest of the military guys groan. Dave: Anyway we get back to the dorm. Mind you we had separate rooms but community showers. So we all head downstairs. Roy: Not thinking anything of it I left my coin on my desk and grabbed my stuff for a shower. I should have known better since Ski was my roommate. Ski laughs. Ski: I just couldn't resist. I had taken my shower but went back down like I forgot something. Sarge was in the middle of what I'm guessing was supposed to be a relaxing shower. Roy blushes a light shade of red that he knows will become darker as the night goes on. Roy (with a catch in his voice): It was. Ski: Well I couldn't let the Sarge forget the coin drop rule of always keep it on you because you never know. So I walk in casually, noticing that there a few guys in the room. Roy tries to slink down onto the floor as the red in his face deepens. Ski: I opened the door to the shower room and yelled coin drop and through the Sarge's coin down and walked away. I could hear five other coins hit the floor and one loud damnit Ski. By now Chet is laughing so hard the bib has come in handy. The rest of A shift isn't far behind. Marco is the first one to catch his breath. Marco: You got coin checked in the shower? The red in Roy's face deepens. Roy: With my own coin no less. Even the mild mannered engineer can't pass up the joke on this one. Mike: Now that's priceless. Roy looks at Mike stunned that he had chimed in. Roy (sarcastically): Oh thanks Mike. Mike: Hey just because I'm quiet don't mean I won't jump in. Roy groans. Roy: Oh great even the quiet one likes this. The group laughs as they finish the first round. Ski: Alright boys you're on your own now. Ski gins wickedly. Ski: Just seeing the Sarge's reaction to the story was enough of a good reason to have to buy this round. The waitress comes in with the check for the first round. Waitress: Ready for round two gentlemen? Roy: Please. Waitress: Coming up. Who ever has to pay that check can wait til later and pay it all at once if they want. Ski: Sounds like a plan to me. The waitress leaves. Ski: Okay rib break til she comes back. Johnny: Pally if that was only round one… Roy: I'm gonna wanna melt into the floor by the time he's done. Hank laughs. Hank: Well pal look at it this way at least no chiefs will know. Roy: That's my only saving grace tonight Cap. The group laughs again as the waitress brings back round two. She leaves the beers and then turns and leaves the room. Ski passes out round two. Ski: Two choices left you want the theater or the wake up call. Marco: Give our ribs a bit of break then the theater. Ski laughs. Dave: Man Sarge what did you do them that they want to save the worst for last? Roy: Don't ask me. Hank: The worst? Roy: You'll see Cap. Ski: I'll set this up and carry it through. Marco: Okay. Ski: We were in Germany this time. We had a couple of days off because the plane we were waiting on had gotten delayed so we decided to go catch a movie. There was about seven of us that went out to the theater. Since it was about dinner time the theater was about empty except us and some elderly people. We sat in the back of the theater now mind you the theater was on a bit of a slope. The major groans. Ski: It was some kind of action flick which worked out perfectly. I was mean this time. During one scene there was a lot of rapid fire machine gun fire. Chet starts laughing. Chet: You didn't! Ski laughs wickedly. Ski: Oh but I did Chet I did. Chet laughs. Chet: Oh god. Ski grins stupidly. Ski: Just as the final few shots were being fired in the movie I dropped my coin from high enough up that it sounded like a gun shot in the theater. Once the guys realized what happened… Roy: It was an expletive laced line of words that would make sailors blush followed of course by more coins hitting the floor. Roy blushes a bit deeper then he had after the first story was told. Roy: Except mine I left mine in my other jeans. Ski laughs. Ski: I got the Sarge again and we about gave the older people heart attacks. A shift breaks into more thank god we have bibs on laughs. Johnny is the first one to find his voice this time. Johnny: Uncle uncle! Mike: You're kidding? Ski laughs. Ski: Nope. Roy: Needless to say I kept my coin with me for every other deployment and while we were state side. Roy gulps. Roy: Except one day that was an emergency deployment and I actually left it at home I had to go so quick. Major: One of our three hours and gotta go missions. Roy: Exactly sir. Major: Gentlemen trust me I know the mission he is thinking of, one we can't and two believe me you don't want to know the details of the trip. Ski: I had put my coin in my helmet bag as a good luck charm I was afraid we would need on this trip. Mike: Helmet bag? Roy: It's a small bag that we used as our carry-ons when we flew. Fighter and bomber pilots actually put their helmets in them while everybody else puts a variety of things in them. Mike: Oh okay. Dave: Lets leave it at this it was a very ugly mission. Not to much unlike some of the rough shifts you guys have. Roy: Unfortunately you're right Dave. Ski: Well after the hell of the first few weeks we finally caught a break about a month into the trip. Roy: Mind you the reason this is called the wake up call is he pulled this as I was sleeping for the first time in a week. Johnny: Uh oh. Ski: Yeah I was really mean with this one but we needed it. Sarge was having a particularly rough trip dealing with some of the injuries. Anyway he had finally managed to get some shut eye on the floor of the hanger we were calling home for the trip. Roy slinks down in his seat. Ski: I let him sleep for about two hours then I decided it was time to have some fun. Roy: Mind you I was sleeping in the same position that I sleep in at the station. Roy sinks into his seat even more. Ski: I casually walked up to Sarge and stood right behind him. I knew he was a light sleeper so I knew this was going to be down right hilarious. I dropped my coin on a piece of the floor where I knew it would echo the loudest. Seconds later so did the rest of the squad. The Sarge jumps up in his boxers and a t-shirt and starts to head for the door, thinking we were under attack. The group laughs at the mental picture Ski is painting. Ski: When he woke up enough to realize that we were not under attack and saw me standing there grinning like an idiot he put some PT shorts on and grabbed the squadron's new scepter of power. Dave: A metal baseball bat. Roy blushes the deepest that he had all night. Ski: His face was… Ski looks at Roy and smiles. Ski: About the color it is right now. Ski: He chased me all around the warehouse swearing in more then one language. He actually chased me out to the ramp and back into the building before he resigned to his fate. He bought a round for all of us on the way home when we could get to a real bar again. The group breaks into a side splitting laughter. It takes everybody about ten minutes before anybody can speak again. Marco: Now that's priceless. Roy groans. Roy (voice dripping in sarcasm): Thanks Ski, thanks a lot. Ski raises his beer to Roy and smiles. Ski: Anytime Sarge anytime. The guys finish their last rounds. Major: I hate to break up this reunion boys but we have to get back to the base and get ready for tomorrow. Hank: Major, thanks for joining us tonight. Major smiles. Major: It was our pleasure Hank. Chet smiles. Chet: Ski, thanks for the stories. Ski laughs. Ski: Anytime Chet. Marco: You know guys I still have a few pictures left. Let me get a couple of group shots. I'll make sure I get you guys a copy. Dave: That would be great thanks Marco. Marco: Lets get one of the military and Roy you get in there too. The guys get together and Marco takes the picture just as the waitress walks back in. Waitress: Sir, you want me to take one of all of you? Marco smiles. Marco: That would be great ma'am thank you. The waitress smiles. Waitress: You're welcome. Marco joins the group as everybody gets together. The waitress takes two pictures to make sure she gets a good one and then hands Marco back his camera. Hank: Ma'am you actually have good timing. We're all just about ready to go. Waitress: Okay. Hang on just one minute and I'll back with everybody's check and two checks for which ever of you gentlemen is paying for the very first round from earlier tonight. Hank: Okay ma'am. The waitress leaves. Roy: Guys, as much as those stories were as embarrassing to hear as living it sure was damn good to see ya'all. Dave: You too Sarge, you too. Roy: You better stay in touch. Ski: Now that we know where you are you better believe we will. Hank hands Ski one of his business cards. Hank: That's the address for the station. Ski: Thank you sir. Hank: You're welcome. The waitress comes back and gives the guys their checks. The guys head out and pay for their drinks and then head out to the parking lot. Marco: I'll send you guys the pictures as soon as I get them developed. Major: Sounds good Marco. We'll be waiting for them. A shift watches as the military guys board the bus and the Major pulls out of the parking lot. Roy: Family then friends always. Roy turns to A shift. Roy: Family now and forever. Johnny: Lets head home pally. Roy: Sounds good junior. Johnny and the guys climb in the rover and Johnny pulls out of the parking lot. Where and when will the coin show up?? Authors note: The saying the best stories are the ones right under your nose seems to fit this. Two of the three coin checks that Ski tells the guys about are based on actual stories that my father told me from when he was in the service, with some creative liberties taken. AN: Any and all feedback is welcomed, good, bad or indifferent.