Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Lost in Translation
(2)
Immediately after our marriage the USAF revoked my 'crypto' clearance and I was placed on 'casual status' awaiting further assignment. My career as a Radio Traffic Analyst was over. I had only a few weeks left in my two year tour in Japan, and as a result I was shipped back to the U.S. at the end of that time. Kootch stayed in Japan because we simply did not have the funds to fly her to America. Kootch's family had born the expense of the wedding, including my tailor-made black suit) and the honeymoon, and I couldn't bring myself to ask for any more handouts. Anyway, they deserved to nurture Kootch through her pregnancy. Kathleen was born while Kootch was still in Japan. The result of that was that the family could adopt her emotionally in a very special way as one of them despite her mixed genetic heritage. Meanwhile, I was shipped to Kelly AFB, Texas where I discovered television (in the 'day room') and my favorite program at the time, American Bandstand.
When I was interviewed for my next job in the USAF, retraining was not an option (I had too little time left). The interviewer asked me if I had any hobbies. 'Huh?' Anything you like to do and are good at? I replied that, 'well I like to draw...'
Those fatefull words (boom) landed me an assignment in Salina, Kansas, as the Base Supply Illustrator. I had absolutely no idea what an 'illustrator' was.
Meanwhile, Kootch and I kept in touch by mail. Regarding name, I had suggested 'Raymond Charles' if it was a boy, and 'Cathrine' if it was a girl. When asked for a name, kootch replied, 'kah sah leen.' The nurse wrote down, 'Kathleen.' Kootch tells me she noticed that the spelling was different but, 'What the heck...' No middle name was recorded.
Immediately after our marriage the USAF revoked my 'crypto' clearance and I was placed on 'casual status' awaiting further assignment. My career as a Radio Traffic Analyst was over. I had only a few weeks left in my two year tour in Japan, and as a result I was shipped back to the U.S. at the end of that time. Kootch stayed in Japan because we simply did not have the funds to fly her to America. Kootch's family had born the expense of the wedding, including my tailor-made black suit) and the honeymoon, and I couldn't bring myself to ask for any more handouts. Anyway, they deserved to nurture Kootch through her pregnancy. Kathleen was born while Kootch was still in Japan. The result of that was that the family could adopt her emotionally in a very special way as one of them despite her mixed genetic heritage. Meanwhile, I was shipped to Kelly AFB, Texas where I discovered television (in the 'day room') and my favorite program at the time, American Bandstand.
When I was interviewed for my next job in the USAF, retraining was not an option (I had too little time left). The interviewer asked me if I had any hobbies. 'Huh?' Anything you like to do and are good at? I replied that, 'well I like to draw...'
Those fatefull words (boom) landed me an assignment in Salina, Kansas, as the Base Supply Illustrator. I had absolutely no idea what an 'illustrator' was.
Meanwhile, Kootch and I kept in touch by mail. Regarding name, I had suggested 'Raymond Charles' if it was a boy, and 'Cathrine' if it was a girl. When asked for a name, kootch replied, 'kah sah leen.' The nurse wrote down, 'Kathleen.' Kootch tells me she noticed that the spelling was different but, 'What the heck...' No middle name was recorded.
