{3}

We got to the work center; I would be working out of. My new command. Haller knocked on the office door, within the work center and a gruff voice called out to enter. Haller and I stepped inside, shutting the door behind us. Automatically, I went to salute, but I wasn’t in uniform. “Sir” stated Haller, “This is the new MM1, to our work center.” He motioned to me. The Lieutenant, looked up from his computer, over his glasses at me. He grinned. “MM1 Lee, we have been expecting you. Welcome to Mayport, and to your new home for the next few years. Was your flight, ok?” I nodded. “Yes Sir, it was fine, early but fine. And thank you for the welcome to the command. I am not entirely sure what to expect from shore duty, considering I am an engineer and have only ever been on ships.” I chuckled. The Lieutenant nodded and laughed and introduced himself. “I am Lieutenant Arron Mays. I am the work center officer, and the highest point of your direct chain of command here. You usually won’t have to deal with me, you will have to deal with Chief Torelli most of the time. Although, you have your own office, because you will be dealing with the junior sailors, and directing them to their daily tasks and workloads. If you have any issues, you talk to Chief, and if he feels the need to advise me of the situation, then it will be passed to me, and I will call for you, to explain further. But other than that, your job won’t be too hard, just micromanaging the junior sailors, to do maintenance around base.” I nodded and was grateful my job wasn’t supposed to be too difficult. But I know I will get bored, so stupidly, I asked the next question, to which the Lieutenant’s laughter, I think I made his day by the way, made his eyes water, and him slap the desk, with a reddened face and all. “What if I get bored and want to get my hands dirty too? Do the junior sailors get to do all the work?” As he was shaking with laughter, Haller had to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter too. I shrugged and looked Lieutenant Mays directly in the eye. I was serious. “Tenacious, are we?” He asked.

I think I am not what they expected as the new MM1 in their command. I am sure the last one, who retired, only wanted to sit on his or her ass, in the office, watching tv and drinking coffee, and not do anything. Not all 1^st class petty officers do that, but a good portion of them do, and they make all the junior sailors do everything. I was not like that. I liked my job, and the fact that yes, I oversee somethings, but I also liked to make sure all the jobs were done correctly. I didn’t want to be known as the female petty officer who doesn’t do shit. I wasn’t trying to prove myself in the aspect of being a female in the military, but I wasn’t just going to let things slide either. I had a job to do, and I was going to do it.

Lieutenant Mays shook his head and looked me in the eye. “You are a different breed, MM1, I appreciate that. It’s refreshing to see a young petty officer, a female at that, wanting to actually do her job. Kudos and Bravo Zulu to you. Now, I expect to see you report for muster on Monday, 0715, in either NWUs or Peanut Butters, ready to work and meet the rest of the work center. Go enjoy your first weekend here in Florida. I know it’s only Thursday, but that just means you get an extra day of rest. I hope you settle in comfortably as you can until your apartment is ready. I will be the first to know when it is, and I will pass it along to you when I get word. Here is the list of the whole chain of chain’s contact information in case any emergencies come up.” He handed me a laminated slip that was the same size as a credit card, but had the base info on it, along with my direct work center info on it, and my whole chain of command from the CO of the base, all the way down to the other 1^st class petty officers in the building I will now call my job. I smiled and nodded. “You are dismissed, MM1. Nice to meet you. And welcome again.”

Ok, so my new work center officer wasn’t too bad. He seemed like a decent guy. Maybe in his late 30s, early 40s. Good looking, but not my type. He was blond with brilliant caramel-colored eyes, and very clean cut. I did, however, notice the gold wedding band on his hand, as he handed me the contact slip. So, he was a family man, doesn’t surprise me. He had a good personality from what I got to see of it. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all. I can see him like an older brother, who likes to make fun of me. Then again, a lot of sailors become like family. It’s family away from family. That’s how I had survived my first 5 years in service. I just reminded myself to make friends, and have fun, while working to serve my country.

After Haller dropped me back off at the Navy Lodge, I showered, and dug around my bag in search of some sleep shorts and a tank top, and undergarments and proceeded to pull my wet hair up into a sloppy bun and look at the room service menu from the on base restaurant. I decided quickly on chicken parmesan, and sweet tea. I know weird combination, but the chicken parm comes with a salad and garlic bread. Who can pass up garlic bread?! And sweet tea, because, well, I love it. I usually don’t eat sweets, but I will drink sweet tea and pop every so often. Usually, I am a tea or lemonade kind of gal. I hated calling to place orders, and wished they had on online order form, but no, they didn’t so I had to grow a pair and make the call. I know it’s sad to say I am 25, and still hate calling to place orders or even call to make appointments. My mom laughs at me all the time for it. I call her and tell her whenever I must call to make any sort of appointments. But luckily in the navy, it’s not often. Usually, I stay on bases for all my appointments. So, I walk into whichever clinic and set up my appointments. I don’t know what it is, but I’d rather do everything in person, if I can. I guess, its because I don’t like being on the phone, unless its with my family. But even then, it’s facetime and video chats. So, it’s slightly different than just a plan old phone call.

35 minutes later, there was a knock on my hotel room door, and I jumped up to answer the door, with cash in hand as the tip. The food got charged to my room, which is fine with me. The delivery guy was nice and handed me my food and I slipped him a 5-dollar bill as a tip and said thanks and closed the door. I took my food to the little kitchenette and set it out to cool slightly. I opened my bottle of sweet tea and took a nice swig, and nearly choked, when my phone started blaring out loud, signifying my best friend was calling. I usually had my phone on vibrate but I turned the volume on before I got in the shower just in case my mom called. I cleared my throat as I answered the facetime call. My face bright red, Katie instantly thought something was wrong. Concern covered her pretty face, and her big hazel eyes, looked worried. “What’s wrong? Your new command that bad? I mean it can’t be THAT bad, and besides I am on duty today, but bright and early tomorrow, I am all yours Sis.” She said with her country drawl. I cracked a smile and shook my head, holding up the bottle of sweet tea, “I just started taking a swig when you called, and it went down the wrong pipe” I coughed and laughed. Immediately Katie burst out laughing at my stupid antics and shook her head. “Idiot, what did I tell you about chugging things. You know what happened the last time.” My eyes went wide and then I glared at her. With a devious grin on my face.

It was going to be awesome being stationed with her again. We met when we were deployed together on the Nimitz. She was TAD to the ship just for the underway. But we hit it off immediately and spent 9 months being inseparable. She became my best friend, my sister that I never had. Without Katie, I have no clue how I would have survived my first full deployment. She kept me grounded and sane the entire time. I’d like to think, I helped her too. And me being stationed in Florida now, with her on the same base. It was going to be great. Trouble was sure to ensue.

Katie and I stayed on the phone for about an hour, it was now 8pm, and since she was on duty, it meant so had to go on watch. Until Midnight. Watch meant, no phones. We said our goodnights and she assured me; she will be at the lodge around 0900 to pick me up so we can hang out tomorrow. Since Saturday was a mandatory command, base-wide picnic. Mandatory fun days. Yay. NOT! We had Friday all day to hang out, and her to show me around. Saturday afternoon for the picnic, and Saturday night to go clubbing. She knew all the bars and clubs in Florida. Especially a country bar, she has been dying to get me to go to with her. Every time I took leave, she begged me to come to Florida, but I always went home to New York, to see my mom and my brother and niece and nephews. They were the only immediate family I had. My mom raised my brother and me. It was always just the 3 of us. I mean yes, I have aunts and uncles and cousins. But I didn’t have a father. And that was ok. We didn’t need him anyways. He went to prison when I was 6. Never tried to contact us. And we never tried to contact him either. So, on leave, I go home. Home, the place that I will return to whenever I get the chance. I needed my mom, and brother. More than they know.

I tossed and turned all night. I didn’t like being in a new place. I never was able to sleep the first few nights somewhere. It was different when I was on deployment. I was used to sleeping in a coffin sized bed. If you can even call it that. So, sleeping in hotels, shouldn’t be hard for me. But, knowing this is where I’ll be spending the next 4 years, I am lost. I don’t know if I can handle this. This is only my second command. Boot camp didn’t count. My first enlistment was a 6-year contract, and right before I got orders to my newest command, I reenlisted for another 4.... What was I thinking? I mean, yes, I want this. But shore duty? Really? This will not be fun.