"Well, he planned to be a mechanic...or maybe an architect." Emily thought back to the time she first met him. "But after he met me, he suddenly changed his course. He never treated me as if I were different from any of the other girls walking around, but he did take an interest in the way polio had affected me. He asked questions, read books and even talked to doctors. Then he studied and researched and eventually became a physical therapist." She refocused on the other people at the table and saw that she had stunned them, and smiled. "I suspect that regardless of who he appeared to be when the others knew him during the war, he was always the caring man he is today. He just didn't know how to show it. I can tell you that he is the most wonderful person I have ever met."
"And, you said you didn't get the messages about this reunion because you'd been traveling around. Was that because of his job?" Beth asked.
"Yes, part of it was his job, but a lot of it was something he felt he had to do." Emily looked for a moment towards her husband and saw how happy and carefree he looked. He really needed this time with these people who meant so much to him. "Rainey has worked for a Hospital in Denver for the past several years. He also donates a lot of time to clinics in the surrounding, poorer, areas, and travels to Indian reservations. He works with children mostly, and he's developed some special techniques that have really made a difference. These past couple of months we've been traveling all over the country so he could demonstrate those techniques, and so he could visit some more reservations and underprivileged children." Emily went on to tell the others about some of the small towns she and Rainey had visited in the previous weeks, and about some of the children he had treated.
* * * * * * * * * *
He could hear Big Ben in the distance sounding the hour as he approached the street that held so many memories. How many times had he come to this place to retrieve his men, either so they could set out on a mission, or to get them out of the trouble they always seemed to find here? On at least one occasion, it was both. Some wager between Casino and Goniff had developed into a full-scale brawl, involving the police and the other patrons of the pub. That time he'd had to spring the guys from the local jail before they could set out on a mission to retrieve an experimental jet engine that had been part of a German plane that had gone down in France.
As the clock rang out the final stroke of noon, Garrison could see the very spot where he and his men had last all been together. On that day they'd stood on the sidewalk outside The Doves and, with a mixture of sadness and excitement, said an awkward goodbye. He had worried about his men then, and about what they would do with their lives now that the war was over and they'd received the promised paroles. He could not even guess what they would do with their clean slates, but he knew that, no matter what they did from that day forward, he would always think of them as heroes.
And there they were. How many times back then had he seen them just like this, sitting around a table with drinks in front of them. One difference was that this time no one seemed to be arguing with any of the others. He took a moment to drink in the sight and give a small prayer of thanks that they were all free to come here instead of sitting in a prison someplace. Then, with a smile, he approached the table.
"Gentlemen, we have a mission." The familiar words immediately cut through the conversation the four men at the table were having, striking them silent. Then, as one, they rose from the table and turned to the man who had spoken them.
"Hey, Warden!" Casino was no less enthusiastic in his greeting of his former commander than he was of his fellow cons. Fortunately, the other men were also eager to greet Garrison, and allowed Casino only a moment before they moved him aside. Then with all of them talking at once, another chair was brought from an adjacent table and a beer was ordered for the new arrival.
"Looks like the gang's all here," Annie said softly as she watched Goniff and the others welcome another man. Her words were heard by the other women, and they all turned to watch as a fifth man joined the others. The smiles that radiated from all the men made their feelings clear.
"He must be quite a guy. Whenever Rainey spoke of him, it was always as if he personally went out every morning and hung the sun." Emily shifted slightly in her chair. It wasn't the most comfortable chair she'd ever sat in, but there was no way she was going to walk away from this event now.
"So did Nick." Beth smiled. "And as I understand it, those five men were single-handedly responsible for winning the war.
Annie also laughed, "You mean they were all responsible? The way I heard it, Rodney was the one who won the war."
The others laughed. "I can believe that," Beth said. "According to Nick, he was personally responsible for the downfall of the Third Reich. But he also spoke of Lt Garrison with such admiration that I was expecting someone who was at least ten feet tall."
"He thinks the world of them, too." The women at the table had been vaguely aware of a taxi stopping at the curb and a woman emerging. She was carrying a package and had headed for the front of the boutique or possibly for the tables on the other side. They'd all assumed that she was just another shopper, but her words drew their attention immediately. They looked up as she approached them and watched her throw a quick look to where the men were sitting and give a brief wave with the package. Then she turned to the women.
"Hi. I'm Elaine Garrison." She set the package on the ground next to the chair that Chelle pulled over for her. "Thanks. I'm sorry to intrude, but overhearing some of your conversation, I assume that you're here with those men?"
"We are." This time Emily made the introductions all around.
"Chief came?" Elaine's smile broadened even more and she looked back over at the men. "Oh, Craig will be so glad. He was afraid Chief wouldn't make it when he didn't get a response to his message."
Emily explained again why she and Rainey hadn't received the messages that had been chasing them all over the country.
"Physical therapist?" Elaine drew a long breath and looked over at Chief with a smile. "That's wonderful. I don't think Craig would ever have guessed that."
"Probably no one would. It wasn't his original plan, but you should see him, especially when he's working with children. He's amazing." The other women admired the glow Emily had when she talked about Chief.
"Do you have children?" Annie asked, and then regretted her question when she saw the smile on Emily's face became tinged with sadness.
"No. It turned out that I couldn't have children. Poor Rainey. I wish I'd known before we got married. If you could see him with the children he treats, you'd know what a wonderful father he would be."
In the short time she'd been there, Elaine had already seen several glances Chief had thrown towards his wife. "It wouldn't have made any difference to him. From the way he looks at you, the two of you were meant to be together."
"Boy, that's the truth!" Chelle had also noticed the looks. "I sure hope some man looks at me like that some day."
"I don't know what I'd do without him." Emily caught a look from Rainey and smiled at him, receiving one in return. "What about you Beth, any children?"
"Two. A boy and a girl." Beth proceeded to fill the women in on her children. "When I first met Nick, he said seven younger brothers and sisters had cured him of any desire he might have had for children. But you know how things can happen." She shook her head, "I can tell you that the second little Nicky was put in his arms for the first time, there was never a child who was wanted more by his father. And, I warn you, do not ask him about his little girl unless you've got several days to hear about the most perfect and beautiful little girl in the world."
Elaine laughed and leaned forward, "When Craig was trying to guess what the guys might be doing now, he guessed that Casino was either robbing banks or working with electronics." She smiled, "He's sitting over there, so I assume he hasn't been robbing banks. What is he doing?"
Beth gave a burst of laughter. "The Warden was absolutely right, not about the banks, but about the electronics. Nick builds and repairs televisions and radios, and he also works on other small appliances. He has a shop on 39th Street in the City."
"Terrific!" Chelle responded with glee. "Oh, that's wonderful. Maybe I can get him to look at our TV. The vertical hold never does - hold, that is. Right in the middle of a show, the screen will suddenly go wobbly, and no amount of adjustment will fix it. Of course, Dad says I shouldn't be watching so much TV anyway, so he's in no hurry to get it fixed."
"Nick will be delighted to look at it." Beth was very proud of her husband's skills. "You said you're near Boston?" She saw Chelle nod. "Then it shouldn't be too difficult to plan a weekend trip."
"Fantastic!" Chelle bubbled. "We have plenty of room and a pool. Come for a week if Casino can get away from the shop." She looked around the table at the others. "You must all come for a visit whenever you want. I'll give you our phone number and address. I think it would really do Dad a lot of good to have his old friends visit." Chelle then briefly told Elaine about her mother's death.
"Oh, Chelle, I'm so sorry to hear that. Craig said he met your mom several years ago." Elaine looked up at Actor and could see that while he was smiling, he still had an air of sadness about him. "We really must keep in closer touch," she continued. "Craig and I are in Virginia - not exactly a million miles away from either New York or Boston." She turned to Emily and Annie, "I know you're near Denver, Emily. Annie where are you and Goniff? Or don't you live near him?"
"Rodney and I are both in California. My husband and I live near San Francisco. Doug stayed at home with the girls so I could come here. Rod lives in Anaheim," Annie replied.
"And what's he doing now?" Beth asked. "He seems to have managed to sit there all this time without putting his hand in anyone else's pocket--I think."
Annie just looked around at the others, barely holding back her laughter. "You would never guess in a million years." She paused while the others leaned forward in anticipation. "He's been everything from Captain Hook to Sneezy." She could tell that they still didn't understand. "He works at Disneyland."
"Perfect! Oh, how perfect!" Emily burst out, causing Chief to rise from his chair in alarm when he heard her, but a quick wave of her hand and a smile convinced him all was well, so he sat back down.
* * * * * * * * * *
"I take it that one is yours?" Garrison had also jumped when he saw Chief react with alarm. Apparently there was still some connection there. When he saw Chief relax, so did he, and he looked over his shoulder in time to catch the woman's wave.
"She's mine." Chief continued to watch as Emily giggled. Well, she was obviously all right and having a good time. "I don't know how I convinced her, but Emily and I have been married for sixteen years."
Garrison smiled. "I remember when you were getting married. I was back here in England then. Has it really been sixteen years?"
"Well, you're ahead of me there." Casino also looked over at the women. "Beth and I have been married eleven years. Hey Actor! You were the first. Is your wife with you?"
They'd all received the announcement when Actor married 17 years earlier, and they'd all been surprised that he actually chose one woman and settled down. Garrison was the only one of them who had met her.
Actor thought he was ready for this inevitable question, but when the time actually came to answer it, he found that it was still too difficult to say the words.
"My mother died three years ago."
Garrison and the others had become aware of the change in Actor and had not noticed the girl leave the other table and approach theirs. They all immediately rose when they realized she was there.
"This is my daughter, Chantelle." Actor took her arm and pulled her close. "We lost her mother suddenly. It's been very difficult."
The other men looked at Actor and Chelle unsure what to say.
"Oh, hey, man, I'm really sorry to hear that...." Casino looked again over at his own wife unable to imagine his life without her. "I wish we had known."
"I know I should have told you, but it was just too hard." Actor indicated Chelle should sit in his vacated chair so the others could also sit down, and he pulled another chair over for himself. "There were so many things to do, so many decisions to make...one day just seemed to blend into the next."
Chelle sat quietly for a few minutes while her father talked about her mother's death. Once he was started, he seemed to find it easier to open up and tell these men things he had never discussed with anyone else. She looked around the table and could not picture the men sitting there as the hardened criminals they had been. She knew her father hadn't told her everything about his own escapades before the war, and he had probably softened up his descriptions of the men he'd worked with during the war. Maybe one day she'd hear all the real details.
As the conversation between the men came to a lull, she suddenly perked up, "So, Chief, did you bring your knife?" She looked pointedly at his right sleeve as if expecting the switchblade to suddenly appear.
Actor groaned at the question and the others laughed, but Chief just smiled. "No, I didn't bring it with me, but I promise to show it to you the next time."
"Oh, boy!" Chelle was pretty sure she would be able to entertain the kids at school for a long time when she told them a somewhat edited version of what her father and his friends had done during the war.
Actor just groaned again when he heard Chief's promise.
"Dad, can I have some money? I think we need another pot of tea over there, and it must be my turn to buy." Chelle stood up and smiled at all the men who also started to rise. "No, no, stay there. I'll be out of your way in a minute."
"What happened to the money I gave you earlier?" Actor pulled out his wallet and removed a few bills and handed them to her.
"I might find a skirt I like." Chelle took the money and gave her father a quick kiss. "In fact, I found a skirt...we can talk about it later." With a quick wave to the others, she returned to the other table, stopping on the way to order another pot of tea from the waitress. She arrived back just in time to hear mention of Disneyland.
* * * * * * * * * *
"She's an amazing girl, isn't she?" Annie said to no one in particular, as she watched Chelle at the other table. Then she smiled. "I wonder if she'd like to visit Disneyland."
"I'm sure she would." Beth had been surprised when Chelle suddenly left their table and went to her father. Then she realized what had happened. "Actually, I'm sure we all would love to go to Disneyland." She smiled at Chelle as she returned, "Nick and I have talked about it, but it's such a long way and he would have to be away from the shop for a long time.
"And I'd love to see Goniff in action." Emily had also been concerned about Chelle and relieved that she had apparently handled an awkward situation so easily. "Elaine, do you have children?"
"Three boys, ages 5, 7 and 8," she replied. "They stayed in Virginia with my parents, and I miss them so much."
"So you're in Virginia." Annie played with her empty cup. "What is the Warden up to these days?" She smiled at Elaine.
"Craig is working at the Pentagon. He's been career military...in fact," she paused for a moment, "he's on the promotion list for Brigadier General. That should happen at the end of next month."
"And here I am calling him "Lieutenant" Garrison." Annie laughed, "But I'm sure Rodney won't be surprised. He thinks a lot of the Warden, and so do I. He made a huge difference in Rodney's life, more than anyone realized at the time."
"The Warden." Elaine laughed softly at the name. "Until recently I'd only heard some of the stories of the missions they went on during the war. But Craig only mentioned that the guys called him "Warden" when we were on our flight over here. I thought...I thought...maybe they called him that because they hated him."
Emily was the first to recover from the stunned silence. "Hate him? From what Rainey told me, they didn't know what to think of him at first." Although she'd known the basic facts for some time, it was only recently that Rainey had also discussed what he felt when he was released from prison and sent into the very heart of the war on the promise of a parole when it was all over. "Then he led them on the missions. He never asked one of them to do something he wouldn't do." She smiled and looked at Elaine, "Of course, I think the guys did a few things the Warden wouldn't have done. Did you all ever hear the story about the jewelry 'heist' at a French museum?"
Their blank looks told her that they'd never heard that particular story, so Emily told them about the time Actor, Chief and Casino landed in the local French jail, leaving Goniff to try to explain to the Warden what had happened. As it has been a completely unsanctioned caper, Lt Garrison definitely had not been amused. However, the women were. It didn't take long before they were all laughing at the plight of Goniff who'd had to face the Warden with the news that, hours before a vital mission, the guys had got themselves arrested. The women all looked over at the men who sat there looking like the very picture of respectability, and shook their heads in amazement.
"It's hard to believe they did even half the things I've heard about--and I'm willing to bet we're not hearing it all," Annie said
"They were all so young then, and Nick told me himself that in the beginning he had no intention of doing anything other than cutting out on the others as soon as he got the chance." Beth tried to remember the bits and pieces Nick had talked to her about. "But apparently it didn't take long for them to start working together and taking care of each other - including the Warden."
"Rainey said the lieutenant saved his life the second time they went out on a mission." Emily shuddered to think that Rainey's life could have been ended so soon. "I know the Warden has my undying gratitude."
Elaine just smiled at the others. "I think that works both ways. The others put their lives on the line for Craig too, and maybe with less reason. Craig said that until the pieces of paper were signed and actually in his hand, he was never really sure that they would be given the paroles. And what a waste it would have been if they hadn't."
"So, how long is everyone staying, and what are we going to do with the rest of the time?" Beth felt that she had just met some women who would be wonderful friends - sisters of the heart, and she wanted to make sure they didn't lose contact. But she was also afraid that it was time for her to be getting back to the children.
Emily again moved restlessly in her chair, her leg cramping up from the position she'd been sitting in. "Rainey and I are here for a couple of weeks, but he's got appointments to visit some hospitals around the country. We'll only be here in London for the next two days."
"Dad plans to do some antique shopping while we're here. We have the rest of the summer while I'm out of school, so we haven't planned our return to Boston yet." Chelle desperately hoped these older women would remain in her life.
"Well, Nick and I have to leave the day after tomorrow," Beth sighed. "We wouldn't have missed this for anything, but it has been expensive bringing the children and my sister with us, so he's got to get back and earn some money to pay for it all."
"Craig and I will be leaving then too." Elaine looked at the others, "He could only get away for a few days right now, but let me have everyone's address and phone number, and we'll make a point of looking you all up as soon as we can. And I definitely think we must all plan a trip to Disneyland. I know my boys would love it, and getting there won't be that difficult. Craig is a licensed pilot and has to keep up his flight hours. He can easily get a plane and fly everyone there. It won't be all that expensive, and it will be a lot faster than driving."
"Wow!" Chelle whispered, "I sure wish I'd known all of you before."
"Well, you know us now, Chelle, and we expect you to do your part to keep in touch." Emily shifted again and this time winced as a muscle spasm ran up her leg.
"Dinner? Tonight?" Elaine asked. "Beth, where are you and Nick staying?"
Beth gave her the name of their hotel and confirmed that it did, indeed, have a restaurant.
"Well, since you're the only one with children here to worry about, maybe we could all meet at your hotel around seven o'clock and have dinner together. Your sister and the children can come too, and then you'll be right there to put them to bed.
The others all agreed, and were relieved that they would not have to say goodbye so soon. They all exchanged their locations while in London, and again Emily winced and started rubbing her leg to loosen the muscles, hoping that she could do so without anyone noticing.
Down the sidewalk, Chief was well aware of his wife's discomfort, but he let her convince him that she was fine. He kept an eye on her, and when she winced the first time he had pretended he hadn't seen it. But when she winced the second time, and started massaging the muscles in her leg, he rose and went over to get her. It was time to go.
"Ladies." He arrived at Emily's side and reached down to pull her to her feet. As they stood there with Emily leaning against him, he was introduced to the others at the table whom he hadn't already met.
While the introductions were made, the other men rose and also went over to the other table. Again the introductions went around, and they all stood for a moment, the men again facing another awkward goodbye in that spot, and unsure how to handle it this time.
"Well, we must get back to the children." Beth stood and took Casino's arm. She immediately became aware of his reluctance to leave. "Don't worry, darling, we'll be seeing them all again tonight."
"We will?" Casino echoed
"You will?" the other men echoed.
"My goodness, if we left it to you men, you'd only see each other once every twenty years or so." Elaine reached down next to her chair, picked up the package she'd put there earlier and handed it to her husband. "Don't worry, we have everything planned. There will be trips to New York, and Boston and California...and wherever Chief and Emily finally end up." She looked at the stunned looks on the men's faces. "If you men think we ladies are walking away from this with no promises to meet again soon, you have another think coming."
Goniff looked at Annie and got a nod in return. He'd never got around to telling them about where he lived and what he did. They'd been so busy re-living old war stories that they'd barely touched on what everyone was doing now.
Casino and Chief also looked at their wives and received similar nods.
"I've invited them all to visit us in Boston, Dad." Chelle stood by her father. "I can't wait...and Beth promised that Casino would fix the TV. And guess what? We're going to Disneyland and riding in a private plane."
While the men stood and looked a bit stunned at just how much information the women seemed to have managed to share, and how many promises they managed to make to each other, Garrison pulled the paper away from the package he held.
"While you're waiting for dinner tonight - and I'm sure the ladies will let us know exactly when and where that will take place - you might want to take a look at this." He handed each of the other men a book. "It's a gift from me to all of you."
"What's this?" Casino took his book and looked at the cover, immediately freezing at the first words he saw. Actor, Chief and Goniff had similar reactions. There in large letters on the cover it said: 'Garrison's Gorillas: The Conning Tales of Wartime, by Colonel Craig Garrison'.
"Now whenever anyone asks what you did during the war, you'll know exactly what to tell them." Garrison looked at the stunned faces of his men. "What's wrong?"
"We're in a book?" Goniff asked. "We're in a book just like the real soldiers in the war?" He scratched his head. "They never said nothin' anywhere about what we did; whenever I tried to tell anyone, they wouldn't believe me."
"Yeah, even my own family didn't believe it!" Casino couldn't take his eyes off the cover. "Is this for real?"
"Those are advance copies. The regular stock will be in bookstores by the middle of August," Garrison confirmed.
"I hope by then they've changed the name of the author," Emily commented.
There was a pause of silence while the men all looked at each other, then finally Chief asked, "Why would they do that?"
Emily and Beth looked at their husbands in disbelief. "What on earth did you guys talk about over there?" Emily asked.
"The Warden is going to be a Brigadier General next month, and I think that deserves a name change on his book, " Beth told the men.
"Well, I'll be...a general..." Goniff said quietly. "Well, I'm not surprised."
"It's about time," Chief commented. "They should've made you a general right after the war."
Actor just smiled his congratulations while Casino had a more energetic response that included another hug and several forceful pats on the back.
"As long as we're meeting later, I think we should get back to our hotel and change. And I want to start reading." Chief held Emily firmly to his side, alert to every nuance of her posture. Once they were back in the hotel he could help her work the muscles in her leg, and she would be fine by evening.
With exchanges of hugs and handshakes they went their separate ways. The men would eventually be brought up to date on the lives of their friends, but, for the moment, they all just allowed the magic of the day wash over them.
There had been those who had said this group of irregulars would never survive the war, and those convinced that the cons wouldn't be able to make it in a life outside of crime. And they themselves all had their doubts about what kind of jobs and family would come to them. But there on the wings of The Dove, they discovered that they'd more than survived the war...they'd met the hard knocks of life, and they had triumphed.
