Oct. 4

10C, o/c a 'baleful' sun peering through misty clouds.

Well we are off to Salmon Arm again. M has left already (7am ferry) with the car, I'll follow with the motorhome on Thursday. M's Mom must be moved to another facility - compound care they call it these days. We have no ETA for our return as yet.
Went shopping for travel insurance yesterday, that is always a major item, will stick with BCAA.

There are low clouds scudding across the sky now and the sun has lost the battle, for the time being at least.

Once again I would ask visitors to this blog to write and make comments on what I write, especially those of you from other countries. My email again is john.insidney@gmail.com I ask because I have no way of judging if you like what you read, if you would like to see something different or just to say hello.

Today is the finish of "Mission", I have reproduced the first part of the Epilogue so that it is more complete.

EPILOGUE

   Colonel Bromely stepped out of the army sedan and said to the driver, “You can go get yourself a tea, Corporal, but be back in hour.”

  The driver saluted, “Yes sir one hour sir.” He got back into the sedan and pulled out from the curb.

  The Colonel turned and entered the gate behind him and walked up the three stairs and rang the door buzzer. A moment later Jean Pearce threw open the door and cried, “Oh Colonel Bromely, I knew you’d come! Please do come in.”

  The Colonel removed his hat and stepped through the door, “You are looking very well my dear. Of course I have come and I am looking forward to meeting your young man.”

  She led him through into a sitting room, “Take a seat please, I’ll go and fetch us a cup of tea.”

  She turned quickly and went down the hall to where he knew the kitchen was located.  He had been coming here for three years now. In the beginning only a couple of times the first year, but since being reassigned to Aldershot the visits had become quite frequent and although the subject had never been broached, Jean had become the child he never had.

  In a few moments Jean returned with a tray with not only their tea but some squares that he knew from experience she had made herself.

  As she set down the tray she said over her shoulder, “Has there been anything any word?”

  This was the same question she asked every time in the first few minutes of every visit he had made in the last three years. His usual answer was “No sorry my girl nothing but those early raids.” This time he hesitated and when she looked up and stared straight into his eyes, he harrumphed, hesitated then said, “Well we have had some intelligence that there is a band of men who are showing up after many of the raids on villages and then sometime later there appears to be retaliation meted out. These instances are not confined to Somalia but have been in Kenya and lately as far away as the Congo.” He paused.

  “Yes go on, what has that to do with John?”

  “Well this band is made up of men from several of the territories which is quite unusual and, there is a rumour they are led by a white man.”

  Jean gasped and grabbed his arm, “It’s John! It is John, isn’t it?”

  “Now, now, we don’t know; not even an idea that it might be him and we only have this rumour ----.”

  Jean broke in, “It is him, it’s what he would do, seek out other’s who would punish those who are evil.”

  The Colonel wasn’t sure what to say. As he was searching for a suitable response, the doorbell rang and he was given a respite as Jean went to answer the bell. In a few moments she came back with a young man similar to her in age.

  She quickly introduced the two men, the newcomer, Jeffrey Marshall, was the young man she had written to the Colonel about and the reason for his current visit.

  As soon as the introductions were complete, Jean turned to Jeffrey, “Colonel Bromely may have found John.”

  The Colonel now had his turn to interrupt; “Now I never said we had found him, we only have a rumour of a group of, to use an American term, vigilantes who may be led by a white man.”

  On Jeffrey’s request he recounted what he had told Jean then looking at his watch said “I only have a few minutes left, so let us talk about you two.” He turned to Jeffrey, “I understand you have asked my ward to marry you. She tells me that you are in your last year of university and will be seeking a commission in the air force.”

  “Yes sir that is correct, I shall have a degree in Political Science, but I feel that I need some worldly exposure before I can properly follow that as a career.”

  “Hmm. A very good idea. And what will Jean do when you are stationed in some foreign land?”

  “Our plans are that if at all possible she will accompany me, as you know she switched back to the nursing program and we feel that will be an asset wherever we are.”

  “Jean broke in, “Enough, you are acting like a stuffy old father. We have thought this out, and the only thing I, we are missing is someone to give me away six months from now.”

  The Colonel stood up and slowly studied them both one at a time. “I am sure that if Jean believes you are the man for her, you are. If I can speak to someone for you regarding a commission, you only have to ask. If you Jean, just asked me to give you away, it would be my honor and privilege.”

  Jean closed the distance between them and threw her arms around his neck, “Thank you.” She whispered.

  The Colonel hugged her back, disengaged himself, turned and shook Jeffrey’s hand, then turned and with the other two following made his way to the front door.

  He turned at the door, “Do not get your hopes up about your brother.” He said to Jean. “Even if the rumour is true, and even if it was him, he is up against enormous and terrible odds and survival would only be a matter of time before the land consumes him. Now keep me posted, let me know the exact date of your wedding and on my next visit we will all talk about wedding plans.”

  The next day Colonel Bromely received a dispatch from his replacement in Somalia that a Somali warrior had confirmed that a white man by the name of Jin had died as a result of wounds and infection a few weeks before.