Not Happening

NOT HAPPENING!!!

This story takes place in the early 1960's through the 1980. Understand what technology we have today was nonexistent. Please be advised that I don't use an editor nor any other outside collaboration, so all errors are mine and mine alone.

I was one of the "War Babies" conceived by my parents during one of the furlough my dad had from combat in the European Theater. He was a Flight Engineer aboard a B-17. He mustered out after almost being reassigned to Pacific Theater.

We returned to my mother's home in Florida and began to live the dream of civilian life. My dad became a mechanic and was making a decent wage, all was well.

OOPS. North Korea decided to annex the Southern Peninsula and our nation took exception and entered another conflict. My dad felt duty bound and enlisted again in the Army Air Corp, this time he was assigned as the Flight Engineer aboard a B-29. After the conflict, my dad decided he had enough time invested in the military he would continue until he was able to retire, which he did at a top enlisted rank (E9)

I hope the above history lesson hasn't bored you, but I felt it was important to give you some of my childhood background.

We settled in the sleepy town of Orlando, Fl, yes, at this time it was a sleepy town, we locals refer to this time as BD (Before Disney). I graduated High School and was fortunate to receive a football scholarship to a small southern collage. I had met my future wife, Cathy Sweney, in our senior year, and it seemed to be destined for us to be together, we really fell in love, she seemed to be everything I ever wanted in life.

When I left for collage, it meant we would be separated for extended periods, but we felt we could overcome these separations, which we did. I got home via bus as often as my pocketbook, classes and practice schedules would allow. OHH! What homecomings.

One of the scrimmages resulted in a tackle by our center linebacker and left my knee in shambles, nobody's fault just fortunes of the game. My scholarship was rescinded when I was no longer fit to play, I was allowed to complete the year but could not afford to continue thus ended my collage experience.

I had been studying to become a Marine Biologist and had been doing extensive studies on the low frequencies of whale communication and how it traveled through the water at extreme distances to attract mates.

Seems Uncle Sam's Navy had become very interested in some theory's I had devolved and written several papers about this phenomenon. I was "ASKED" to enlist (other choice was drafted into the Army, which was a direct route to Viet Nam, do not pass go, do not collect $200.00). 6 August 1963 I was sworn in and six weeks later was given the rate of Ensign (O1) and began my Naval Career.

I was given the opportunity to further study the afore mentioned theory's and with some of Uncle Sam's money was able to develop a passive hydrophone capable to receiving these emissions and if the phones were laid in a proper array, could locate the source.

I was told (ordered) to place these theories into practice at, you guessed it, Viet Nam's rivers, harbors and deltas to track enemy movements. I was given two weeks furlough before I was to ship out, went home and married Cathy, my high school sweetheart. Cathy Sweney became Mrs. Kenneth Mapstead. We enjoyed each other's body's as much as two weeks would allow and I was gone. Seems our time together was enough to seed our first child, yep, she was pregnant.

I was deep in country when Evan was born and didn't get the word till 3 weeks later. The Red Cross assisted me in placing a phone call home and I was able to talk to my wife and attempt to console her about my being absent at such an important time of our lives. I was close to ending my first tour and she and I knowing I would be home soon sure helped smooth our feelings.

My tour was up, I hitched a ride on a C-124 and island hopped to California then a couple of more hops to home. I was home for 60 Days and we planned to make the best of our time together. I tried to bond with my son, but it seems one year old are very attached to their mothers. He is a beautiful child.

Wow! Where did 60 days go, seems like I just got off the aircraft when it was time to board another to report to my next duty station. You guessed it, next stop Saigon. I've bored you enough with all this background, just let me say my wife had another son while I was deployed and again, I received a lot of grief during my Red Cross phone call. At least this time I wasn't 3 weeks late.

After two tours I had enough, I put in my paper's and was resigning my commission as of 14 August 1967, I was now a Navy lieutenant (O3) and Uncle Sam was reluctant to see me depart but I was done. This time I hopped onto a C-141 and flew through Hawaii, then unto San Francisco. What a reception we received, what in the hell had happened to our nation when our service men and women returning from combat were cursed and spit upon.

I arrived home and even here received a somewhat subdued welcome, oh, my parents were overjoyed I had arrived home safe and sound and in one piece, unlike many of my shipmates arriving home with missing limbs or worse, in a box.

My wife, while putting on a good act, seemed a little distracted and of course my two sons Evan and Darin were very standoffish but that was to be expected. As my adjustment to civilian life began, I noticed little things around the house that seemed out of place to me but what the hell, I'd been gone for 3 years, how would I know what is normal. Our sex life was not even close to what it had been, and I had begun to wonder what had happened to the closeness we had always exhibited for each other. I vowed to regain this closeness and affection as well as begin bonding with my two boys. I was home now, and it was my fondest desire to make it a home for all.

My separation pay was not going to last forever, and I began searching for gainful employment. I began to pepper the markets with my resumes, but it seemed that the need for returning Vets was not a priority nor popular in any market. I received a call from firm requesting I report for an interview in a week's time at Langley, Virginia. Seems someone with my skillset was required for some of their operations.

I told Cathy about the request for an interview, and she didn't seem the little bit upset about the possibility of my being employed by the "Company". I explained it would require extensive travel and I would be away from home for extended periods of time. She explained that she had become quite adapt with being a single parent and living alone. I began to wonder about that statement and decided to file it away in the old brain housing group.

I reported for the interview and was hired on the spot with the understanding I would be deploying the underwater surveillance systems throughout the world's oceans and seas.

When Cathy learned of my new assignment, she was not the least bit unhappy with the travel requirements and decided it was time to sit down for a serious discussion. (Can you read "We need to talk")

"Okay, what would you like to talk about. "

"You have been gone for most of our time together, from High School, through your Collage and through your four years in the service. We have had very limited time together and I've learned to adjust to a certain lifestyle to maintain my sanity and self-worth as a woman."

"I can't disagree with my being absent throughout most of our lives, but it wasn't like I had a lot of choice. The Collage was to better our chances at a successful life and I had very little to do with the military intervention. So may I ask, just what kind of adjustments have you made to attain your lifestyle."

"Well, when I can get a babysitter, I go out with friends for an evening of drinks and dancing, when I am unable to find a babysitter, I generally have them over here for a dinner and a few drinks."

"I see, I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume these friends are carrying appendages between their legs and you have become quite willing to assist them in exercise these appendages in the evening hours. Am I on the right wavelength here?"

"You make it sound like I'm a whore and being selfish thinking only about myself. It's not like that at all, I want you to have the same opportunity's and be able to enjoy other people's company as well, don't you think that is being fair?"

"Let me get this straight, you want to continue entertain your friends and are allowing me to find and entertain my own friends. Is that about the crux of your proposal?"

"Well, yes, I think that is the best explanation, we would have what people call an "Open Marriage""

"I did not agree to have an open marriage, nor have I ever entertained the thought of being unfaithful to you even when I had all the Saigon Whores climbing in my lap. I don't understand how you felt you could spread your legs for your friend's entertainment and think I could or would consider such a proposal. This is NOT HAPPINING on my watch, you want an Open Marriage, file for a divorce, I will be no part of your silly game. Furthermore, I never want to touch your slimy cunt ever again, so you'd better keep your friends happy. Speaking of your fidelity, are the boys even mine or have you been entertaining your friends through our whole relationship? It's no wonder the boys are so leery of me, they have seen so many men come and go they have no idea who I am or if I even belong in their life. You'd better believe, before I pay any court ordered child support, I want DNA evidence proving they are my offspring."

"How could you say such a thing, of course they are your children, and I don't want a divorce, what the sense? You will be traveling again, and I can fuck whoever I want, and you will be free to bed any whore who catches your eye. It's a win, win situation."

"Listen up!!! NOT HAPPENING! I will be filing papers first thing in the morning, this evening I'll be collecting DNA Samples from the boys and dropping the samples by the lab shortly after the paperwork has been filed. Good luck on collecting and alimony, I've already been told that Kenny Mapstead will no longer exist. Once I'm employed, I will receive a new identity complete with SSN and all accompanying documents. Then I will ship off to who knows where, one thing for sure, you won't. If by some miracle the boys are mine, I will arrange through the courts to provide for their proper upbringing whether by you or a court appointed guardian. I'll be packing my shit now and leaving, I don't want to remain in this brothel any longer than necessary."

I left that evening, booked a room at an extended stay hotel for two weeks. As promised, I filed the paperwork with a family lawyer, went by one of the local labs and dropped off the DNA samples. I paid the $200.00 extra for rapid processing. Being fresh out of the military, I had no real assets or a lot of cash to hide or move around, just my car and I would be selling that before I reported to Langley.

My phone was overloaded with messages, "We can make this work" "It was just sex" "Don't' destroy a good thing" an ongoing litany right out of the cheater's handbook. I deleted all of them then made the call I dreaded to my parents. To say they were devastated would have been an understatement, especially when I brought up the lineage of the boys.

Three days later, the lab confirmed our fears, the boys were not mine nor did they have the same father, talk about confirming suspensions. Again, my mom and dad were disappointed with the news. The paperwork was served the same day and I made ready for my departure to Langley.

I had to make one last phone call before I left, it kind of went like this:

"Hello, Cathy Mapstead speaking, how may I help you"

"Kenny Mapstead here, you can help yourself by figuring who the fathers of your children are so you can collect child support. Bye and have a shitty life, you earned it!