Jazzy & Robo

JAZZY & ROBO 1

SHE showed up the first time on the first day of my first-grade after-school program.

We were all coloring different pictures; mine was a leaping fish. SHE was doing a Robin, but mostly SHE stared at me, smiling brightly.

SHE cheeped me out till I asked, "Why the staring?"

SHE said, "Good, you noticed me.

I'm Jessica Rae Corbin, but you will call me Jazzy.

You are Robert Michael Boone III, and I will call you Robo.

I just stared a moment till SHE continued, "2 days after your 19th birthday, we will get married to each other and then four days later again.

Until then, we will see each other and get together a lot.

I will send you messages, pictures, and stuff I know you will like when I'm not around. At first, our mothers will do the writing for us."

I just stared at her, answering any questions SHE asked me.

When it was time to go home, SHE stopped me in the hallway and lightly pushed me against the wall to hug and kiss me on the cheek.

When SHE stepped back and said, "You're lucky! No cooties for us ever."

Then SHE walked away.

I told my Mom and Dad that night about her.

Dad said, "You had better be careful of a girl who tells you you're hers at the first meeting."

Mom snickered. "When will you meet her family, and when will we meet them?"

Over the next two weeks, SHE was always there, but sitting on my left side so SHE could touch me and keep my attention on her.

On the second Friday, SHE was very clingy and sad.

SHE finally asked me to walk around the playground alone and got permission from one of the workers to do so.

As we walked, SHE held my hand until we were seated on one of the benches. "Robo, my Dad said we must go home for a while.

I'm going to miss you every day. Every Monday, someone will deliver my mail to you and hopefully pick up your mail for me.

Will you try to be my pin pal until we come back?"

As I promised her, a tall, well-built couple walked up to us.

They introduced themselves as Frank and Cora Corbin, Jazzy's parents. They said "It was nice to meet me in person, finally.

Mrs. Corbin said, "She had talked to my mother about helping me to be a pinpal if I wanted. "

Jazzy jumped up, hugged, and kissed my cheeks for a minute till SHE ran away crying.

SHE stopped at the gate waving wildly till her parents got to her, and with a final wave, they went thru the gate hand in hand.

For some reason, I felt what I guessed was loneliness surrounding me.

Monday afternoon, when I arrived home, Mom said, "I got a call that the Corbin's were still traveling, but he promised mail for you next Monday."

Mom said, "You need to start a new letter for her."

Over the next week, Mom would write what I thought would interest her, plus a picture of me at Tee Ball.

When I came home the next Monday, I rushed into the house, all excited. Mom saw it and said," I'm sorry, but you didn't get an envelope. The man took both of yours with him."

Seeing my disappointment, laughing, Mom said, "It was a large box instead.

I cut it open but didn't look inside." as she pointed to the dining room table.

Mom and Dad joined me at the table.

As I opened it, it was like a Christmas morning, getting my presents to open. Everything was gift-wrapped.

On the top was an envelope with "For Mrs. Boone to read to Robert."

"Please, Mom, read it now," I eagerly requested.

It started, "Robo because we can't write yet, our parents need to write and use our special names. Do you agree?"

I nodded to my parents.

"When we were traveling and got home, I thought of all the things I wanted to share with you.

I picked out a few for this time, but I already have more.

Look at what we got you.

I hope you like them and think of me when you're spending time with them."

As I unwrapped the packages, I realized that it was something I would have wanted to get myself. I also knew that I had to start getting presents for her.

They were all over the spectrum of interests that I had, plus new ones. There were so many, and my Dad suggested picking out a couple each day and then putting the rest away for a while.

After reading everything Jazzy had written to me, Dad said, "Explore your new gifts while we start supper."

This I was told much later;

Mom and Dad went into the kitchen, sitting beside each other in the breakfast booth.

Mom said, "When the box was delivered, the man bringing it introduced himself as "Agent John Dunbar of U.S. Security of the Albuquerque office, and he would pick up and deliver the mail from now on.

After you read the enclosed letter, I will answer any questions you or your husband have next Monday night after Robert is asleep, if that is OK.

He gave me his card with lots of extra personal info added on the back.

They talked until Mom had Dad retrieve the box and read how it got there:

The box was addressed to:

Robert M. Boone III

1425 Dove Cages

Peralta New Mexico

No Postage Due

In the upper left corner were:

Department of U.S. Security

2707 Barlow. Ave. SE

Campion, Main

All of the Agents, locations, and times and dates it was transferred. The list ended when it was delivered to our house.

They both stared at the envelope for a while before opening it, like it was a bomb ticking away in front of them.

Finally, when they opened it, they found it was written on U.S. Security stationery. It started:

I hope I can use your first names, Kevin and Cody. You are probably terrified of what is going on in your lives right now.

And I'm sorry for the way it seems.

The Corbin's are one of the most important assets and friends the United States and our neighbors have.

They are unrivaled sources of information vital to us all.

Their daughter, Jessica, had an elongated vision of the two of them through the years about four months ago.

When we checked today's facts, she gave were accurate.

I think this isn't a foolish dream of a young girl, and neither do her parents.

Please continue to let their daughter and your son work on their relationships.

Signed Carlos Hernandes, Special Agent to the director of U.S. Security

Following was all of his personal contact information.

Everyone in New Mexico knew Carlos and respected him.

The following week, we met with John twice when he delivered the envelope and later when he answered our questions after we signed the non-disclosure paperwork.

It was a stressful, long meeting for us all.

In the end, we were asked to have chips placed behind our left ear for a learning tool.

For Robert to learn to read, write, and speak in English, Spanish, and Togulsa (Corbin's native language) without problems in a couple of weeks and for us to learn Togulsa plus anything we had ever wanted to learn but hadn't been able to.

Kevin volunteered to go first and also asked to learn about Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing Industries to help his family's companies grow and advance.

Cody asked that after Kevin's test, she would like to learn more about the in-depth history of Native American peoples and the history of New Mexico.

John showed them the chip he had used for over three years and had learned whatever he wanted without any problems.

Taking out his phone and placing an extended call, he pulled out a half-inch plastic square with a tab sticking off it and laid it on the face of the phone. After a second, a slight blink and beep were heard.

He had Kevin turn his left side to him, but before he pressed it behind his ear, he said, "Any problems, take it off.

Stick around your family for a couple of days. Your offices will be off the grid for a few days, so you must work at home.

Cody was cautioned to observe him closely for a few days and remove the chip if there were any problems.

The next week, Cody had her chip installed after Kevin did not have any after-effects when they met with John and asked him probing questions about how things were going.

They said that without them having any problems, Robo could have his chip implanted next week, too.

John arrived just before supper the following week, which he had been invited to, with two large envelopes for Robo and news of Corbin's latest travels.

Over supper, we told of the great comments of our co-workers and families, who were happily surprised at our newfound knowledge.

And we received upgrades to our programs from his and our requests.

Robert received reading, writing, and speaking programs in English, Spanish, and Togulsa (T), Corbin's native language.

At supper, less than a week later, Rob said, "Mom, you made my favorite supper of green chili chicken stew! Thanks!"

We all realized that he spoke in T, and we understood what he said perfectly.

We quickly started speaking all three languages at home, plus a combination of all three.

Two weeks later, Robert's scribbling became writing in all three languages. So the next envelope contained three questions for Jazzy plus his request that each of the families stay involved in the letters because he liked all of us being connected.

Two weeks later, Jazzy answered, thrilled that Robo could write to her directly. She also wanted to keep the families connected.

Over the next 3 1/2 years, the Corbin's came for visits, which always seemed too short for everyone as they got closer during each visit.

In the middle of May, a request came for the Boone's to visit with the Corbin's at the Cheyenne Frontier Days.

They would have you picked up at the Smithville Airport at 7:00 pm Friday, July 18th, and be returned Sunday the 20th at 5:00 pm unless they can take off July 17th till the 27th.

After checking with his family, Kevin took time off, and Cody would be on summer vacation from teaching, so they could all go for the full-time vacation.

When the Boones asked about making reservations to stay during their trip, they were all staying at a private ranch just outside Cheyenne with friends.

So when they met the plane, the Corbin's were flying with them

The aircraft was a private one with RCT branded on both sides. As they were all seated, it took off.

The two sets of parents faced each other, and again, Jazzy sat on Robo's left side across the aisle, their seats facing the parents.

Everyone's seats could be rotated to give them better views of the countryside they were flying over.

Shortly after an hour, the pilot announced they would be landing in about ten minutes, so they prepped themselves by cleaning up, putting their seat belts on, and putting the seats fully upright.

As they were landing off the left side of the plane was a lighted sign that read:

RCT RANCH

PRIVATE PROPERTY

NO LANDING, PHOTOGRAPHS, OR OTHER INFRINGEMENTS ALLOWED

They were driven to a hotel-size two-story ranch-style stone/log home with other structures behind it, to be met by a couple standing on the covered entrance to the house.

"Welcome to the RCT Ranch. We're Cindy & Richard Thompson, your hosts.

Please come in and make yourselves at home. Your bags and such will taken to your suite.

If you come into the kitchen, we will have a late supper for you to eat.

Walking through the house and following our hosts reminded us of the great ranch houses of the movies and early Western TV shows. Polished wood and native rock were used everywhere.

Entering the kitchen, we saw two long tables for about 20 people sitting side by side.

By the part of the kitchen where the cooking took place was a huge table that was made to look like a wagon wheel serving bar with food laid out on the glass between the spokes.

We ate a varied Western buffet with our hosts until we all groaned.

Then, we all walked onto the side porch, looking at the sky without any distractions from lights or clouds.

We all watched objects free sky, stars, moon, and meteors till the kids started yawning.

Going upstairs into our suite, we found it was a twin suite with a living area in the middle. Each side had a master bedroom with a Jack-n-Jill bathroom into a smaller bedroom.

Early the next morning, we woke to the sounds of a brassy bell being rang, followed by a loud female voice saying.

"Breakfast in thirty minutes. Get it while it's hot off the grill. Cold, it'll be fed to the animals."

We all rushed to get dressed, met the Corbins in the living area, and went downstairs to the kitchen, grinning.

The Thompsons invited us to take our meals in their private dining room with them.

That dining room had a table for ten plus a smaller table for four younger diners. Everyone had a great time eating and talking.

Afterward, the plates were placed in a tub to be collected later, and the kids were invited to the big table to discuss the activities to attend while we were here.

When Jazzy heard about a day trip to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo she was delighted and wanted to leave right then.

She was told it was scheduled in two days, leaving in the very early morning and would last till late afternoon. It included a helicopter ride both ways with sightseeing included there and back.

The box seats of the RCT Ranch were to be used at the Cheyenne Frontier Days to watch both the World Championship Bareback Bronco Riding and the Simi-finals barrel racing of the Western States.

The Boone's cousin was riding in that event; she was ranked 7th in The National Barrel Horse Association, which excited everyone.