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Show /sz up, so that when I tried to retrieve them, everything slipped from my arms. I told myself to take it easy, to take my time, faster in the long run. Squatting there, I put my hat on my head to get it out of the way, then picked up my shoes to dangle from the fingers of my left hand. Up my left arm I began z to stack clothes as long ago I had stacked firewood, except the clothes kept dangling or slipping away, small sock^like things, tangled pant-like things, slick silken things, sfrikey shoe-like things --all the while the horse drawing closer. I should have dumped everything AnM my shirty ft*** a bundle and run, but I didn't think of it. I stacked again and because the horse was close I stood up quickly to run and everything slipped away except my shoes. A sailor was sitting on a grey horse looking at me. I sighed and dropped the shoes. "Hi." The moon was so bright that I could see that the sailor was about my age. The horse was dappled grey, a beauty. In the monnlight a ghostly dappled grey. "Evening, Sir," said the sailor, no ghost. He saluted me. Now the Army is promiscuous about saluting, doing it any time, any place, but the Navy is more chaste and only salutes if the superior officer is "covered," that is, if he has his hat on. I had my hat on, standing there naked except for my billed cap. Moreover, I was obliged to return the salute, no matter if I was not only naked but erect as well, my phallus up there like a flagpole to get saluted too. That sailor did not smile, gave no sign. "Sorry, Sir, but there's a curfew on this beach." "Uhhh, just a little swim. Sober us up." "Yes, Sir. But it's off limits after 2200 hours. German subs." "What German suba?" "Out there," he said, poifcnting. "They can see. us?" Sharks -- and now subs! He almost smiled. "I doubt if they saw you, Sir." He was taking in the Pile of our clothes, and he glanced up toward the dunes and almost smiled , ,_i^ _„.. t h e y w e r e laying to and watching you." |