Love on the Beach

My marriage was on the rocks anyway, and although being in Hawaii was great, the military tour that kept him out to sea for months at a time with a 15 minute notice, was the worst.

I was working at Liberty House warehouse and living with my 2 kids and the mother-in-law. A co-worker invited me to come to her house in Kaneohe Beach and spend the evening with her and her mother. We went to Biggies Nut Shell on the beach to experience a little local flavor. My friends zipper broke and she went home to change. While we were sitting there, 2 very handsome marines came to our table. I figured when she came back they could be with her and her mother. However, Fred chose me. We went to the military base for a few drinks and dancing. Fred could not dance due to a leg injury, so we talked about anything and everything. When the base club closed, we went back to Biggies, where we talked some more.

At the end of the night I went to leave and he leaned in my car window and kissed me. I went home feeling very strange.

For the next 2 days I was lost in a fog. I could not get him out of my mind, so I went back to Biggies 2 nights later. He did not come in. I found out later that he had phone duty on the base.

The next night, I went again and as I was sitting at the bar, I looked in the mirror and there he was standing in back of me, just looking at me in the mirror. It sent chills up and down my spine. It was like we were soul mates. We moved to a table and after sitting there for a few minutes, he kissed me. I didn't even notice my girlfriend leaving. Believe it or not, we walked down to the beach and under the beautiful Hawaiian moon, had the best walk right there on the beach.

For the next few weeks, time stood still and I kept making excuses to my mother-in-law that my girlfriend was ill and I needed to help take care of her so her mom could get away for a while. My romance resulted in a 34-year old son named Tim who is a carbon copy of his handsome father.

Fred begged me to leave my husband and marry him, and I was a coward. I told him I had to break it off with him because I wanted to give my marriage one last chance. My husband was home for 2 weeks leave and I convinced him that Tim was his son.

I refused Fred's phone calls at work and he didn't have my home phone or address. I then moved away and didn't tell him where I went. I now regret that action, as he has never seen his son, and also a grandson who is 8. He now knows about Fred and wants to find him.

Just look at the implications created by that one night of weakness on Kaneohe Beach so long ago!

I have done Internet searches and spent time and money calling every Bair I could find, to no avail. I can… I can't find him anywhere. I don't know if he is living or dead, but here is what I know. He was a medivac pilot in Nam. He was shot down and injured his leg. He was then sent to Kaneohe Marine base, where he repaired helicopters. He was a lance corporal, and he was from Indiana. He once had a wife named Carolyn and had 2 kids. My wish, is to find out what happened to him.

I left my heart on Kaneohe Beach when I left Hawaii those many years ago.