Skirt

 Skirt

In 1990 I was the Commanding Officer of  Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48 in Glenview, Illinois. A friend of mine, Colonel Ken Elmendorf, called and told me that a female Marine Officer was coming to Glenview to interview for a job with the Group.  Could she meet me and would I take her to the Group Commanding Officer?  “Sure”, I said. 

On the drill weekend I was in a deep sleep in my motel room near Glenview when a woman called me, and excitedly told me she had lost her skirt and she hoped I did not mind, but she had called my wife to find me so I could help her find a skirt.

I had a tough time comprehending who she was and what was the problem, but then realized, “this is not good!” She has lost her skirt, called my wife who does not know her or the story of her interview, woke her up from a deep sleep, then told her excitedly that she had lost her skirt and wanted me to help her find a skirt!

As I woke up I told her to just interview in her civilian clothes.  “I could not do that”, she said - “ I have to be in uniform”. So when she got to Glenview the next morning I introduced her to some of the Marine women in our unit who lent her a Marine skirt for the interview. 

Then of course I had some splainin to do to my wife when I got home that night. “Beth” I said, “I don’t even know her and I had nothing to do with her losing her skirt. I never met her until this morning”.   I think she believes me.

I never really knew the officer, and cannot remember her name. My wife and I now only refer to her as “Skirt!”