[This message has been edited by Jay]
Hi All,
Well, I just spent all morning writing a lengthy post explaining in detail what this was all about. However, I accidentally deleted it, and I'm out of energy for such a long post. So I will try to summarize.
Well, it was in fact a practical joke. A very elaborate one, I must say.
They told me last night. Boy, I feel silly. It was created by two friends in Houston I have known for years, and included 8 other people, the brother of one of my friends, my boss, my neighbor, and all 5 of my coworkers. One of my friends has an older brother working at DoD these days. His brother is a Captain, and apparently loves practical jokes. He was eager to help. He got all the info he could from his brother, my buddy, about my military time and recent events. My friend, who used to be in the Army, remembered my telling him a few times over drinks, something about a strange assignment in the Air Force many years ago. His brother used his extension at DoD. When his aide said I was on the phone, the joke was on. The aide only said one word when he answered and I didn't really hear it, I just immediately started rambling about the letter and he asked my name and put me through. The Captain used a DoD envelope and form recall letter, except it didn't have some kind of DoD seal which makes it a fake. His only concern in the plan was would it pass to get me to a secure phone. Good for him the ANG guy at the military office, could have cared less.
My boss was used to tell me the owners of the company had received paperwork to fill out concerning my return to work after I returned from duty. My neighbor was used to tell me an Air Force officer had come around looking for me, right after I had left for work. My one friend has talked to my neighbor on the phone a few times, and my neighbor knows my boss. This is how this thing crossed 3 states.
Well, by 10:50 last night when my friend called to tell me, I thought I was in the twilite zone. I KNEW, I could never be recalled. My wife thought I had gone mad, since in my haste, I lost the letter and only had the envelope, before I could tell her yesterday. MY buddies in Houston had a great laugh, but apologized quickly, when it was clear I wasn't laughing. Soon I lightened up and went next door to tell my neighbor he was an azzhole, then I called my boss who was still at work, and told him the same thing. I told him to relay the same words to my coworkers who were in on it from my boss. I was light hearted about it when I called them all. I had my friend call my wife at work and tell her about it. I wasn't about to. She first chewed him out bad, but by the end of the conversation she was giggling after hearing the whole story and the lengths they went to. Now she can't stop. :-) She said she was so relieved to see I wasn't crazy. During writing this, my friend called and said to call his Bro on his cell, which he gave me the number. I called the Captain, a.k.a. Col. Fried. His real name is Tom and he apologized and I said no problem you really got me. This guy actually made me laugh. I feel a little better now. :-) He said he got the name "Fried", from the night him, his bro and I got together many years ago. He said I used the word "Fried" to describe my condition a lot that night, and he thought it very funny.
Captain Tom also told me he has the "right clearance" to have taken a glance and see about me participating in DoD in the Philippines back in '81. He said that operation was declassified in 2001, 20 years later (I was told 75 years before I left the military), and I can get all the info on it by a Freedom of Information request. He said he'd dig up a request paper and send it to me.
I have never liked practical jokes, because they are usually cruel and not funny. My honest opinion is this was a little of both, but I'll keep that from my friends. They meant well, and really did have me going. I KNEW I could never be recalled, anyone who has served knows that, but I was confused.
Anyway, I left out a lot. Sorry, ask if your curios and I'll reply. I hope you all can get more of a laugh out of this than I did. More time goes on today, the more I kind of laugh about it.
Take Care,
Jay
