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sports. Richard had always enjoyed clowning around as well. We were
sure he had a good mind, but he simply didn’t apply himself academi-
cally. Fortunately, I had an inspiration about the time he started the sev-
enth grade. I told him, “Richard, you are smart, but you aren’t really
working to learn and get good grades. If you don’t prepare, you will
handicap your entire life. So, I’m establishing a new rule. You must get
an A or B in every class or we will not allow you to play in any of the
school’s team sports. So you decide – either start studying seriously or
kiss sports goodbye.” Richard knew I meant what I said. He immedi-
ately started studying seriously. He met the requirement academically.
Indeed, I think he attained progressively better grades in school each
year thereafter all the way through high school. He had the ability – it
was a change in attitude that was required.

If we were to have any more children, now seemed to be the
time because we would be moving and relocating and having many
complications after returning to the States. We were delighted that Jean
became pregnant in October. With Janet gone, Richard helped Jean with
the dishes and was the chief babysitter for Vicki and Cindi.

My job required a number of evenings away from home each
month. We had periodic visits from U.S. naval ships, usually destroyers,
and we had frequent company visitors whom department heads were
expected to help entertain. Richard proved to be a most interesting bab-
ysitter. He would create games, usually simulated sports, and he taught
the girls how to do a fall away hook slide into base using the crest of our
oriental carpet as the base. The girls loved it.
The company paid Janet’s way home from Switzerland for
Christmas and we were delighted to see her. Jean’s brother Bob was a
Lieutenant Colonel stationed in Cambodia for a year (Cambodia was
not then involved in the Vietnam War). Bob was able to get military
transport as far as Saudi Arabia so we were pleased to have him join us
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family for Christmas). We took Bob around Ras Tanura and one Friday
we rented a car and drove as far as Hofuf before circling back to our
home.

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