CHARACTER SKETCH

NAME LEE BEAUREGARD CRANE

NICKNAME STRETCH, SKIP, (SKIP AND SKIPPER ARE TRADITIONAL NICKNAMES FOR A VESSEL’S CAPTAIN ) BUT I DO KNOW HIS FRIEND JOE JACKSON CALLED HIM STRETCH ON OCCASION.

APPEARANCE EVEN WHEN SCRUFFY, THE FEMALE STAFF THOUGHT HE WAS BETTER LOOKING THAN ANY HOLLYWOOD HEART THROB. HE HAD A PROBLEM WITH 5 O’CLOCK SHADOW. SOMETIMES HAD TO SHAVE TWICE OR THREE TIMES A DAY TO MEET US NAVY RESERVE REGS, UNLESS HE WAS UNDERCOVER AND NEEDED TO GROW A BEARD FOR THE SUBTRAFUGE.

HAIR –STYLE-COLOR-TYPE-TEXTURE COAL OR MIDNIGHT BLACK, CURLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN WET.

EYES –GLASSES-CONTACTS-HAZEL. I’D CALL HIS EYES CHAMELEON. THEY CHANGED COLOR DEPENDING ON HIS MOOD, I KID YOU NOT. BUT NOBODY COULD EVER FIGURE IT OUT. FOR EXAMPLE IF HE WAS ANGRY ONE DAY, THEY’D TURN GOLDEN. THE NEXT TIME HE WAS AGRIEVED, THEY’D BE A DEEP GREENISH BROWN, ETC. TAKE YOUR PICK. BROWNISH GREEN, GOLDEN BROWN, GOLDEN GREEN. FASCINATING.

WEIGHT WHATEVER IT WAS, IT WASN’T ENOUGH. HE SOMETIMES BORDERED ON EMACIATED, BUT THEN, THAT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO ALL THE SPY STUFF. (HE GOT CAPTURED A LOT)

COLORING I’D CALL IT MEDITTERANEAN, OR POSSIBLY NEAR EASTERN. HE REALLY DOESN’T KNOW HIS ETHNICITY SO WITH THINGS BEING WHAT THEY ARE IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, I’D USE THE TERM MEDITTERANEAN.

HEIGHT 6’1” I KNOW BECAUSE CHIP LIKED TO LORD HIS EXTRA ONE INCH OVER HIM.

BUILD SOLID MUSCLE, BUT STILL TOO THIN FOR MY LIKING. WE HAD A NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS ABOUT IT WHEN DOC ASKED ME TO HELP ‘FATTEN’ HIM UP.

FACIAL FEATURES –LIPS, EYEBROWS, LASHES, JAW LINE, NOSE

ANGULAR JAWBONE, MAKING HIM LOOK EVEN THINNER. EYELASHES FAR TOO LONG FOR A GUY. THE FEMALE STAFF COULD JUST NEVER STOP LOOKING AT HIM.

VOICE –ACCENT – WAY OF TALKING RHODE ISLAND ‘R’S FREQUENTLY ENTERED HIS SPEECH. NOTHING TOO DRAMATIC, BUT LEE HAD A DEFINITIVE RHODIE ACCENT.

FAMILY WIDOWED MOTHER (HE LOST HIS FATHER AS A CHILD, ONLY HAVING BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CRANES A FEW YEARS BEFORE. THEY DID A WONDERFUL JOB BRINGING HIM UP. BUT HE DID A BETTER JOB BRINGING HIMSELF.

CONNECTION TO ME NAVAL COLLEAUGE ABOARD THE NAUTILUS, CAPTAIN OF MY SUBMARINE SEAVIEW.

BEST FRIENDS/ENEMIES A BIT OF BOTH. WE HAD OUR MOMENTS, EVEN TO THE POINT OF TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER, BUT MOST OF THOSE WERE DUE TO BRAINWASHING, DRUGS, AND EVIL ALIENS.

WHAT BEGAN AS SIMPLE COMMARADERIE DEVELOPED INTO A KIND OF BROTHERHOOD, AND THEN, WELL, IT’S NO SECRET I CAME TO LOVE HIM A SON, AND I DO BELIEVE HE RETURNED THE FEELINGS TOWARD ME.

ETHNIC/CULTURAL BACKGROUND UNKNOWN, HOWEVER CERTAINLY MUST HAVE SOME NEAR EASTERN BLOOD. DOC MIGHT KNOW. AFTER ALL, EVERYONE ABOARD SEAVIEW HAD TO HAVE THEIR DNA LOGGED. I’LL TRY TO REMEMBER TO ASK HIM, THOUGH WHY IT’S NEEDED FOR ME TO WRITE MY STORY IS ANYONE’S GUESS.

SCHOOLING UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY. ALSO TOOK A FEW MASTER’S DEGREES FROM M.I.T, AND HARVARD YEARS BEFORE HE CAME TO SEAVIEW. I BELIEVE HE WAS ON MEDICAL LEAVE FROM A RATHER DISASTROUS PATROL (THEY ACCOMPLISHED THEIR MISSION-STILL CLASSIFIED, EVEN FROM ME) AND USED THE TIME OFF HEALING WISELY.

OCUPATIONS PRESENT-PREVIOUS NAVAL OFFICER, ONI OPERATIVE (FIELD AGENT) AKA ‘SPY’, BUT IT’S OKAY TO GO PUBLIC NOW AS HE’S NO LONGER WITH US. HE WAS ALSO ‘UNCLE LEE’ TO THE KIDS IN ONE OF HIS FAVORITE CHARITES.

HOBBIES PURCHASING AND REFURBISHING SAILBOATS THAT HAD NO BUSINESS BEING AT SEA. HE OFFERED THE DOWN AND OUT KIDS FROM VARIOUS CHILD SERVICE AGENCIES TIME WITH THE BOATS. HE TAUGHT THEM TO FIX THEM UP, HOW TO SAIL, THEN HE’D GIVE THE NOW SEAWORTHY VESSEL TO THE AGENCY FOR THEIR OWN USE. THEN HE’D GO BUY ANOTHER WRECK. I CAN’T COUNT HOW MANY TIMES HE ‘PURSUADED’ ME TO HELP HIM OUT WITH THEM.

POLITICAL PREFERENCES OH, HE WAS PRETTY VOCAL ABOUT WASHINGTON POLITICS BUT I THINK I’LL PASS ON RECORDING HIS THOUGHTS IN THIS SKETCH.

LIKES HE LIKED DOGS AND CATS. HE LIKED MARATHONS. HE ENJOYED CAMPING TRIPS (THE REAL ONES-NOT THE ‘SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS’ HE TOOK ON FOR ONI. THOUGH I HAVE TO SAY, NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT THE ASSIGNMENT AND HOW BATTERED HE BECAME, EMOTIONALLY HE SEEMED TO THRIVE ON THE DANGER AND GETTING THE JOB DONE.

DISLIKES AUTOMATED ANSWERING MACHINES. (HE’S NOT THE ONLY ONE). ALSO CAN’T ABIDE OVERBEARING WOMEN (YOUNG AND OLD) THAT RUFFLE HIS HAIR. CAN’T STAND TO BE IDLE, EVEN IF IT’S WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED.

MOVIES/BOOKS/PLAYS LIKED SITCOMS, ESPECIALLY THE BRITISH IMPORTS. NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE ENTERTAINMENT WHILE MUNCHING DOWN SOME PIZZA.

FOODS WHILE LEE WENT EASY ON FOOD, THERE WERE A FEW THINGS HE REALLY DID LIKE. DOUGHNUTS, ESP. THE JELLY FILLED. BROWNIES. COOKIES, FRENCH ONIOIN DIP WITH POTATO CHIPS, PIZZA, AND COFFEE (THE BLACKER AND STRONGER THE BETTER)

SPORTS RUNNING, SKIING, SWIMMING, DIVING, CAR RACING (SUPERVISED ON A TRACK OF COURSE), MOUNTAIN CLIMBING.

FEARS/PHOBIAS GHOSTS. AFTER KRUEGER, WHO CAN BLAME HIM. OH GOD, IF I LIVE TO BE 100, ASIDE FROM LEE’S DEATH, NOTHING WILL EVER BE AS TRAUMATIC IN MY LIFE THAN WHEN I HAD TO SHOOT LEE.

THE LOOK OF BETRAYAL IN HIS EYES WILL HAUNT ME ALL MY DAYS. WHILE LEE KNEW, AFTER KRUEGER TOOK HIS BODY OVER, WHAT HAD COMPELLED ME TO DO SO, TO SAVE OUR BOAT AND CREW, STILL, HOW COULD HE POSSIBLY FORGIVE ME AFTERWARDS? BUT, HE DID.

THE MERE MENTION OF GHOSTS LATER, WELL, NEITHER OF US COULD EVEN GET INTO THE SWING OF HALLOWEEN AND SUCH. IT HAD ALL BEEN A BIT TOO REAL, AND FAR TOO UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.

KRUEGER WASN’T THE ONLY GHOST WE HAD TO DEAL WITH, BUT HE WAS, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE ONLY ONE WHO IN EFFECT, RAPED HIM OF HIS FREE WILL.

QUIRKS WHEN LEE WAS UPSET OR NERVOUS HE OFTEN RAN HIS HAND BACKWARD OVER HIS HAIR. A SURE SIGN OF DISTRESS.

CHARACTER FLAWS WHAT WAS IT THAT MOVIE SAID, EXCESSIVE HAPPINESS? IN LEE’S CASE YOU’D CALL IT EXCESSIVE COMMITMENT TO SEAVIEW. WAS ABOARD HER ALMOST CONSTANTLY IF HE WASN’T TRYING TO GET ME TO DO SOMETHING IN MY SPARE TIME.

EVEN WHEN IN DRY DOCK OR PORT, OR WHEN HE WAS ON LEAVE AND DIDN’T HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT WITH THE AGENCY HE COULD BE FOUND ABOARD.

HE EVEN PATTED HER BULKHEADS AND WHISPERED TO HER. I GUESS, YOU MIGHT EVEN CALL HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH SEAVIEW A KIND OF MARRIAGE. HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING. NOTHING REALLY QUIRKY ABOUT IT AT ALL. JUST A BOY PLAYING WITH HIS FAVORITE TOY.

FAVORITE EXPRESSIONS/ TYPICAL GESTURES WELL, HE WASN’T AWARE OF IT BUT WHEN HE WANTED SOMETHING, AND WAS AFRAID OF BEING TURNED DOWN, HE’D OFTEN LOWER HIS EYELASHES AND LOOKED LIKE A WOUNDED PUPPY. VERY HARD TO RESIST THAT BOYISH PLEA. STILL, I NEVER DID PAINT SEAVIEW RED. I WISH I HAD NOW. IT WOULD HAVE MADE HIM SO HAPPY. AND NOW, IT’S TOO LATE. OH LEE, LEE, LEE, I’M SO SORRY FOR THE THINGS I NEVER DID AND FOR THE THINGS I DID DO AND SHOULDN’T HAVE!

CHILDHOOD/TEEN MEMORY NONE, BUT I DID SEE A PHOTO HIS MOTHER SHOWED ME. IT WAS TAKEN OF LEE FISHING WITH HIS FATHER ON A BRIGHT SUNNY SUMMER DAY. BEFORE HIS FATHER DIED, BEFORE HIS WORLD WAS TOSSED UPSIDE DOWN ALL OVER AGAIN.

ROLE MODEL THE IPITOME OF THE DUTIFUL NAVAL OFFICER.

TEN WORDS TO SUM UP WHAT I THINK OF THIS PERSON

OH GOD, THIS IS SO HARD. BECAUSE IT’S HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS WHAT LEE WAS. DEVOTED TO HIS SUB, HIS CREW, AND EVEN TO ME. HE WAS THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WHEN WE WERE SCARED. THE TOWER OF STRENGTH WE’D ALL COME TO TAKE FOR GRANTED AND THE GUARDIAN OF OUR LIVES.

HE WAS NO LONGER JUST A CLOSE FRIEND. NO LONGER A FAVORED EMPLOYEE. LEE CRANE HAD BECOME MY SON. AND I MISS HIM SO.

TEN WORDS HOW THIS PERSON AFFECTED MY LIFE

I THINK THE ABOVE PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP.

WHAT I’D SAY TO THIS PERSON IF WE MET TODAY

I’M SO SORRY FOR THE AWFUL THINGS I SAID TO YOU THAT TERRIBLE DAY. I’M SORRRY I HAVEN’T TOLD YOU OFTEN ENOUGH HOW MUCH YOU MEAN TO ME.

AND I’M SORRY THAT I NEVER PAINTED SEAVIEW RED, JUST FOR YOU MY SON.

WHAT I WISH I HADN’T SAID /DONE TO THIS PERSON

I CAN’T IN GOOD CONCIENCE RECORD THOSE WORDS WE PARTED ON. IT HURTS TOO MUCH, GOD HELP ME.