Death of a Wooden Shoe - U.S. Coast Guard

John Petrenko, Jr., "Pete the tramp." Pete does not like being called tramp.
Because of his massive size and strength, nobody ever does so in his
presence... No one except Norman "Elmer" Comer who does so whenever
agitated by Pete.
Pete is taller than me and I am six foot two inches tall. His weight must top two
hundred and fifty pounds. His face is that of a Roman gladiator, large and broad
across the forehead. He has very dark, deep sunken eyes and strong, jutting
chin. His dark hair is ever awry. His heavy, black whiskers make him a frightful
looking antagonist. He could use a shave every hour. Added to this are high
cheekbones and protruding ears. In repose, Pete is a dark, fierce looking giant,
hence, Pete the tramp.
Pete invites me to join him for a home-cooked Sunday dinner at his girlfriend's
house. I jump at the opportunity. Not just for the dinner, but because I was
curious to see the lady who found Pete attractive. I find it difficult to understand
that any woman can find anything attractive in any man. It is obvious, however,
that women do so. Perhaps women all have poor eye sight.
Pete’s girlfriend lives in far-off Malden, Mass. We travel there by rail to the end of
it’s line, then we walk a long way. The family Fitzgerald lives at the top of a tall
hill. As we walk up it, Pete tells me of skullduggery that, if told to me earlier, I
would not have come along.
Margaret "Peggy" Fitz., the younger of two sisters, was the one who first invited
Pete to the Fitzgerald home. According to Pete, Peggy was wild about him, but
he preferred the older sister Mira. Pete just wanted me along to distract Peggy so
he could spend time courting Mira. I reminded him that I was a happy, newlymarried
man. This mattered not to Pete. He insisted "I don’t want you to make
love to her ... just keep her occupied." As the damn fool that I sometimes can be,
I reluctantly agreed. I married Lucille Edna Ketelhut on February 10th of this
year and I am very much in love with her.
The Fitzgeralds proved to be a very fine, close-knit family. It was their patriotism
that prompted them to invite servicemen to their home for Sunday dinner. Mister
was somehow related to a Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy, wife of a strong Mass.
politician I know nothing about.
After dinner Peggy, Mira, Pete and I attended a movie. On the long walk back, I
learn much from Peggy that Pete should have told me but did not. We walked in
pairs, Pete and Mira in the lead. Peggy and I spoke of many light things. Peggy
was very outgoing and vivacious, a temptation for any young man. I mentioned
Pete’s obvious affection for Mira and Peggy laughed. She then told me that Pete
was first attracted to her. He had become quite obnoxious and she had to tell him
that her friendship toward him was platonic and nothing more, and never would
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