Around the same time as Nick’s disappearance, two other events further disrupted Elaine’s life…His Holiness Pope Paul VI’s visit to Manila and the transfer of her father to the Pentagon. Coming at the worse possible time, with the air station’s scheduled closure within a year, Elaine’s father’s transfer came out of the blue. He was not eager to move at such a critical time, even when moving meant that he would avoid more controversy involving his daughter. He considered the transfer a demotion but felt grateful, at least, that it occurred without any fanfare. The Pope’s visit to Manila, on the other hand, attracted the attention of millions of people and disrupted traffic. Shortly after his plane touched down at the airport, the Pope survived an attempted assassination by a Bolivian painter. Afterwards he smiled and seemed unfazed. It was a hectic day for the Pope, as he continued as if nothing had happened. He forgave the assailant and rebuked the Monsignori who saved his life, while Emelda gave the credit to her husband. Millions lined the streets, to catch a glimpse of the Pope as he toured Manila. Following the tour, he was brought to the Manila Cathedral where he presided over a liturgical reception. Then he blessed the image of Our Lady, the Nuestra Senora de Guia near Elaine’s apartment in Ermita.
The news about her father came to Elaine by letter from her mother.
I found Elaine, who wanted someone to go with her to her parents’ home. Her frazzled mother’s silvery hair was hanging loosely around her head when she opened the door and seemed surprised that Elaine had brought me with her. She also didn’t know what to say…for she only answered the questions her daughter asked about when she thought Elaine’s father would be home. She did manage to invite us in. And Elaine and I noted the For Sale sign in the front yard.
We met Elaine’s father at the U.S. Naval Air Station. He had been too busy to come home at night, though he had grown used to traveling back and forth. Elaine and I both felt the tension in the air, and from that it was hard for me to imagine that Elaine and her father were ever close. He was obviously angry, and she was obviously hurt. After a few minutes of small talk, he looked his daughter in the eye and said, “You must be proud of yourself.” Elaine was about answer back but I stopped her. I didn’t know until then why I was there. This was towards the end of October, and it was simply a coincidence that all of this happened at the time of the Pope’s visit, and I asked the Commander if he was aware of the assassination attempt. I talked about the traffic snarl, and the difficulty we had getting to Cavite. ”By land it’s always slow, by sea it’s less of a gamble, and by air it’s a snap. Luckily, I have the use of a helicopter. That’s how I’ve been able to live in Forbes Park and work over here.”
Elaine had been listening with a scowl on her face, and then she said, “Dad, I suppose there’s nothing unusual about what’s happened between you and me. Difficulties between fathers and daughters are quite common, in fact, but rarely do they result in an international incident, as it has in our case. I regret and am truly sorry about how this all has hurt your career when it shouldn’t have. I know how much success in the navy means to you. It’s not fair. I continue to love and respect you. I’m not sure or know how it happened or why I fell for Nick, but I did. You and mother seemed to have liked him. But now! You need to know that I feel torn between my duty to you and mom and my devotion to Nick, because I’ve given myself to all three of you.”
“It seems as if it’s out of our hands now,” he said.
“I don’t agree,” she said. “You were given the photograph of Nick and me at the demonstration…if nothing else, that means you have connections. I know you must have them. I may be inexperienced when it comes to this world. I haven’t suffered enough or gone through what you have. Maybe I should’ve been more discreet. But you need to know that I wasn’t the least bit disturbed by the demonstrations or the protests against the war. You must believe me. I never intended to hurt you. As you’re preparing to leave and are wrapping things up around here, I know you don’t have much time. Mother told me that you weren’t going home at night. Nick his disappeared, and I think he’s been arrested. I also think with your connections that you can find out for me where he’s being held. That’s why I’ve come…to ask you to forget my transgressions long enough to find him for me. But why is it such a big deal…there are demonstrations everyday back home, and I attend one over here and it’s catastrophic. Or is it because of Nick? I’m old enough now to make my own decisions and don’t need anyone’s approval, although it disappoints me that my decisions have had such abject effect on you. But then I didn’t really expect you to be happy with me, but I’m surprised that it has caused so much trouble.”
Randy Ford
