All in one place at the same time.The Rose DiaryMay 4, 1979; Coconut Bay, San DominicaFriday Morning. The Fourth Day of the Season.Lieutenant B. J. Singer, a 1966 Annapolis product, sat on an undersized aluminum beach chair, reading a book called Supership. His wife, Ronnie, lay beside him with The Other Side of Midnight propped up in the sand.Neither of the Singers was a very enthusiastic reader.Suddenly Supership slipped through B.J.’s fingers.The shiny hardcover book hit the metal arm of the beach chair, then fell broken-backed onto the sand. B.J.’s head dropped back.“What?” Ronnie said.“I can’t stand it.” Her husband sat with his eyes closed, with coconut butter glistening all over his body. “I hate this sitting around. I feel like a goddamn kid who has to have his mother come with him every time he wants to take a swim or go explore. Or do anything!”Ronnie Singer looked up from her paperback. She closed one eye to the bright 10:00 A.M. sun. “Oh, go ahead, then.”
