In Memory of Ed
I will always recall the look on Ed’s face
As we lunched underneath an oak beside the river
We stopped at an ideal spot on our canoe trip
Ed said, “This sure does remind me of Nam!”
A chill ran down my spine.
I knew Ed suffered from debilitating flashbacks,
And I had seen him in the worst of PTSD throes.
I thought, “Suppose he decides I am the Cong”
He always dressed in fatigues, carried his knife.
He was in church with his family every Sunday,
But I had alerted the town policeman,
Also a church member, to be aware my concerns.
“I think it’s time we move on down the river,”
I suggested, and we began to pack up,
We had a marvelous day on the New River
Although my heart raced at some things Ed said.
His tours in Vietnam had destroyed his life.
A few months later, Ed shot himself to death.
He left behind a beautiful wife and two children.
written March 6, 2022
Copyright © L Milton Hankins | Year Posted 2022
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