The Vets
Petty Officer Joseph Williamson looked around him with solemn eyes. Today was a good-bye day, seemed they came more often, even at his young age. Today seemed to take more energy and less, somehow. As he watched the young widow accept the immaculately folded flag he tried not to fret. Unfortunately, she was just one of thousands upon thousands since the birth of this great nation. He heard low murmuring voices and quickly did an aboutface to spy 5 other soldiers on a concrete bench talking quietly under the large foliage of a great and mighty Cypress. He immediately walked the fifty or so feet to remind them where they were and that it was more than a little discourteous to be sitting here chittering like a bunch of squirrels. He stopped twenty feet short of the gathered men... taken aback for a moment. He blinked several times staring at the group for only moments ago they had all looked as young as he but now he could see they were quite a varied in age, a couple looking particularly ancient.
"Mind my askin' what you're fish facing at there, Sonny?"
Joseph was again taken aback, this time by the brusqueness of a Capt. in what he was sure was a WWI uniform!
"He's talkin' to ya, who ya eye-ballin', boy?"
This statement coming from a Civil War General did not lessen Joe's astonishment a single bit.
"You fellas settle down now, you'll scare the young man. He fought for this, our great country, just like us."
He turned to kindly thank the gent for coming to his defense when the first syllable got stuck to the roof of his mouth like too thick peanut butter. There was no amount of rinsing, rubbing, nor blinking out the fact that the man whom had just spoken was wearing a pristine Col. uniform from the Revolutionary War! He was distracted suddenly by a loud bowel-twisting sorrowful sob from the widow. He spun just in time to see a few officers swiftly step up behind her collapsing form and catch her as if she were a real falling angel. It was only then he saw the bounty of her abdomen. His heart shook, he heard a primal warcry split the air, his head exploded...black! The first thing he noticed were the disembodied voices of the Vets that sat, still, on that bench.
"I loathe these days, they are the worst! They are so hard on our brothers!"
"Whelp, when you're right, Mcdowell, you're right. I'd bury my brothers easier on foreign ground only to save the grief like that of the young lady. It's absolutely heartbreaking to hear and see!"
" 'Tis our jobs..."
"We are all aware of our jobs, Mordecai, easy now, brother. "
Joe felt icy cold rain start falling on his brow, smelled the air. It smelled like July in Mississippi, air. Rain that felt exceedingly good as your bare feet ran along the banks of the river looking for crawdads or worms or and frog spawn, whatever would make Mama jump when he came in for Sunday dinner. Just thinking about it he was positive he could smell fried chicken and potatoes boiling for potato salad. Fresh jasmine, and wild just mown onions. He could almost hear sweet Mama... "Joseph Daniel, supper is on the table, come wash up!"
He opened his eyes, shocked to see heavy lightning and dark clouds all around. Yet, the Vets sat under that tree...dry as bones and smoking an assortment of cigars, cigarettes and pipes.
"What was that," Joe asked the group at large.
He barely heard the muttered response from the soldier at the far left end of the bench that was wearing nearly identical fatigues as Joe.
"Memories."
Joe was immediately drawn back to the service by another blood-chilling sob from the widow. Joe felt the subsequent chain of events, except this time, Mordecai (he was positive) , stood and held Joe upright and there was no unconsciousness... No blackness. Joe yelled above the deafening wind, thunder and rain...
Why is this happening... Why does she make me feel these things... Who is she?!!!"
Lightning struck again, this time in his brain and heart at the same instant! He whipped around so fast he was sure time ran backwards. The primal warcry was piercing the air again, him just discovering it was coming from his mouth like a swarm of bees in an earth-bending
"NO!"
Joe ran hard and fast til finally his knees buckled and came crashing down upon the stone of a brother from many moons past.
"Joseph, listen son, you can tell her good-bye. But you must let go of all your anger first and you must do it before she leaves today."
"But..."
"No buts. Just take your chance to tell them. "
Joseph turned from the Vets. He breathed deeply letting his anger and heartbreak fall from him as if a snake shedding it's skin. Today was a good-bye day but one day there would be a hello again day. He knew this. He took a couple of timid steps making sure he could move without hesitation or resistance. Slowly, he made his way towards her, the crowd parting and making access like they could feel the importance of the moment. He got 3 inches from her beautiful face and saw the tears moistening the fairest cheeks of the loveliest lady he had ever known, and looked into her chestnut eyes.
"Hey, Jocelyn, its Joe. Look, I know you can't see me but I know you know I'm here, right now. Honey, I can't tell you not to be sad, but I got my new orders and I must go for a while. I hear the new Commander is quite the man, may even let me call Him J. C. after I've been there for bit. Heh heh..."
He caught a glimmer of a smile on her breathtaking pale lips before heartbreak washed it away as if waves covering a sand castle.
"That's it, it's okay to smile Jocy. This is just an assignment, a longer then we're used to, assignment.
He reached out and touched her cheek, felt the warmth there that only his touch could bring to the surface. He knelt silently in the snow in formals, crisp and clean, he was certain he hadn't been wearing moments ago. He looked directly at her cloth covered navel and placed his hands on either side of the gentle swell of her abdomen.
"Jordan, Josephine...I am sorry I have to leave before you get here, but you'll know me. I know Mama will tell y'all about me so that when you get to your saved place at the table... You'll know me. Now, I gotta go my little hummingbirds. Y'all be good to each other and your sweet Mama. Take care of her, especially now. She's going through a sad time cause today is a good-bye day. Love you."
He quickly placed a light kiss where his children's hearts lay and brushed one across his wife's cheek. He ran quickly back to the Vets, finding his legs and feet had regained their speed.
"Come on, bro, we gotta get to the table... we're almost home!"
Joe turned back once more the
cemetery was dark. There was no Jocelyn, no folded flags and no Vets sitting on a bench. Suddenly it was like a porch light of epic proportions switched on. He turned and saw a familiar figure standing before him and a voice like honeyed Brandywine welcoming him...
"Hello, my son, glad to see you. I know today was rough. It was a good-bye day, those are the worst. It is also a hello day, and those truly are the greatest!"
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