Dear Megs ish

  Ragtop down and Credence blaring on the stereo. Could life be any better? The answer is yes, if my stupid hippy girlfriend didn’t quit me and hop a bus to New York. Well, Jesus doesn’t have a place for hippies in heaven. Besides Ike wouldn’t steer us wrong. It’s like the jingle, “I like Ike…”

My Murray’s hair pomade held strong against the wind from my vette. It was surprising really. But even “fortunate son” couldn’t get my mind off her. Her beautiful brown hair in her pageboy style. But that last dinner with her and our folks was the last straw. The last straw for everyone. 

“WHY DIDN’T SHE KEEP HER TRAP SHUT!” I yelled. It’s not like anyone could hear me. So was this a performance or did I truly think I would get something from yelling. I didn’t get anything from my outburst but who was the performance for? 

I gripped the wheel tighter. My dad bought me this car after my team won the championship. My dad couldn’t be more proud of his son, the quarterback of Booker T. High. Like father, like son only dad went to oak cliff. That was just before he enlisted into the marines. My dad was and still is bad to the bone. I want to be just like him. I need to be just like him. 

Ok, my decision is made. I’m going to join the marines just like dad. Sure he was after the japs but what’s the difference between them and the Vietnamese? I turned off the dirt road onto the road that lead to Dallas.

I raced towards Dallas as fast as I could. I couldn’t wait to raise my right hand. I’ll show that damn hippy. She was wrong to leave me. She was wrong to leave a real man. Hell, when I get to vote I’ll probably Vote for Nixon. Man seems to have his head on straight. That’s what a real man would do. I pulled into the spot in front of the marines door. It’s my time. 

The dinner:

“Pass the mashed potatoes please?” I asked. 

“Dad, I don’t get why this war is even happening. The Vietnamese haven’t hurt anyone and we are over there interfering with their politics. Would you want a Russian telling you how to vote?” Sally said with force. Her hair jiggling as she shook her head in frustration. She shoved the mashed potatoes into my hands. 

“You watch your damn mouth young lady!” My dad yelled. 

“The ruskies are god damn communists. They believe in disruption and chaos.” Her dad said angrily. This was a common conversation so I usually kept my nose out of it. 

“My pork chop is great mom. Did you do something different?” I asked. 

“I added garlic to the mix. Otherwise it’s just shake and bake, dear.” Mom replied. 

“WHAT’S SO BAD WITH COMMUNISM? WHAT’S SO WRONG WITH HELPING THE POOR AND HELPLESS?” Sally yelled. 

“YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?! HITLER WAS THE LEADER OF THE COMMUNIST GERMANS!” Sally’s dad said. 

“HITLER WAS A SOCIALIST!” Sally replied. 

“SOCIALISTS ARE COMMUNISTS!” Sally’s dad yelled back. “This is why women shouldn’t go to school. They can’t understand the minutiae of politics.”

“I UNDERSTAND BETTER THEN YOU DO! WHY DON’T YOU BOTH GO TO HELL WITH YOUR POLITICAL IDIOCY AND IGNORANCE! I’M OUT OF HERE!” Sally yelled throwing her napkin on her plate. “Thank you, Mrs. Drisden. I’m sorry you married an uninformed, ignoramus. I’m also sorry my father was a moronic imbecile.”

“That’s ok dear.” Mom said after she took a long drink of what she called special cola. 

“Dad, can I have a couple of bucks to go to the soda hop after dinner?” I asked. 

“Sure son. You know Mike, your daughter is going to be the death of me.” My dad said. 

“She is just green. I’m sure she will learn soon enough.” Sally’s dad replied. 

“You think she is really going to leave Texas?” My dad asked.

“Nah, she has been threatening that for two years now.” Sally’s dad replied. 

“Idiot,” My squad leader whispered to Jenkins, “Get your head in the game.” Jenkins was our squad tunnel rat. A role that he despised.

Jenkins spit some of his chew onto the ground in front of him. “You wanna go in there? My damn life expectancy is two weeks as a rat.” Jenkins responded. “Get fucked buck Sergeant.”

“This isn’t a damn request lance corporal. Get in there or it’s an act of mulanter punishable by firing squad.” Sarge whispered. 

“Mutiny, sarge…” I corrected quietly. 

“You’re next Pri…” Sarge whispered pointing in my general direction. I quickly zipped my lip. Suddenly there was loud bangs north of us and a zip sound from a bullet that nearly took off my nose. “CHARLIE TWO OCLOCK!”

We all dropped like a sack of flower. I grabbed my rifle and scooted over to a tree. Bullets were flying frequently and sporadically. “I don’t want to die.” I said trying to comfort myself. Though I may have wished for my sarge to kill the VC and save me. 

“Keep your voice down.” Williams said. “You will give ‘em an audio target.”

I squashed up into the tree like potatoes under moms masher. Williams was a cool headed corporal. He always helped me to stay calm. The loud noises really bothered me for some reason. “I can’t help it Corporal.”

“Put in your ear pro and fire back.” Williams replied. I did as he ordered. I focused on the bright spots and shot back. The sound was less of a problem now. But the bright spots were annoying. I emptied a mag and slapped in a new one. These damn things didn’t last long. 

As quick as the battle started, it ended. Sarge was the first to move to a kneeling position. “Sit rep corporal.” A moment of silence fell on us. “Corporal?” Sarge said sounding worried. I looked towards where Williams was during the attack. He had his head down. I kicked his helmet and he slid down the hill a little.

I slid down around Williams and flipped him over placing him on my lap. His helmet fell off his head and with it a pile of his brains. The hole in his forehead oozing a bit of brain. The blood got on my fingers. But my cheeks felt wet as well. I reached up with the only clean spot on the back of my hand. Wet. Why was my cheek wet? Another performance? Is it for sarge?

“Fine, Jenkins, sit rep?” Sarge said. Another moment of silence. “Jenkins!” He yelled. After a few seconds he finally yelled, “FUCKING JENKINS YOU GOD DAMN COWARD! Fine private, get in that damn tunnel and report back with your findings!”