To: Who ever it may concern,
Today was the day that we all had been waiting for, we where done with high school now, all we had to do was finish the ceremony and we where free. I had been wait for this day for my whole life it seemed. I was going to the University of Washington in the fall to study political law. I couldn’t wait, even my sweetheart Emily, was going there as well, we had planned to live together after our freshman year. “ Mike you ready yet?” My mother yelled upstairs, “ Its time to go your going to be late!”
“Coming mom,” I yelled back as I quickly put on my rode, “Hey mom.”
“Yes dear.”
“Can I drive today?” I loved driving that car it made me feel like I was an adult.
You know a real man and all.
“Sure dear.”
This was going to be a great day! I was part of the class of 68’ and was proud to be here. My whole family was coming into town just to see me get my diploma handed to me. I rushed downstairs to see my mom crying in the doorway, “Mom what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
“Hmmm…because you are growing up son,” she said holding something back.
“I wont be to far away,” I said trying to cheer her up. “Just a couple miles.”
“I know,” she said chocking back even bigger sobs.
“Come on mom let’s get going I don’t want to be late,” I said seeing that dad was already in the car. I wonder what’s wrong I have never seen her so worked up before. Oh well I don’t think that anything can get me down right now. I hopped into the car and got behind the wheel. I started the engine and again felt that rush of excitement running through me. “Dad what did you do after high school?” I said trying to awaken the quite car.
“Well, I got drafted in to the army and had to serve in WWII. Then after that I became a auto working and eventually start my own shop,” My father said proudly.
“I see mom what did you do after high school?”
“Well I went to Harvard and got a PhD in medicine,” mom said in a weak tone.
I still could not seem to understand what was going on, now even my dad didn’t seem to want to talk. I pulled up at the school and parked the car. Emily was waiting there for me with a big smile. “Hey you how you doing?” She said in her ever so sweet voice. She looked so beautiful today, even more so than she did at prom two weeks before. Again she spoke, “ Are you going to just stand there and look at me or are you going to come over here and give me a kiss?”
“Well, seeing that I have no other choice to come over there and give you that kiss I guess that I will.” I walked over and gave her a peck on the check. “Mom, Dad are you coming in?”
“Give us a minute dear.” My mom said as she turned to show something to my dad. I was so confused, now even my dad was getting teary eyed. I wonder if grandma died? That could be the case, oh well who knows anyways? It probably is nothing important. Emily and I walked into the gym to go and find our seats. We had the same last name but we’re not related at all. We sat down and waited. It seemed to take hours just to get to the part my whole family has been waiting for. “Mike Williams” rang out across the gym. I stood up and my family started clapping. My dad even whistled, but again my mother seemed very far away. Emily followed right behind me so I waited just of the stage to give her a kiss, “Wow we made it! Now we can start our new life together!” Emily smiled and said in return,” I can’t wait I love you so much Mike I really do!” I couldn’t help to smile and give her another kiss. So this is what it feels like to be on top of the world. The photography took a picture of the two of us for the newspaper. There it was done, we where all men now. No longer just the boy on the block, but a real man.
Then as if out of nowhere a storm blew in and it started to rain and there was thunder and lightening. I rushed to the car with Emily and my parents. We where having a party at my house afterward for Emily and I. So as Emily and I ran my parents seemed to be in their own world, lost in something. I always wondered why they told me when they did. My father stopped and yelled to me, “Son there is something I need to tell you…” his words seem lost in the weather.
“What?” I said confused in why he would want me to come and talk to him out in the pouring rain. I gave Emily the keys and she continued to the car. I reached my father. He spoke in a ton I had never heard before, “Son you see the rain, this rain is dark like the rain when I was in France… you know out there on the frontline.”
“Really, but why are you telling me now?” I got a feeling that whatever was going to come out of that mans mouth end up changing me into someone else, someone I had hope that I never would have to become. He spoke again this time with more feeling, chocking back tears he finally said, “Son, today you got some mail…some mail that we all where afraid that you would receive…son, your going to war.”
I feel to the ground in shock and began to cry, I sat there in my best clothes watching as my friends went off their different way to go home. I was sick, I couldn’t move and I did not know what to do. I was hit again with a different set of emotion when Emily came and touch my shoulder and said, “Mike, tell me this is just a bad dream. Is this really happening? What about us, our plans, will you still love me?”
I didn’t know what to say to her, tell her that yes I will still love you and that everything is going to be ok. I didn’t know what to do, so I just put my head in her arms and just cried. That was it I was shipped out that weekend; I lost everything and now I’m here. In this shit hole call Vietnam. I get to go home they say, but that doesn’t mean much. Sergeant says that he has been home now for 3 months. I am just one of the many bodies that are out here to be shot at and killed, just another name on a tomb. I want to go home. But why go home, there is nothing left for me there either. I am just a grunt and will never be anything else for I have been changed forever, out here in Vietnam.
From: A nothing like me.
