Schools always want money.
So my daughter sold oranges. Boxes of them.
I wanted nothing to do with it.
I hate to lean on friends to buy anything overpriced for schools.
We are all already paying taxes for such things.
So she and her mother sold,
And when they came, this morning, I became the delivery boy old man.
One neighbor was not home.
The second box was to a soldier's family.
We thought he was in Iraq.
But my wife said she had seen him just the other day.
I said that was pretty much impossible, as he had just left the other day.
I went to the door with the box of oranges
And... he answered the door.
I was kind of shocked.
But nothing is impossible.
After saying I have the oranges you ordered - which he knew nothing about,
I said, "I thought you were in Iraq."
He said, "My grandmother died. They flew me home for the funeral."
I said, "I'm sorry to hear that."
He said, "She suffered with cancer for a long time. She's much better off. And I'm glad to get to come home.
His eyes told me it was bad.
But I had to ask anyway: "How is it?"
His three year old son was holding on to his leg, and wouldn't let go.
He said, "It's not as bad as the front. But it's bad." He paused then added: "Too many dead bodies."
I stupidly said, "You see many dead bodies?"
He nodded and said, "We have to re-ice them down when they come off the planes."
I couldn't say anything.
He looked like he wanted to cry. But he was a grown man and couldn't. Not to a neighbor.
Maybe to a dad.
I said, "Do you have to go back?"
He said, "Yes. In a few days."
"How long have you been there?"
He said, "About six weeks. I'll have ten weeks to go when I get there."
I didn't know what to say.
I said to myself to hell with a handshake
and gave him a big hug and said, "You'll make it."
And left to go back across the street to my safe home.
I believe he will make it.
He will return.
But he will never be the same.
He's seen too many bodies already.
With ten weeks to go.
My wife says, "Do you want to take an orange with you to work?
I say, "Yes, thank you."
And I go clock on
While the death toll rises.
I put the orange on top of my locker
to remind me
that I have a neighbor in a far away dangerous place.
Will Bevis
Dec. 9, 2009
WillBevis.com