#034 - Long Time Coming (758…come home safe)
#034 - Long Time Coming (758…come home safe)
What’s up? I know I haven’t blogged in a long time. It happens, life. It kinda slaps you in the face, and then it hangs you out to dry. This is my blog, about Mike. My slap in the face.
So last Friday night, I was at an ASL social, thought Mike was leaving, on Saturday afternoon. I guess I should have just thought different. When I called him, he was packing (as I thought, he packs last minute anywhere). But I found out he was leaving. Saturday morning, at 10am. At 1st I was taken aback. But then it really sunk in, he was leaving. He was going to be gone. November 2007….that’s when I see my brother again . (he isn’t my brother, but he might as well be)
Saturday morning rolled around, I was already in Gahanna, at Lori’s. I showered, got dressed, and went to Whitehall. When I got there, I remembered why the hell I hated going to those damn things. Everyone looked the same, Everyone in Olive Green Cammo, everyone with a hat on….but as I walked through the crowd I found Mike.
He greeted me, it was pleasant, we talked, idle bullshit, nothing groundbreaking. He told me Ann (his wife, my cousin) was with Matt (my other cousin) eating breakfast. (why wasn’t I invited? Lol)
He had to run off to formation, Ann and Matt came back. I explained to Ann he couldn’t leave formation. After what seemed like forever, they marched in formation. There was a PA system there, I couldn’t hear it where I was, I’m kinda glad I couldn’t. I would have cried, I guess I should have cried. I haven’t yet, and that scares me.
They did the ceremony, Mike stood foreword, looking at nothing, lifeless…which is how you are supposed to stand at attention. They released them with an hour before the bus. We went back to Ann’s new Extera (nice ride, Mike said it went over 100 EASY lol)
We stood there, he ate a Strawberry filled Charleston Chew. Got a good picture of him in the back of the Extera, but Sprint is a whore, and wont let me upload it. I have to call customer service….I hate customer service.
The 45 minutes went too quickly. We made our way back to the busses. Who were being led to the airport by police escort. His 1st sergeant came over, said to fall in formation, he kissed his wife (Ann my cousin) goodbye. Shook Matt my cousins hand, and I shook his hand. I slapped him on the back and said the only thing I could think. An old football term. “Keep your head on a swivel brother”. Then they fell into formation.
They marched to the busses, calling their battle cry, about the 758th….he got on the bus. Ann broke down again, saying “That’s it? He is gone now??” It messed with me more than you can imagine. I waited until he was on the bus, and I couldn’t see him anymore. I then turned to Ann, and told her the only thing I could think of. “If you need anything, anything at all, please call me.”
I then turned, and somehow, through her tears held it together. She looked at me and said. “He never cried once, not once”. Though he told me a story about how he had to swim in bed the night before from her crying. Ever the comedian.
I left….I left my friend. He left me. Mississippi….2 months, then 2 weeks in Kuwait, then to camp boom boom in Iraq. I never had a bad feeling, I saw him off before. But this time, I couldn’t hold it together to see the busses leave. I left, I drove home. When I got here I sat on my couch and reflected…for 45 seconds. Then I mowed my lawn, and worked in my garden. Not thinking was better than thinking. But now…almost a week later I’m thinking.
What are we there for… why everyday when I turn on the news, does an Ohio soldier die? Why? That’s my question of the day.
What’s up? I know I haven’t blogged in a long time. It happens, life. It kinda slaps you in the face, and then it hangs you out to dry. This is my blog, about Mike. My slap in the face.
So last Friday night, I was at an ASL social, thought Mike was leaving, on Saturday afternoon. I guess I should have just thought different. When I called him, he was packing (as I thought, he packs last minute anywhere). But I found out he was leaving. Saturday morning, at 10am. At 1st I was taken aback. But then it really sunk in, he was leaving. He was going to be gone. November 2007….that’s when I see my brother again . (he isn’t my brother, but he might as well be)
Saturday morning rolled around, I was already in Gahanna, at Lori’s. I showered, got dressed, and went to Whitehall. When I got there, I remembered why the hell I hated going to those damn things. Everyone looked the same, Everyone in Olive Green Cammo, everyone with a hat on….but as I walked through the crowd I found Mike.
He greeted me, it was pleasant, we talked, idle bullshit, nothing groundbreaking. He told me Ann (his wife, my cousin) was with Matt (my other cousin) eating breakfast. (why wasn’t I invited? Lol)
He had to run off to formation, Ann and Matt came back. I explained to Ann he couldn’t leave formation. After what seemed like forever, they marched in formation. There was a PA system there, I couldn’t hear it where I was, I’m kinda glad I couldn’t. I would have cried, I guess I should have cried. I haven’t yet, and that scares me.
They did the ceremony, Mike stood foreword, looking at nothing, lifeless…which is how you are supposed to stand at attention. They released them with an hour before the bus. We went back to Ann’s new Extera (nice ride, Mike said it went over 100 EASY lol)
We stood there, he ate a Strawberry filled Charleston Chew. Got a good picture of him in the back of the Extera, but Sprint is a whore, and wont let me upload it. I have to call customer service….I hate customer service.
The 45 minutes went too quickly. We made our way back to the busses. Who were being led to the airport by police escort. His 1st sergeant came over, said to fall in formation, he kissed his wife (Ann my cousin) goodbye. Shook Matt my cousins hand, and I shook his hand. I slapped him on the back and said the only thing I could think. An old football term. “Keep your head on a swivel brother”. Then they fell into formation.
They marched to the busses, calling their battle cry, about the 758th….he got on the bus. Ann broke down again, saying “That’s it? He is gone now??” It messed with me more than you can imagine. I waited until he was on the bus, and I couldn’t see him anymore. I then turned to Ann, and told her the only thing I could think of. “If you need anything, anything at all, please call me.”
I then turned, and somehow, through her tears held it together. She looked at me and said. “He never cried once, not once”. Though he told me a story about how he had to swim in bed the night before from her crying. Ever the comedian.
I left….I left my friend. He left me. Mississippi….2 months, then 2 weeks in Kuwait, then to camp boom boom in Iraq. I never had a bad feeling, I saw him off before. But this time, I couldn’t hold it together to see the busses leave. I left, I drove home. When I got here I sat on my couch and reflected…for 45 seconds. Then I mowed my lawn, and worked in my garden. Not thinking was better than thinking. But now…almost a week later I’m thinking.
What are we there for… why everyday when I turn on the news, does an Ohio soldier die? Why? That’s my question of the day.