Danny’s Home Coming
As we had done in the past for special occasions, most of the family had met at Mom’s house before heading out on whatever the day’s events would be. I watched my dad as he paced back and forth from the front door to the window overlooking the drive, impatiently waiting for my younger brother Billy, who was always late, purposely so he could always make a grand entrance. This particular morning no one seemed to be amused with Billy’s fashionable arrival, especially my dad.
Danny’s train was due to arrive in twenty-five minutes and we all wanted to be there when the train arrived, after all, none of us had heard a word from Danny since the day he left Fort Drum for Viet Nam, everyone’s mind was full of questions, as was mine, but the biggest question we all wanted an answer for is WHY?
Everyone in the family was there, dressed in the finest attire each owned, my dad and uncle Tim, both wearing their own military uniforms from past Army days. Even Susan, Danny’s post war girlfriend was there, even though she had married several years earlier to Danny’s best high school buddy. Watching Susan now was like she had always been here, just like during the days when Danny was home, she still fit right in like a family member.
My mind stopped wondering when my brother Billy made his tire squealing turn into the driveway as always. Not waiting for Billy to get out of his car, my Dad started shuffling people out the door to the cars. "Wait Wait" I heard my Mom protest, "the basket on the table- we can’t leave without the basket". I retrieved the basket and handed it to my Mom.
The content of the basket, which my Mom insisted on bringing along were several of Danny’s most prized possessions before he left, the normal things a 17 year old would never be caught without. His little black book of phone numbers, a comb he always had in his pocket, a picture of his Harley which now rusted in the back yard, a prom picture of Danny and Susan, the Prom King and Queen, also picked as the most perfect couple, and a hand held football video game, in which of course his favorite team, The Pittsburgh Steelers always won. In vain, my Dad had protested, I can still hear him saying “The boy has been gone ten years Maggie, he has no use of those things now” But you know moms, the basket was going with us.
I can still picture how everyone pushed and stretched at the train station to get a better look as the train pulled up to the station. As the train pulled to a stop, a tall dark haired Air Force Major stepped off and approached my Mom, after a short pause he reached out and handed her a small green army like bag. “These we believe, are your son’s personal belongings”. As the train had come to a complete stop, the side door of a rail car was opened, and inside was a red, white and blue banner that read “Welcome Home Danny”. Just beyond the banner was a United States Flag draped coffin.
Hanging on the side of the coffin was an official government looking document that read, U.S. Vet / POW / MIA / Name: Unknown / Rank: Unknown / Date & Cause of death Unknown / Destination: New York / Personal effects / Prom Picture / Picture of Motorcycle / small black book (contained parents names and address) / pocket comb / family photo / dear john letter. End of list.
Contributed by: Tazzy
