by Kris Jacen
“I’m ready. You?” Carter offered.
“Go ahead.”
“I’ll take the Caramel French toast with a side of sausage and a glass of milk with the meal.”
“Oooh, that sounds good. I think I’ll try the bison huevos rancheros with a glass of orange juice.”
The waitress repeated the order back before leaving the table.
“So, how’d you get from New Orleans to here?” Carter asked. “I thought you were from Louisiana?”
“I am from Lafayette, not far from New Orleans. After I graduated, I got an offer to come here and teach sixth grade. The opportunity was just too good to pass up. I was looking for a change too. After everything that happened… and…” Siah trailed off. He still felt stupid for his choices back then.
“Hey, you’re not the only one that’s made stupid mistakes in trusting people. Look at my ex-wife. Since she left me, she’s apparently ‘gone wild’ in the words of those from home, and it’s all my fault. How it’s my fault, I haven’t figured out. Lost my best friend over it too. Guess I kinda can understand since he’s her brother but still I would have thought he’d at least ask me my side of things.”
Siah started to reach out to take Carter’s hand when the waitress reappeared with their coffees. Once she left, he asked, “Was she your high school sweetheart?”
“Sweetheart? I’m not sure. I was always hanging out with Briar and Jill’s his sister. She’s a year younger than us. It was assumed and I went along with it all that I’d end up with her. She wasn’t a bad person or anything. I was just… I didn’t… I was young.”
“Aren’t we all? At least some of us realize when we need to grow up and take responsibility.”
“Exactly. About a year after graduation and still not knowing what the hell I wanted to do, I walked into a recruiting station. I knew if I didn’t do something, I never would. Signed up and was scheduled to leave for basic in two months. Somehow, and I still don’t know how, four weeks later I was saying ‘I do’ and had a wife.” Carter looked down and stirred some cream into his coffee.
Siah could tell he was uncomfortable. “You don’t need to—”
“Might as well finish the story now since I’ve gone this far. So off I go to basic and then to my first duty assignment. Got assigned on-post housing and Jill moved down. Guess everything was okay? How do you really know when you’re nineteen? I deployed a year later or so and the cycle started. After my second deployment and getting orders to PCS to Fort Polk, Jill said enough. She wanted to know when we were going to travel and see things. Go to foreign countries and have money. Christ, I was only an E3 maybe E4 by then? I’d learned quickly if you joined the military for money, you were sadly mistaken. I moved to Louisiana and she moved, somewhere else. I got divorce papers in the mail one day. That was three years ago. Now I’m here.”
Just as Carter finished, the waitress was sliding their plates in front of them. “Anything else right now?” She waited a minute and when both said “no thanks”, she walked off.
“Is it bad I don’t really miss her? I miss her brother more. He’d always been with me, through school and sports. Summers running all over town. Winters building forts and having snowball fights. But everyone back home seems to blame me for Jill not being happy. I just… I just couldn’t figure out how to make her happy. I don’t think she’s happy with herself, honestly. And I’m figuring out me.” Carter shrugged as he finished.
“I can honestly say I don’t know what to say. And that’s unusual for me. I guess I’m sorry? I’m not sure though since it sounds like she used you to get out of your hometown and when you didn’t do what she wanted she dropped you?” Siah picked up his fork and started eating.
§ § § §
Carter couldn’t believe he’d spilled his whole story out like that. Lord, they hadn’t even eaten before he was telling all.
By some unspoken agreement, they changed subjects while they ate. Just shared different movies and shows they’d watched. Books they’d read, which really surprised him because they’d both read the same ones and enjoyed murder mysteries. Siah was really into learning, not surprising, but thought there were more ways to learn than just from the classroom.
Siah’s voice pulled Carter out of his thoughts. “…especially around here. There’s so much you can learn from visiting the museums and galleries. I’ve been looking at ‘different’ museums that aren’t the typical. Did you know there’s a spy museum?”
“A spy museum? That sounds cool. Where is it?” Why couldn’t Carter have had a teacher like Siah when in school? He’d bet Siah could make just about anything interesting.
“It’s right outside Chinatown on F Street. I’m thinking of going next weekend. Want to come?”
“It sounds like fun. I need to make sure I’m not scheduled for duty but other than that? I’d love to go.”
“Do you work a lot of weekends? Do you still have training you attend? What kind of things did you do in basic? What—”
“Whoa, whoa. Slow down. I can answer all your questions just let’s not take them in bunches?” Carter teased.
“I should take notes for my class. Better yet, any chance you’re free Tuesday morning?” Siah asked with a big smile.
“Umm, Tuesday? Depending on what, I can try and be free. Why?”
“The other sixth grade teachers and I are hosting a career day. The children are bringing in their parents to talk about their professions and I thought it would be good for the kids to see there are different options besides college. There’s a possibility my twosome’s dad will come and he’s in the Army, but it would be awesome if you could be there so they can see a younger soldier too?” Siah looked so hopeful as he asked, it was hard for Carter to not just jump and say yes.
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do. What time and where?”
Chapter Four
“Okay ladies and gentlemen, put your papers away. It’s time to head to the multipurpose room for Career Day.” Siah watched as the children moved quicker than normal to get ready. He saw his twosome with their heads together not moving.
“Cal and Cam, no stalling. Move it along please, gentlemen.” They both looked up and Siah couldn’t really figure out the look on their faces. It didn’t seem like they were plotting something so he let it go. “Line up at the door. Cheyenne, it’s your turn to lead.”
Siah grabbed his planner with the list of parents that had RSVP’d and followed the children. They quietly walked through the hallways with no pushing or shoving. Hmmm, seems having their parents waiting kept them controlled. What fun this was going to be. Siah was just hoping any questions asked weren’t too strange. You could never tell. It was one thing the kids had taught him in the two years. No matter what he expected, they could come up with something he didn’t.
When they got to the room, Siah directed the children over to the seats for his class. As they were sitting down, he watched his twosome’s shoulders drop. Wonder what that was. He knew their father was supposed to be there. Siah looked at the gathered parents and didn’t see any uniforms. Dang, their father wasn’t there and it looked like Carter couldn’t get the time. He turned to call them over when they bolted toward the door.
“Uncle D!” Cal called out.
“Uncle Liam!” Cam chimed in.
Siah saw the two run and jump at the two men that had entered the room. They both looked familiar. He knew he didn’t know the twins’ family and he’d only met their father briefly twice. As they put the boys down and looked up, Siah gasped. No way!
“Top Glenn? Doc Mac?” Siah asked as he approached the men.
“Siah?” Liam replied.
“What are you doing here?” Top Glenn asked.
“The world is getting smaller and smaller. You’re one of the uncles I’ve heard about from my twosome?”
Top chuckled. “I guess I am.” He looked down at the twins and asked, “Have you been telling stories about me and your other uncles, squeakers?”
Before the boys could answer, Siah interrupted, “Squeakers?”
“Mister Kent…” Cam said.
“when we were babies…” Cal continued.
“Uncle D broughted us…”
All three adults corrected, “Brought.”
Cam rolled his eyes before saying “brought us some…”
“Squeakers, let’s finish this later okay? Before you push everything off schedule? Right, Siah?”
Siah snapped out of it. “Yes, of course. I do want to hear the rest, boys, but later is right. If you two could return to the group?” He looked pointedly at the two and they headed back to sit. “Now, not that it’s not nice to see you if unexpectedly, but why are you here?”
“Mooney and Debs got held up. Liam and I were heading home later today after being here this weekend. Mooney asked if we could fill in for them. We know you weren’t expecting us so if it won’t work?” Danny shrugged.
“Not work? Um, I’ve now got an ER doctor. You still are one, right?”
“Yes, I’m a trauma specialist in Raleigh now,” Liam answered.
“Fantastic. And I know you were thinking of getting out?”
“I did get out. I’m working in Emergency Management operations helping with planning and execution for North Carolina but I could talk about the military if you—”
A clicking at the door cut off Danny and the three of them turned to see who was entering. Siah had a hard time keeping his mouth shut. There standing in the door was Carter but as Siah had never seen him. He was in full uniform with his hat under his arm. His pants were blue with a yellow-gold stripe up the leg with a sharp crease up the front leading to a dark jacket gleaming with buttons and ribbons. There was no way that Siah knew what everything stood for but he did know he was impressed.
“Well I guess you got military covered…Is that May? Oh yeah, the world is a small one. Always knew the military intersected a lot but what a small world,” Danny said as he held out his hand to Carter.
“Top Glenn? Doc Mac?” Carter asked as he shook their hands.
A throat clearing had them all turning. One of the other teachers was waving at Siah.
“Seems all the classes are here, gentlemen. Would you mind taking a seat with the parents?” Siah gestured to the other side of the room and moved to the front.
“Boys and girls? Parents, welcome. Today is the first session we’re hosting for the sixth graders for them to start getting ideas for careers. Each class has an assigned day to have visitors come in and explain about their different careers. We didn’t want to pick and choose which parents came in so… Today is my class’ day and I’ve had each student pull a number for the order. The student will calmly,” Siah paused and gave his class a pointed look before continuing, “come to the front and introduce their guest and their profession. Okay, who’s got number one?”
§ § § §
Why was he here? He was only a soldier. He didn’t have any degrees or advanced schooling. All these other people were so much more than him. He just graduated high school and took a way out of a small town. There was nothing special about him.
Just as Carter thought he was safe and wouldn’t have to get up and talk he heard Siah speaking, “And I’m last. I know I’m not one of the students but I have a special guest here today. He grew up in a small town that didn’t have a lot in the way of jobs. It was once a bustling town with a steel mill. School really wasn’t his thing but he worked hard and graduated from high school. After about a year he decided he needed to do something to focus himself and his life. He walked into a recruiting office and joined the Army. He’s been in the Army for seven years now and is a sergeant stationed with the Old Guard. What did we learn about the Old Guard recently? Stacy?”
“They’re the soldiers at the Tomb,” Stacy said, proudly.
“That’s right. But something we didn’t learn when we studied Arlington is there is an Artillery battery that fires the cannons at ceremonies and funerals. It’s known as the Presidential Salute Battery. He’s graduated from the Army’s basic training and advanced individual training for the Artillery branch. The Basic Noncommissioned Officer’s Course as well as Air Assault school and has earned the Combat Action Badge. I can see as I look over there I’ve completely shocked him as I’ve done my homework. Yes, teachers still do homework. I’ll let him share the rest of his story with you. Please welcome Sergeant Carter May.”
Siah had completely shocked Carter but he stood tall as he had been taught by his drill sergeant and smartly walked to the front of the room. When he got close, he put his hand out and shook Siah’s hand before turning toward the assembled classes.
“I’m not sure what else I can really tell you about me. Sia—I mean Mister Kent gave you a pretty detailed overview of me. Maybe I can just answer questions?” He looked to Siah for confirmation.
“I’m sure the children have questions about being a soldier. Do you kids?” Carter saw lots of hands shoot into the air. Hopefully he knew the answers to the questions. If not, maybe Top Glenn could help.
“Okay, let’s have the first question. Ummm, girl over there in purple,” he said as he pointed at her.
“Do you have a wife and kids that move around with you?” she asked.
Oh nothing like starting with an easy question – cue sarcasm. “I did have a wife that moved around with me. But things didn’t work out between us and we didn’t have children. Next?” Carter pointed to a boy and then the next. The questions weren’t too hard. “Did you go to war?” “How much noise do the guns make?” “Do you have to run?”
After about ten minutes, Siah stood again and as he asked for the last question, movement at the back of the room caught Carter’s eye. Oh good gracious God. There was a command sergeant major standing there in full uniform. He should be the one standing up here instead of him.
“What’s it like to jump out of a plane?” a boy asked, snapping Carter’s attention back to the children.
“Ummm, I’m not sure. I’m not jump qualified. I’ve rappelled out of helicopters when I was with the 101st Airborne but… umm, maybe the Sergeant Major at the back or Top Glenn can answer the question?” Carter answered. Everyone’s heads spun around to see the newcomer and two of the children started waving. The sergeant major waved back and walked toward the front.
“I can jump in with an answer, no pun intended,” the Sergeant Major said, “but I think you’ve done an outstanding job answering all these questions about the Army, Sergeant…?”
“May, Sergeant Major. Sergeant Carter May, Presidential Salute Battery, Old Guard,” Carter answered, standing just shy of at attention.
“Please relax, sergeant. Yes, I’ve got the stripes, wreath and star but here? I wear a different hat. I’m Cal and Cam’s dad here,” the Sergeant Major said before turning to the audience. “Hi all. I’m Command Sergeant Major Raphael Luna. I apologize for missing this event but I hope those I sent in my place, First Sergeant Retired Dan Glenn and Doctor Liam MacNamara, were able to fill in admirably. As for the answer to the question about going out of a plane? You know when you ride on a roller coaster and at the top your body moves down but it feels like you left your stomach behind? It’s kinda like that at first and then you float until your parachute jerks you up then you glide to the ground. When you get there, you better do a good PLF or you’ll be hurting. A PLF is a parachute landing fall and there are five steps – your feet, calf, thigh, butt and back.”
Siah moved into the area at the front, saving Carter from having to say anything else. “Sergeant Major, it’s nice that you were able to join us if just for a few minutes. Thank you to all the parents, uncles and special guests for attending today. I know the sixth grade teachers are very appreciative of your time and expertise to help our students start to think about the future. My class? Please stay where you are. Other classes please move toward the door in orderly lines for your teachers.”
Carter watched as the children moved to different lines except what
had to be Siah’s class. After the other classes departed, Siah turned to his class. “Okay, say your thank yous to your guests and then over in line to go back to the classroom.”
A set of twins ran up to the sergeant major as Top and Doc Mac walked over. Carter started to move toward the door before he stopped at hearing his name.
“May! Hold up,” Top was calling him over.
As he got closer, the sergeant major held out his hand to him. “Rafe Luna.”
“Carter May. Very nice to meet you, Sergeant Major.”
“Rafe, please.” Luna corrected as Top “coughed” and said “Mooney.” The sergeant major rolled his eyes at Top before continuing, “You did an outstanding job representing the Army today. Please let your first sergeant know and if he needs me to confirm, have him call me.”
“Thank you, Sergeant Major. I was a bit nervous after listening to all the others speak. I’m just a sergeant with not a lot. You should have been the one up there. Thank God the kids had questions to make it easy on me.”
“May, stop discounting yourself,” Top said. “You’ve come a long way since you joined. Don’t let whatever crap the ex put in your head grow. She is an ex now, right?”
“Ahhh, I get it now.” The twins at the sergeant major’s side, tapped his hands. “Okay, boys. Have you met my two? This is Cal and Cam.”
“Nice to meet you. Siah told me about your visit at Arlington,” Carter said. “It’s nice to hear kids are appreciating what soldiers are still doing today.”
“It wasn’t just,” the first twin said.
“us. The others were,” the other said.
“all about hearing,”
“about the heroes there.”
Oh wow, how to figure out which was which? How did Siah follow these conversations? And how did they finish each other’s sentences so easy? Carter looked around, he seemed to be the only one confused.
“Squeakers? Take pity on the boy. He’s not used to you two like the rest of us,” Top corrected the boys.
