General Non-Fiction posted March 4, 2023

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This is a true story.

None Of Us Knew

by Regina Elliott

None of us knew that on February 11,

2020, we would be losing you. We had

already lost one of your best friends,

Jerry, exactly one month before. You

sang, "How Great Thou Art," in your

rich baritone voice at Jerry's funeral.

We said our goodbyes to him that

windy January day. You were so broken

up over his passing.

Only a few weeks later, I usually

didn't make you pancakes unless it

was the weekend, but a feeling

compelled me make you buttermilk

pancakes with a tablespoon of

peanut butter on top covered with

strawberry syrup. I wanted to give

you comfort food that morning.

Years before, in 1980, we met

in the day room in the Navy

barracks at Ft. Myer in Washington,

DC. The stately Arlington National

Military Cemetery was right next

to the base. On some clear nights

when the moon was full, the vast

white marble headstone rows of

our reposed brethren would

glow in the moonlight and

midnight-blue eve.

We got along so well. You would

do your spontaneous John Belushi

imitations with one raised eyebrow.

Humor came to you so naturally.

We were both Luciano Pavarotti

fans, and had similar taste in

other music such as the Carpenters,

Beatles, America, Foreigner, Toto,

Queen. We would watch the manic

and zany Robin Williams concerts.

And our first date was seeing the

Star Wars movie, "The Empire

Strikes Back."

You did so well in the Navy.

You earned the Navy Achievement

Medal, marksmanship medals,

and Sailor of the Month nods.

I was so happy for you. I was

struggling in my Yeoman rating

due to my frustrating learning

disabilities. A year later I was

proud to be wearing my maternity

uniform, and opted to be

separated from the Navy 3

months before our precious

daughter was born at Bethesda

Naval Hospital on a cold late

November morning.

You remained in the Navy,

and we went through deployment

separations. We learned to live

on a modest budget for our

remaining years of marriage.

You became a civilian in 1988.

Through no fault of our own,

even while in uniform, neither

side of our extended families

ever extended invitations to

Thanksgivings or Christmases.

We went through some

turmoil and lean times, but

our marriage lasted for 39

years, until that February day.

You collapsed on our deck that

we built ourselves 8 years before.

You were only a month away

from your 60th birthday. You

never got to collect even your

first Social Security check.

It's been three years, none of

us got to say goodbye. You were

there, then you became a bright

soul for the ages. You just

stepped out into the chilled

February rain. It was like the

air had been suddenly sucked

out of our lungs. The shock,

the great loss.

Our two wondrous young

grandchildren miss their,

"Paw-Paw," so much. You were

so elated to be their grandfather.

You hugged them often, and

loved to play games with them.

Your white marble headstone

in the Veterans Cemetery is

engraved with your name,

rank, service branch, and your

proudest title of, "Forever Paw-Paw."

You and I were at the hospital

for the days of their births. You

stayed on cloud 9. You'd say to

me often, "Do you know how

much I adore our daughter,

son-in-law, and our grandbabies?"

I sure do know, you love them

beyond the stars and moon,

your love for them sails on

comets through the galaxies. ~

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Gone Away contest entry

We feel your spirit is with us,
dear one. In loving memory
of our sailor,
U.S. Navy veteran, proud father
and, "Paw-Paw."

Pays one point and 2 member cents.

Artwork by nikman at FanArtReview.com

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This is a true story.

None Of Us Knew

by Regina Elliott

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