02 June 1988 – Belchertown Road, Enfield, Massachusetts

Jeff felt his tires thump across the seam on the pavement when he crossed into his hometown. He’d been gone almost a year, and this was his first visit back to where he grew up. He smiled as he saw a familiar building come into view. Jeff pulled his truck into its parking lot and under the trees along the lot’s edge. He was careful to stay out of sight of the building’s service bays.

The items on the wall behind the counter had changed while he’d been away. His official photos from Basic Training, AIT, and Airborne School hung under a classroom-sized American flag which jutted out from the wall. Familiar faces looked up as he entered. Jeff quickly put his finger to his lips. The men smiled and one hooked a thumb towards the work area. Jeff shook hands with the mechanics before heading into the garage. He walked to a car he heard someone working on. The person he was looking for was bent over into the engine bay, doing the work. Jeff knocked on the fender of the car.

“Can I help you?” the man’s familiar voice asked in a distracted tone.

“Yeah, Dad, can you check my truck? Seven hundred miles is a long drive.”

His father’s head hit the hood of the car with a loud <THUMP>. A clang rang through the garage as the wrench he once held hit the concrete floor. His father stepped into view holding his head and a look of wonder crossed his face as he approached Jeff. He gathered his son into a crushing hug.

“Welcome home, Jeff,” Joe said, the emotion clear in his voice.

“Glad to be home, Dad. Good to see you again, too.”

“I thought I was picking you up in Springfield tomorrow?”

“I’d rather drive those seven hundred miles between here and Bragg a dozen times than spend all day on a bus, Dad. Plus, I can pick my music in my vehicle.”

“Gotta have the music. Have you been by the house yet?”

“No, I came here first.”

“Well, show me this ‘truck’ before you go surprise your mother and sister.”

Jeff led his father out to the parking lot. There the older Knox walked slowly around the vehicle. Jeff held the keys out to his father so he could start the truck.

“Sounds fine.”

“Better’n it did when I bought it.” Joe raised an eyebrow at his son. “Had to replace the head gasket.”

The other brow rose. “You did a great job. I can’t even tell.”

“Someone did a pretty good job of teaching me how to fix one.”

Joe threw an arm around his son’s neck, ruffling his hair as he led him back to the garage. “Put your stuff in your sister’s car and head back to the house.”

“What’d she do to my car?” Jeff cried.

“If you want to get technical it’s my car, Airborne. I told you it was her turn with it before you left, remember? I did a tune-up and an oil change on it this morning, that’s all.”

Jeff walked away to collect his things, shaking his head, but his father was correct. He’d never admit that out loud, though. He put what little he brought home into his former car before driving it around to the front of the shop. He talked to the men working for his dad and learned that Jerry’s son would start working at the garage soon.

Jeff parked in the driveway in front of his house. He walked to the back corner and peeked around it. His mom and Kara sat on the back deck enjoying the late afternoon sun. Jeff backed up, and then casually walked around the corner, whistling and twirling the car’s keys around a finger.

“JEFF!” Kara cried as she scrambled off the deck to hug her big brother.

“Hi, sis.”

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean? Did they cancel graduation or something?”

She swatted his arm. One day he’d have to address these violent tendencies the women in his life displayed. His mother’s smile split her face while tears welled up in her eyes. This was the first time he’d come home since last July. Marisa began to cry as she held her son in her arms. She once feared he’d never come home again.

“Hey,” Jeff said in a gentle voice. He pulled back from his mother and looked her in the eye. “It’s over. However you want to describe the first half of ‘87, it’s over. This has always been my home. You’ve always been my mother. Neither of those changed while we went through that, okay?” Marisa nodded and hugged him again.

“How’d you get here?” Kara asked. “I thought Dad was picking you up in Springfield tomorrow?”

“I drove. I left Bragg in my truck about six this morning, stopped to see Dad at the garage, and then drove here in your car.”

“My car? You drove my car?”

“That’s the one, yes.” Her eyes narrowed. “Well, Dad’s checking my truck after the seven-hundred-mile drive I just took.”

“Wait, what ‘truck?’”

“The one I bought in March. Dad’s bringing it back tonight after work.”

“What did ya get?”

“A black ‘83 Chevy K10 four-by-four.”

“Sweet!”

“Jeff, do you want anything special for dinner on your first night home?” Marisa asked.

“Food? Seriously, Mom, I don’t want you to change what you were going to have for dinner at four in the afternoon. Whatever you guys are going to have is fine.”

“We were just going to have pizza.”

“Benny’s?” The women nodded. “Perfect! I’ll take a small sausage and black olive pizza.”

“That’s it?” Kara asked, a smile on her face.

“You’re right, I should get a large. I work out a lot.”

“More than you used to?”

Kara laughed as her big brother chased her around the backyard.

Marisa smiled at a familiar sight. Jeff studied at the dining room table before dinner later that evening. His books were arrayed in an arc in front of him.

“What are you working on, Jeff?”

“I’m finishing up my history class on America from the Revolution to the Civil War. This is the last of the work I need to finish for sophomore year.”

“You were still able to complete the year, then?”

“Yeah. Now that I understand how the school’s system works along with our duty cycles, I think I can be a quarter of the way into my senior year by this time next year.”

Marisa tried to ruffle Jeff’s hair as she did during his high school years, but the short, Airborne-approved cut he sported now hardly moved.

“Mom! The ladies!”

“Dad will be home with the pizza in ten minutes, Romeo.”

“Thanks for driving me in early,” Kara said.

Smiling at her, Jeff replied, “Of course. Plus it gives Mom and Dad more time to get ready.”

“Are you wearing your uniform today?”

“Yep,” he replied, hooking a thumb at the garment bag behind him.

“I’m proud you’re in the Army. I don’t understand the desire to serve per se, but I want a picture of you I can put right out in the open in my room at college next year.”

“Well, we’d better make sure that someone gets a good picture of the two of us today, then,” he stated, smiling at his little sister.

Jeff pulled into the school parking lot. Given that the ceremony wasn’t to start until noon, he found a spot without a problem.

“What are you going to do until noon?” she asked.

“The same thing I told Mom and Dad. I’m gonna see if I can use the weight room like I used to, and then shave, shower, and get dressed before noon. If I can’t, I’ve got some school work I can do. Come on, you’ve gotta get in there for the practice session.”

Jeff escorted his younger sister into the school. Her class would practice for the ceremony over the next two hours then they would line up for graduation. Jeff peeled off towards the gym while Kara continued towards the auditorium where graduation would take place. He found the weight room where he left it last year.

He also found his copy of the key for it still on his keychain. Coach Kessler gave him the key his freshman year. The noise from his workout attracted the coach, who greeted Jeff warmly. Jeff assured him that he’d return the key when he was done. Coach Kessler waved it off.

“Keep the key, Jeff, in case you want to work out here during another visit home,” he told his former captain. “What are you going to do? Steal the weights?”

Jeff headed down to the locker room at the end of his workout. He prepared his uniform and checked the shine on his boots before he shaved and showered. He was ready well before noon. He checked himself in the mirror. His Class-A uniform was in order.

The school asked graduation guests to use the auditorium’s outside entrances. Jeff stepped through the outside door from the locker room and found himself right in the middle of the Class of 1988 while they lined up outside. Everyone recognized him. Chris Micklicz came over to shake his hand.

“Look at you,” Chris said while they shook hands. “Every girl’s crazy about a sharp-dressed man! And one in uniform! Hey, you’re a PFC already?” Chris was knowledgeable about its structure even though he wasn’t going to join the military.

“I did well in Basic Training, and the training that came after,” Jeff shrugged. “They gave me an early promotion then, and my lieutenant told me about this one just before I came up here. I was able to get the stripes sewn on before I came home.”

“You know Pauline’s upset that you haven’t written to her since before Christmas, right?”

“Your sister and I parted as friends,” he reminded Chris. “I’ll never forget the time I spent with her, but I’ve also accepted that I’m not going to be her one and only, either. I knew that when she got to Amherst she’d find someone. Plus, I didn’t want to cause her any trouble once I found out about her new beau. Is he a good guy?”

“He is,” Chris admitted. “He treats her very well like you did. As well-matched as you and Pauline were, they seem to be even more so. I wouldn’t be surprised if Frank is her one and only.”

“I’m happy for Pauline, as long as she’s happy. I’m happy that you guys are happy, too. I’m also quite pleased that you guys won another state championship in hockey this year.”

“Nothing like book-ending your high school hockey career with state championships, that’s for sure. I hope I can be part of a national championship while I’m at Michigan State.”

Jeff shook hands with Chris again before letting him get back in line. The ceremony was about to start and Jeff had to find a place to sit – or maybe stand – given how many people showed up for the ceremony. He got a wink from Charlie Flaherty when he passed her. He waved to the faculty members he remembered. He entered the hall and saw his parents had saved him a seat.

The ceremony was standard fare and was over in due time. He filed out of the hall along with his parents to find his sister. The school offered a lunch for the graduates and their families in the cafeteria. Jeff felt a hand on his shoulder while waiting to be seated. He turned.

Pauline Micklicz stood behind him. With her stood Chris, their parents, and another young man he guessed was Frank. Pauline gathered the young private in a firm hug and kissed him on the cheek.

“You look as beautiful as ever, Pauline,” he told her when they released each other. She blushed at the compliment.

“I’m mad at you, you know?” she replied, trying to glare at him.

“You didn’t need to be getting letters from me while you were starting a new relationship,” Jeff answered.

“Is there anything wrong with two friends keeping in touch?”

“No, but I didn’t want to cause you any trouble, either.”

“She can cause her own trouble, as I’m sure you know,” the other young man said. Pauline took exception to his remark. She squawked in outrage while she swatted at the other man’s arm. The young man introduced himself as Frank McGahn.

“It’s good to finally meet you,” Frank said. “Pauline’s mentioned you more than a few times over the past six months.”

“I hope that hasn’t caused any problems for you two?”

“You’re kidding, right? Being compared in a positive and complimentary way to someone who treated her like gold? Being told that I treat her as well now as you did in high school? I was really shy in high school and didn’t have much experience talking to, let alone being with, girls. It let me know my instincts were good. Don’t worry about it.”

Jeff nodded to the young man before he turned and greeted Pauline’s parents. He re-introduced the group to his parents and sister. They were seated at their table soon after that. Lunch was standard event fare, much like the ceremony itself was. Jeff rose with his family when it was time to leave.

“Excuse me? Trooper?” came an unfamiliar voice.

Jeff turned to find an older gentleman with an 82nd Airborne pin on his lapel standing behind him. He had noticed the gentleman with of one of the other families earlier.

“Yes, Sir?” Jeff replied, coming to attention just in case.

“I’m Ben Donaldson, David Donaldson’s grandfather,” the man introduced himself. Glancing at Jeff’s unit crest, Mr. Donaldson asked, “You’re in the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, then?”

“That’s correct, Sir. Alpha Company, First Battalion. I enlisted last year, after I graduated here at Thompkins, and hit the regiment before Thanksgiving. You, Sir? I see you’re wearing the division’s pin.”

“325th Glider Infantry, son. I was a platoon leader in Dog Company, Second Battalion during the Normandy landings, and ended up at Battalion HQ by the end of the war.”

Jeff snapped a salute to the man upon hearing that he’d been an officer.

“Sir!”

Ben Donaldson tossed him a return salute. “At ease, trooper, at ease. I’ve long since mustered out. I saw the patch and wanted to meet you. It looks like the division will be in good hands with your generation. I’ll let you get back to your family, now.”

Mr. Donaldson held out his hand. Jeff took it, of course, and saluted again. The older gentleman returned it and nodded to Jeff before walking away towards his own family.

The respect Jeff showed the older gentleman, and vice versa struck Marisa Knox. That level of respect made her realize how little respect she showed her son over his decision to enlist. He was in better shape than he’d ever been. She was impressed by the classes he was taking, and that he was a year ahead of his peers. Like her daughter, she didn’t quite understand his drive to serve his country, and he hadn’t taken the path she expected, but she was proud of him.

Jeff pulled into a familiar driveway the following afternoon. He retrieved the flowers from the passenger’s seat, walked up the path to the Newburys’ front door, and knocked. He backed up, licking his lips nervously, and let the front screen door close; he didn’t want to be right on top of the person who answered. That person turned out to be Allison’s mother, Dorothy.

“Well, this is a pleasant surprise!” she exclaimed with a wide smile. She opened the screen and gave him a big hug. “Are those for me?” she smiled, touching the flowers. “I think that might make Don jealous.”

“Hello, Mrs. Newbury. How have you been? They’re for your daughter if she’ll accept them. And I don’t think I could take Mr. Newbury in a fair fight.”

“You fight fair?” she laughed. “Well, don’t stand there all day, come on in! I’m sure Allison will love the flowers.”

Jeff wiped his feet and entered the house, feeling transported back in time. He noted new paint colors in the living and dining rooms in the year since he’d been in the house.

“Come on back to the kitchen, Jeff. Don, Allison, and I were just having some coffee. Would you like a cup?”

“I’m in the infantry, Ma’am. Coffee’s the fifth food group! I’d love a cup, thank you.”

Mrs. Newbury laughed while they passed through the door to the kitchen. Allison and Mr. Newbury both looked up at the sound of her laughter. Allison let out a happy squeal and scrambled out of the breakfast nook. She bounded across the kitchen to hug Jeff. Somehow she was even more beautiful now than she’d been in high school. She surprised Jeff with a long kiss to go along with the hug.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him, smiling while she molded herself to him.

“I came home for Kara’s graduation yesterday,” he explained as they made their way back to the table by the windows. “I swung by your house during my nostalgia tour and saw your car.” He shook Mr. Newbury’s hand before sitting down next to his former girlfriend.

“We went to lunch in Amherst after church, then walked around the town a little,” Mrs. Newbury explained, placing a mug of black coffee in front of Jeff and pushing the cream and sugar towards him. “We just got back.” She sat down next to her husband.

Jeff nodded. “I’m lucky then. Anyway, I went by The Fresh Cut in Prescott, picked up this bouquet for Allison, and came back. I hope I haven’t disrupted any plans by showing up unannounced?”

“Not at all, Jeff,” Mrs. Newbury assured him. “We were trying to figure out what to have for dinner.”

“Can you stay?” Allison immediately asked.

“If your folks won’t mind the intrusion at Sunday dinner?” Jeff asked, looking at the Newburys.

“Jeff, there are many words to describe you, but one of them is not ‘intrusion,’” Mr. Newbury said. “You welcomed my little girl into your circle of friends when I transferred to Westover and helped her feel at home in this community right away. You treated her with respect even before you started dating, and then like a queen once you did.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Jeff said, nodding at the older gentleman. Turning back to the man’s daughter, Jeff added, “Allison, I also want to say I’m sorry for not keeping in touch better. My life’s gotten somewhat hectic. Between the division’s duty schedule and my school work, I never seem to have much time.”

“School work?”

“Correspondence college. I’m finishing up my sophomore year in history.”

“You’re already a sophomore? Almost a junior?”

“Yes. All those AP courses we took are proving very helpful.”

If there is anything better than a beautiful young woman in a bikini, it’s one who is your date. Allison and Jeff visited Thompson’s Pond Beach in New Salem the next afternoon. She lay on her towel, soaking up the sun. Jeff sat on his towel next to her with a textbook in his hands.

’What the hell am I doing?’ he asked himself. He put the book down and stretched out.

“I wondered when you’d finally put that thing down,” Allison muttered.

“Hey, I’m trying to keep up with you.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Of course, I’m here with you, so that should count for something.”

“Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.”

“You’re a nut, all right.” He reached over and held her hand. “You’re my nut, though, Brainiac.”

Allison pressed herself to his side. She kissed him and the world faded away. His hands roamed over her back while they kissed. One hand drifted further south and squeezed her firm butt. She liked that.

“It’s too bad this is a public beach, mister,” she said, gazing into his eyes.

“I’m game if you are.” She blushed as red as the bikini she wore. “Well, maybe we’ll wait on that.” There were only one or two other couples on the beach since public schools were still in session. He kissed her nose. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“I know you didn’t, Jeff,” she said, putting her head down on his chest. “I tried to zing you and you zinged me back. Are you seeing anyone in North Carolina? Anyone you’re interested in?”

“No, Allison. The unit I’m in is exclusively male. Most women on the base are also in the military, so one of us would be headed somewhere at some point. I’m pretty busy most of the time so I don’t go to the bars off-post much, or anywhere else for that matter. Plus, whoever’s next for me has to measure up to you and Pauline. That’s a pretty tall order. What about you? Any prospects for you in and around Cambridge?”

She snorted. “The guys there are either so shy and nerdy that they swallow their tongues when I walk into a room, or they could give lessons in dick-headedness to Bryan Cosgrove.”

“Allison, in all fairness to the nerds, you’re an absolute knockout. I almost swallowed my tongue when I saw you in your bikini today.”

Allison kissed him again. “You said you’re leaving Friday?”

“Yeah, my pass expires Saturday morning.”

“How’s it going there?”

“It’s a bit of everything,” Jeff shrugged. “It’s easy and hard, intense and boring, challenging and stupid. I love it.”

“You love it? All of that and you love it?”

“It keeps me focused. I have to watch what I’m doing when I’m bored. I have to keep things straight when I’m up to my eyeballs in stuff. I have to stay in top physical shape. There’s a purpose that drives you in that unit.”

“Purpose?”

“‘Within eighteen hours of notification, the 82nd Airborne Division strategically deploys, conducts forcible entry parachute assault, and secures key objectives for follow-on military operations in support of US national interests.’ Add that together with school and learning Japanese from my roommate and my plate’s full.”

“What was that first part?”

“The 82nd Airborne Division’s Mission Concept as stated in Division Pamphlet 600-2, which is one hundred pages long.”

“That’s a book, not a ‘pamphlet.’”

“I’ll let you point that out to the General.”

Jeff spent the second half of his week home in Allison’s company. The physical side of their renewed relationship didn’t progress past second base, but that was fine with both of them. Allison received a much warmer reception from Marisa when she visited Jeff’s house for lunch on Tuesday. His mother pulled Allison aside to apologize for how she treated the younger woman the previous year. Thursday night’s goodbye between the young couple was much less emotional than the one last July.

“Thanks for stopping by Sunday. It’s been wonderful being with you again.”

“Of course, Allison. I enjoyed seeing you again, too.”

He leaned down to kiss her as they stood in her driveway. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He’d remember that kiss for some time.

“You’d better stay in touch this year, Private! Call me?”

“As you wish.”

She smiled. “I love you too, you big softie. Be safe driving back tomorrow. Have fun storming castles.”

Jeff began the long drive back to Fayetteville after sunrise the next morning. He pulled into the barracks parking lot eleven hours later, having made excellent time. He gathered his things and entered his room moments later. Ken informed him of a big heist at the company’s supply depot over the week he’d been home.

“What did the thieves get?”

“Nothing sensitive, thankfully,” Ken answered. Sensitive items were equipment such as radios, codebooks, and weapons. “Mostly LBE and related stuff.”

Jeff swung right back into the routine over the weekend. His brigade transitioned to Training Cycle on Sunday morning. He and Ken stepped out of their barracks room Monday morning laughing as they headed to breakfast following PT. They looked up after they locked their door and the laughter stopped. Five MPs surrounded them. Ken and Jeff snapped to parade rest upon seeing a staff sergeant commanded the contingent.

“Private First Class Jeffrey Knox?”

“Yes, Staff Sergeant?”

“Private Knox, you’re under arrest.”