Valentine Marino was a young man on his way to a successful life in the eyes of society. Not coming from a family of wealth, but Valentine did not what it was like to go without food either. Growing up in a mid-sized farm community on the border of Pennsylvania and New York. He worked on the farm with his family and was enjoying his life.
"Pop, I've been hearing rumors of conflict coming down overseas and how we might be getting involved soon?" Valentine asked quite curiously.
"Son, I wouldn't worry yourself with such matters. We got plenty to take care of here, you know how this last hail storm nearly destroyed the whole county's crops. We got to salvage what we can and repair the section of fence that was destroyed from Jim's stampeding cattle, not to mention......" was his dad's response. The rest of what he spoke disappeared into the background as Valentine thought on doing his duty to protect what freedom that had in the States. That day him and Jimmy talked with the recruiter at the cafe came quickly rushing back to him.
It was just three months ago, a nice hot Sunday and the boys had a couple extra quarters so they thought that they would get some cokes to cool them down.
"Val, so Misty and I talked in the hall after Math class. She has been having trouble with her English homework and was looking for some help. By God, I am not that stinkin' great either, but if it ain't over my Granny's tombstone I won't give 'er a shot. You just see that way she walks in that purple dress of hers. Damn, if she ain't gonna be the end of me someday." Came Jimmy's nasally voice just after his first sip. He must have been thinking about this since Friday, came to Val's mind, Jimmy just ain't this jumpy with information.
"Yo Jimmy, sounds like she might be working you over. Getting you to jump through her hoops, take care with them girls, they can be real tricky and getting to do things you wouldn't normally do like skipping out on them cards Saturday nights to have tea with her friends."
Jimmy's retort came quickly and almost a little irritated, just the effect Val wanted, "That ain't gonna happen Val. No girl is going to control me like that."
"Yeah. what...." Val started to speak, but was quickly interrupted by a rough voice into their conversation.
"Hey you boys, you hear about what's been happening?"
"Nah, we haven't. What's it to you anyway old man?" Jimmy's irritation growing quickly to anger now. He never was one that was kind to eavesdroppers. This old man ended up sharing about the war happening overseas and how because of it food and metal was in high demand over there. He shared about the glory that came to those that proved themselves good citizens as soldiers and how the Army would help provide for family of good soldiers. Val was paying more attention than Jimmy. He recently proposed to Candace, his girlfriend, since they both were graduating high school soon and knew they wanted to be together forever.
"Scat old man, you ain't getting us to sign no papers so you can get enough money to buy yourself a nice new shiny Chevy. We ain't interested," Jimmy and his rough answers when he was ready to go off and get into another scruff.
"Hey man, it might be better for ya to leave now. I don't mean any offense, I just don't want to see my friend do something stupid and get himself hurt," came Val as the voice of peace and reason.
The recruiter's only response, "Here's my card boys. If you ever change your mind give me a call."
To Valentine this still seemed like yesterday. Since then he graduated, married Candace, and they were living with his mom and dad on the farm. That thought never left him though. At the end of this day, Val made an excuse to go into town and called the Recruiter. That was a year ago. These thoughts came back to him as he got another letter from Candace. The letter smelled of her perfume and it contained a picture of his now almost two year old daughter. These articles of life and home Valentine tucked into his helmet, never wanting them to leave his mind. This little piece of home is all the sanity he has left in the craziness of the field. The bullets and bombs never seem to cease to end. The blood and the smell of burnt and rotting flesh seem to be the cologne on his clothes and the sound of the screams of his friends dying haunt his dreams sometimes. It is getting easier and easier to just not learn the names of the new recruits, less attachment when they die too. Too bad too, they all seem like pretty good boys. Until then though, Candace and Meredith are on his mind and the main driving force for him to be the best.
"The sooner this shit is over, the sooner we can go home," is the most common phrase out of Valentine Marino's mouth in between puffs on his cigarette.
I write this little short story to hopefully show a point. We all have a home, this home is were we belong, the place our life is made complete. For those that feel the longing for this home, when we get scents and pieces of the home, stories of what's happening there, what's going on with the family, that becomes our treasure. At that point the bullets, bombs, guts, blood, alcohol, and cigarette smoke fade into the background of: Home. There is peace in that.
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