he was a hansom lad,just 16 when he fell in love with mareen.she was his dream come true,long wavy brown hair and sparkling blue eye.they had everything in common,likes ,wants,dislikes even their dreams of the future matched.they became egaged on his 18 th birthday with plans to marry after spring break before she was to leave for college and he was to become marine.
the day they married and they exchanged their vows they went out and bought their first home that they would begin living in when he graduated boot camo and she got her first smester break.
their lives seamed to be perfect and with in a short time they were proud to announce they were t be proud parents.
the day she gave birth ,with him by her side,he recieved his orders ,he was goingto viet nam.the next few days were hurried as they prepared their home for the new arrival.she came home after giving birth and togather they took their daughter to her new home.they spent every second of the next few days togather they were a pitcheresque family.
on the day he reported for active duty,his lovely wife dressed in a yellow sun dress,and his new born daughter clothed in marin red and blue,waved goodbye to the proud,sharply dressed marine as he prodly boarded the plane.he watched them as the plane taxied down the runway,waving and crying and shouting i love you as the plane went bye.
just a few weeks later the new mother and proud wife recieved a letter,she sat feeding their daughter as tears rolled down her cheeks.her husband was missing in action and presumed dead.
years later as the mother watched her little 8 year old daughter as she performed in a school play,an old friend of her late husband and her came up to her side.after talking they decided to get togather the next day for coffee and to talk of the good ol days.she poored her heart out and the friend listened and comforted her.after 2 years they were wed.
he was a great father and husband to her and the family wasknown to everyone as the model family.they did everything togather and on the girls 16th birthday,they bought her a brasnd new car.
one day as the girl was at her job at macys she noticed a raggy looking man with only one arm ad half of his right legleaning against the wall watching her.he was in an old dress blue coat,that was tattored and dirty.he was unshaven and looked like he hadnt ate in a week.he stood there looking at her and smiled,then was gone.after several days of this the girl went and talked to him.soon they had become friends and at lunch time they would sit and talk,she felt sorry for him.he had been in the hospital and for several years had been in a comma due to a bomb exploding near him just after arriving in vietnam,thus he explained,was the reason for his present day condition.he explained how he had lost contact with his new wife and daughter and how every cent he got was turned into a trust fund for his daughter on her 18 birthday.
over the next two years they met and had lunch togather,she had told her parents of this man and her dad had came up and met him as a precaution even.
the day beore she was to turn 18 the store she worked at was robbed and she had been taken hostage.a guard and another clerk were killed.as the robber backed out of the store with his arm around her neck,a crashing blow fell across the robbers neck.the girl ran behing a small retaining wall just as several officers came charging through the doors.the robber reached for the gun just as another blow rendered him unconscience.the girl looked and their stoog her old friend,leaning against the wall,his crutch lay broken in his hand,they smiled at each other just as several shots rang out.he stood,smiled at her,then crumpled to the ground.the police mistaking the crutch as a gun had opened fire,killing him.commotion filled the mall as everonre gathered around the body.the man,with his dying breath,pressed into her hand,his usmc ring,then died.
the next day,her 18 th birthday,her mom was looking at the ring with her,she noted inside the ring the initials dgb.her mind went back 19 years ago when after graduation,her husband recieved just the exact ring,and how her husband and she had his initials added to his ring,dgb.
as tears gathered in her eyes and a sinking feeling came to her heart the door bell rang.the father opened the door and there stood a stranger in his dress blue uniform.he introduced himself and then said,'yesterday ,a marine died a hero,he was also a hero in the war.he saved my fathers life costing him his arm and leg.he made my father promise that on this day,he was to deliver this to mareen.at that he handed mareen the envelope then turned smartly and left.somehow ,she suddenly understood how a husband,a amarine,had sacrafised everything for his wife and daughter.she opened the letter and inside was a check.18 years of pay from the usmc.payable to the daughter of mstr sargent d----b-----greene.
