Hope (Washington state)
Barry had three days of leave at disposal to solve some family economic issues regarding the purchase of a new house for his family.
“Mum... It's really beautiful” Barry said while looking at the new house by the lake.
“Such a beautiful view, isn't it?” she said.
“Yes, it is”
“We are going to rent the upper room to tourists. We are going to get it all right, you know? You don't have to stay in the army for ever. Come here, my boy”
To embrace his mother, Barry had to practically crouch. He let her kiss him on one cheek, then he tried to wriggle free, but she wanted to hold her boy tight.
“You got so thin”.
“Mum!” he said.
“I am telling you you got skinnier. You also enlarged your shoulders, but you got thinner. You are scaring me, boy. What are they doing to you?””
“We work out a lot, mum”
“Are you all right? Do they treat you well?”
“Yes they do, ma”
“Don't fool me around, kid””
“Mummy!”
“Since your father left, you know how things have been here. If it wasn't for you and your job...”
“But you do have my job, mum. And they pay me very well. How's my nephews?”
“Very well. In the end, your uncle settled down for real. And I do hope one day you will do it too. You have no intention of going to Vietnam again, do you?”
Barry did not reply.
“I knew it”
She moved away from him and went inside the house. Barry followed her.
“I am good at my job, and we need the money”
“You could work with your uncle”
“It's not just a matter of money... I like it. I like my work”
“Don't talk nonsense. My son doesn't like killing people. My son doesn't like war”
“No, of course not. It's complicated”
She turned to him.
“I know that, son”
“I am going out to smoke”
Barry left the front porch and went to sit on the bench.
He lit a cigarette with his Zippo lighter while looking at the lake.
The humid air was blowing against his hair.
The mountains over the lake had a light fall of snow, but that day was a sunny one, and the silence and air against his hair made him feel good.
Smoking looking at the lake on such a sunny, silent day was really cool.
He really needed that leave.
And then okay, sooner or later he had to tell his mother that he was going to be sent to 'Nam again... But there was no rush. He had some more time at disposal to do that. He could wait for his next leave to do that, so that she could suffer less months.
In the small plain in front of the lake there were three houses.
Barry opened his eyes wide.
Cindy – he thought.
Blow me... It's Cindy for real.
Barry paused for a while in order to look at the charming black girl. She was a beauty for real. Her face was round, her eyes luminous, and she looked as thin as a lathe, as if she had never grown up since the days they were at the same school.
But for Barry, on the contrary, it was like a whole eternity had passed by since then.
And in the middle of that eternity, there had been Vietnam and the selection program. Above all, Vietnam.
Yet she looked just like the same girl she was before, and maybe, talking with her, he could feel like he was back then again.
“Cindy” he shouted.
The girl turned her head but stayed puzzled for a long while.
Then she recognized him, and smiled.
To Barry, this was the most beautiful smile of his whole life.
He thought that she had no intention of talking to him.
He thought that she was going to just wave, and then she would go back to her home, wherever it was.
But then she turned round and started coming forward to greet him.
As she was coming close to him, Barry felt his heart start beating.
She sat on the bench beside him, and they chatted.
The wind was blowing on the hair of both of them, the lake's water was shining and the mountain tops were lightly white.
And something inside Barry's mind changed for ever.
She was smiling, delighted to see her old school-mate after such a long time.
They now weren't kids any more, but young, and yet it was like their school days had never been over.
And that's how Barry fell in love with Cindy.