Blogging Friends.... It was Memorial Day 2015. Suddenly, I found
myself--a writer, an artist who paints pictures with words--really feeling
things. {Our brave military men and women's ultimate sacrifice. My love for
America. Freedom.} I had a specific fictional story within my heart and soul
that has already been speaking to me for several months. And, as I was feeling
things on Memorial Day, I began writing this book. "Freedom Isn't
Free" was loosely based on a certain fallen military serviceman. {My
cousin's first boyfriend. Who we did not get to meet in person. Sadly.} I will
never forget the complex thoughts, feelings and emotions that strummed me like an
electric guitar after my cousin's boyfriend died. For America. To protect and
keep alive our freedoms. For me. Wow. I will never forget how his death
redefined me as a patriot. I was young. However. My cousin was even younger
than I. I still have a private, handwritten, journal entry in which I expressed
raw confused thoughts/feelings/emotions from twenty-year old me related
to his death and the price of freedom. My cousin is now married {With two going
on three!!} beautiful children!! This is a fictional story. Love you later.
"Freedom Isn't Free"
Life. There are times when it feels as though everything is going
even better than you could have possibly planned, hoped or dreamed. Young
eighteen-year old Johonna was attending college--miles and miles and miles away
from home--in beautiful, rainy, green Oregon. Like any student? Johonna studied
hard, attended classes, and tried to figure out where her place was in this big,
big, big world. Like any student?
Johonna possessed dreams and ambitions. Like any student? Johonna met a
handsome twenty-year old brown-eyed brunette-haired guy--named Timothy--and swiftly
fell in love. They attended classes together. In between making out with each
other? Johonna and Timothy did homework together--every single night--at his apartment.
But they also found the time to partake in some fun actives!! Like walk through
Oregon Zoo--hand in hand--and be entertained by caged wild animals. Or hike
around Timberline Lodge to witness an amazingly beautiful close-up view of a snow-covered
Mt. Hood. Like shop at Powell's Books and score themselves some literary treasures.
Or walk Cannon Beach--hand in hand--where Johonna and Timothy can literally deploy
each one of their five senses. Like see
the Pacific Ocean's waves as they repeatedly roll in and out, in and out, in
and out. Hear multiple seagulls' high-pitched
cries. Touch gritty wet sand between
their barefoot toes. Smell countless fishy
scents. Or taste sweet saltwater
taffy.
Yes, Johonna and Timothy were
definitely in love!! Those with a keen sense of observation would even say head-over-heels!!
Aside from attending college courses, Timothy also dutifully served in the
United States Army. He was a helicopter pilot. Which, of course, Johonna very
well knew about!! In fact, she found Timothy's short buzzed military hairdo and
respectful mannerisms quite attractive!! Plus Johonna thought he looked very handsome
while wearing his Army uniform!! But then--just like that--Timothy was called
to serve in Iraq. He had already been deployed overseas before. Timothy was
once called to serve in Afghanistan. He had left home for several months on end. But
this was the very first time that Timothy would be leaving behind a lover. For
six months to one year or even longer.
"Oh, Timmy...." said Johonna right before his deployment,
"Iraq....?! That is so far away from the Pacific Northwest!! Or
home...."
"Yes, ma'am," said Timothy, "It is."
"Oh Timmy...." said Johonna, "I know that Iraq is an
entire country away. And in a completely different time zone. But.... It will
feel as though you are on Saturn in outer space or something!!"
"An entire planet away?!" said Timothy.
"Yes!!" said Johonna.
"You know what, darlin'?" said Timothy, "That is a
really accurate comparison!! Yes, I'll be an entire country away. But it will--I
wholeheartedly agree!!--feel like we're a planet apart from each other!!"
Later, as Timothy was about to be deployed, the two young lovers
said their goodbyes.
"Here are my addresses...." said Johonna, as she blinked
back wet hot tears, "This one is from the dorm.... Alright....? And this
address is from home.... You know, for when I am visiting family....? Promise
me you'll write during your spare time....?"
"Yes, ma'am, I will!!" said Timothy, "I promise!! And
you'll write me, too? Receiving your hand-written letters will be the highlight
of my day, darlin'!! You know that, right?"
"Of course I do, Timmy...." said Johonna, "And I will
write you every single day...."
She wiped a stubborn, wet, hot, tear away from her left eye.
"What about your address, Timmy....?" Johonna said, "I am
going to need it, too...."
Timothy laughed.
"Oh, yeah!!" he said, "In all the emotion of my
deployment to Iraq, I almost forgot!! Silly, crazy, stupid me!! Well, here is
my address!!"
Suddenly, it was time for Timothy to leave.
"I...." he said, while blinking back wet hot tears, yet
trying so hard to be a brave military serviceman, "I.... I need to go--duty
calls--I love you, darlin'.... I truly do.... I know I'm leaving.... Oh, it
feels like I am abandoning you...."
Johonna smiled weakly.
"I know you love me.... Without a doubt in my mind...." she
said, "I will think about you every single day...."
Then Timothy and Johonna's lips locked in a long, passionate,
emotional kiss. This was officially it. Goodbye. Suddenly, uncontrollable, wet, hot, tears streamed down Johonna's cheeks like a Portland, Oregon rainfall.
"I love you, darlin'!!" Timothy called out after walking
away to join his unit, "I love you!!
I love you!! I love you!!"
Johonna could practically feel her heart breaking at their departure.
"I love you, too!!" she called out.
I have
homework, thought Johonna that afternoon after she returned back to her
dormitory room, Boo!! I am not in the
mood to do homework right now. It can wait!! I need to write Timmy....
So Johonna pulled out some nice stationery paper and red gel pens from a desk. Then she wrote her very first letter....
Dear Timmy,
As I write
this, you have only been gone for a few long hours. Your unit no doubt
has not even landed in Iraq yet!! But I already miss you.... So badly!! As
usual, I have homework to do for tomorrow's college classes. But you and I always
studied together!! I miss my lover, best friend and homework
buddy!! I want so badly to kiss you right now!! It always helps considerably
with the homework process!! ;o}
I hope this
letter finds you as well as can be expected in a war-torn
country. I guess I should go and do my homework. I have run
out of things to write about, anyway. ;o)
Love, Johonna
She slipped Timothy's letter into an envelope, wrote his address, sealed
and stamped it. Johonna then reluctantly did homework. All alone. As she walked
toward her classes the next morning, Johonna dropped Timothy's letter into a
tall blue mailbox.
"There," she whispered to herself, "It is
gone...."
In Iraq, Timothy received Johonna's letter. A huge smile spread
across his face.
"Yes!!" Timothy said to himself, "It is my first
letter from Jo-Jo!! Man, she's fast!! I have not even been in Iraq for very
long yet!!"
As soon as Timothy was allowed some downtime from his duties of
flying helicopters, bombing enemy villages and fighting the war, he replied her
letter....
Dear Jo-Jo,
How is Life
on planet Earth? ;D
So you are keeping
busy with college classes, huh? How has work been? I miss your cheeseburgers that
you make me at Red Robin!! They're fat, juicy and well-done just as I like
them!! As a matter of fact.... I am craving one right now as these words are
being written!! I also miss your French fries that you make me. They are thick
cut, greasy and salty just as I like them!! Can you hear my stomach growling?!
The food that our unit eats over here is not nearly as delicious as your
cheeseburgers and French fries.... ;D
Are you making
any new friends? Whether at school or at work? You are such a nice person, darlin',
that anyone would want to your friend!! ;)
Life on
planet Saturn is not so great. Being sent to a war-ravaged country.... It's the
hardest part about serving as an Army helicopter pilot. Ask anybody who has ever been deployed overseas. They would agree. We see, experience and do things that
are beyond words indescribable. War is truly hell. :(
Well, I
should close this and try to catch some much-needed sleep. ;)
I miss my
beautiful Earthling real bad. :(
Love,
Timothy
He slipped Johonna's letter into an envelope, wrote her address, sealed,
stamped and mailed it. Then Timothy fell fast asleep. For he was both
physically and emotionally exhausted.
In Oregon, Johonna received Timothy's letter. A huge smile spread
across her face.
"It is from Timmy!!" she exclaimed before ripping open the
envelope and reading his letter.
Are you
making any new friends? Whether at school or at work? You are such a nice person,
darlin', that anyone would want to your friend!!
Those sweet, encouraging, handwritten words from Timothy ran around
and around and around in Johonna's heart.
He is
right, she thought, I do need to make
new friends!! I mean.... Before being deployed to Iraq, Timmy was the only
person I knew or spent any time with around here. But now I am all alone....
During lunch break at Red Robin, Johonna walked up to a co-worker--named
Trenton--and boldly sat across the table from
him.
"Hi!!" she said, "Can I
sit across from you? My name is Johonna!!"
Trenton looked up from his meal of fried, crispy, breaded chicken
strips and fat onion rings.
"Sure!!" he said, "I am Trenton!!"
"Sure!!" he said, "I am Trenton!!"
As Johonna ate her fat, juicy, well-done cheeseburger and thick cut,
greasy, salty French fries, she told Trenton all about Timothy.
He smiled.
"I have a cousin--her name is Katharina--who serves in the
Marine Corps," he said, "She has been deployed overseas multiple
times now.... To Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, Iraq.... So in a way, I
understand."
"How is Katharina doing?" asked Johonna.
"She's alright," said Trenton, "Katharina is happily married
to her husband, Mason. They have five small kids. Three-year old quintuplets,
actually!! Katharina is currently serving in Iraq."
"Three-year old quintuplets?!" said Johonna, "Wow....
I imagine that they miss their Mama real bad!!"
"Yeah...." said Trenton, "They do. But I help watch
my nieces and nephews whenever I'm available while their Daddy is at work."
"Whoa!!" exclaimed Johonna, "That sounds like a lot
of work!!"
"Oh, it is," said Trenton, "But they are good kids!!"
"I would like to be a Mama someday," said Johonna, "I
love children!!"
"Hey, I am watching my nieces and nephews on Saturday,"
said Trenton, "How about the seven of us drive up to Multnomah Falls?"
"That sounds like fun!!" said Johonna, "I have never
been to Multnomah Falls before!!"
"Really?!" said Trenton, a shocked tone in his voice,
"You have never been to Multnomah Falls?!"
"Hey, give me a break!!" smiled Johonna, "I am not
from Oregon!! I'm just here to attend college!!"
"Oh," said Trenton, "Sorry!! I was born and raised in Oregon!!"
That conversation took place on Friday. So the next morning, Trenton--with his nieces
and nephews, of course--picked up Johonna from her dormitory room to drive
toward Multnomah Falls!!
"Hey there!!" said Trenton, "These are my nieces and
nephews."
Trenton pointed to each child as he introduced their names.
"This is Annie. Adam. Angel. Andrew. And that is Abby. Say
hello, kids!!"
"Hi," they all said in unison.
"Hey Annie, Adam, Angel, Andrew and Abby," said Johonna.
She enjoyed herself to immense capacities at Multnomah Falls!! Johonna even voluntarily helped out with Annie, Adam, Angel, Andrew and Abby. She got to
know Trenton. Annie, Adam, Angel, Andrew and Abby even felt very, very, very comfortable around Johonna!! Back
at the dormitory room that evening, she sat down to write her lover a postcard
from Multnomah Falls....
Dear Timmy,
In your last
letter, you suggested that I make some new friends. Remember? Well, I have
made--not one--but six new friends!! I sat across from a guy--named
Trenton--at work during lunch break on Friday. We talked about Life
{That would be you serving in Iraq} and we immediately hit
it off!! Trenton watched his adorable quintuplet nieces and nephews on Saturday.
As a last minute plan, we all drove up to Multnomah Falls that
very morning!! Oh, babe.... That waterfall!! It is breathtakingly
beautiful!! I have never--ever--seen such a mighty
waterfall!! The closer you walk toward Multnomah Falls? It sprays
your face!! We even treated Annie, Adam, Angel, Andrew and Abby {The
quintuplets} to some delicious soft-serve chocolate swirl ice
cream!! Yum!! We should definitely drive up to Multnomah Falls
when you return from Iraq!! ;oD
Love, Johonna
She addressed the postcard, and stuck a stamp on it. The next
morning? Johonna dropped it into a tall blue mailbox.
Then she waited. Waited.
And waited some more for Timothy's reply. But no letter arrived in the mail. Johonna
began to fret.
Where are
you, Timmy? she thought, I know that I
should not be sitting here worrying.... But I cannot help it!! Where are you, Timmy?
And no letter ever did arrive in the mail.
Because overseas, Timothy's helicopter--which also carried three
other soldiers named Donald, Amos and Lori--was shot down during a battle.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!!" he screamed into his dispatcher, "Mayday,
mayday!! We are going down, sir!!"
Timothy's vocal chords and lungs then let out a blood-curdling
scream so loud that it could have been heard all over the world. For this attack
was beyond his {Or anybody's} control. And then his helicopter hit the ground in
an explosive crash. Neither Donald, Amos, Lori--or Timothy--survived.
"I know that we are all very busy and this damn war does not allow
us much time for anything but fighting battles...." said Jessica, the
highest ranking soldier in their unit.
Trying so hard to be a brave military servicewoman, she blinked back
stubborn, wet, hot, tears.
"But let's all gather together...." continued Jessica,
"To have.... A respectful moment of silence in honor of Timothy, Donald,
Amos and Lori."
So they did.... While, of course, heartbroken and grief-stricken, yet
brave.
In Oregon, Johonna finally received word about Timothy. But it was
not at all what she had been expecting. Johonna received word about her lover
in a telephone call from his Dad, Louis.
She could somehow sense that he was crying.
"Tim...." Louis began, "Has been.... Killed. He is....
Dead...."
"Oh no, no, no!!" screamed Johonna, tears filling her
eyes, "I could somehow sense when Timmy did not reply my postcard that
something was terribly wrong.... But, of course, I did not want to believe
it.... Oh no, no, no.... Are you sure it is Timmy and not some other
soldier....?"
"Yes...." said Louis, "We...."
He paused to regain his composure.
"We have actual proof that Tim is.... Dead.... His helicopter
was shot down.... On March 23rd...." Louis finished.
"Oh my gosh...." was all Johonna could say.
She hung up the telephone. Once again, uncontrollable, wet, hot, tears
streamed down her cheeks like a Portland, Oregon rainfall.
If watching
Timmy being deployed broke my heart into a billion pieces.... thought Johonna, Then this.... This has exploded my heart....
After several negative, complex, thoughts, feelings and emotions seared
through Johonna, the next morning, she sent Trenton a vague, brief, desperate text....
Can you
come over to my dorm.... Please.... I need you.
Johonna clicked "send".
Trenton immediately replied her text....
What
happened?! I have a shift today at Red Robin, but I'll call in sick. I will be
right over.
Trenton clicked "send".
Thank-you....
was
all Johonna could reply....
She clicked "send".
When Trenton arrived, Johonna told him the sad tragic news. Her eyes were bloodshot. Tears had stained Johonna's shirt.
"Timmy was the one...." she said, "My lover.... Soul mate.... Best friend.... Oh, Trenton.... Timmy
was far more than my boyfriend.... He...."
Johonna paused to regain her composure.
"He was my future husband.... I just knew it...." she
finished.
Trenton embraced Johonna and let her cry on his shoulders.
"I am so sorry...." he began, "This news hits close
to home for me.... Because that is our worst nightmare concerning Katharina. But
you.... You're hurting, grieving, missing a lover that you'll never, ever see again. So go ahead. Cry. Shout
out in anger. Go through every single stage of grief. That is natural and
completely normal. I will be there for you every step of the way. I
promise."
"Thank-you, Trenton...." Johonna whispered.
At Timothy's memorial service, she cringed when his American flag
draped casket was carried by fellow Army servicemen. Johonna's heart skipped a
beat along with each and every shot of the twenty-one gun salute. She felt chills literally
shoot through her body when Taps was played. Wet hot tears trickled down Johonna's
cheeks as Timothy's parents were handed the neatly folded up American flag and
military honors. For this was officially it. Timothy is dead.
"Johonna...." his tearful Mom, Florence, said as she
handed her a folded up unfinished letter, "This is for you...."
"It's a letter from Timmy...." gasped Johonna, as she
blinked back wet hot tears, "I was waiting for this...."
Back at her dormitory--with Trenton visiting for moral support--she
slowly unfolded Timothy's letter....
Dear Jo-Jo,
Freedom
isn't free.
That is such a moving story Raelyn and a wonderful tribute to all those who fight for our freedom.
ReplyDeleteLynne x
Lynne....
DeleteThank-you for the comment, Friend!!
"That is such a moving story Raelyn and a wonderful tribute to all those who fight for our freedom." Thanks!! I am glad that you enjoyed it!! ;op