COMPASSION

Chapter 14

Marines Don't Cry

Tom and Catherine are sitting at their kitchen table exhausted and emotionally drained. The constant fog is starting to lift and Catherine can see more surroundings.
 
Tom asks his wife, “Do you remember when you were sitting at the kitchen table after my funeral? You were dressed in your black dress and black veil. The boys were sitting on the couch.”
 
Tom Havard takes a cigarette from the table and lights it. Tom and Catherine are again transported back to their home in West Pittston.
 
Catherine Havard and her sons have just returned from her husband’s funeral. Catherine calls out to her  oldest son, “Tommy open the front window it is hot in here.” 
 
Yes, mommy.”  Tommy goes to the front window and opens it. He then sees a green Army car parked in the front of the house. An Army Lieutenant dressed in a green uniform and a Marine dressed in full military colors exit the car and walk toward the Havard home carrying the American Flag.
 
Tommy runs into the kitchen shouting, “Mommy there are soldiers outside!”  A knock is heard on the front door and Catherine opens the door to let the soldiers into her house.
 
“Mrs. Havard I am Lieutenant Murphy and this is Lance Corporal Williams. We are from the Marine Wing Support Squadron in Wyoming to present you and your family with the Burial Flag in honor of your husband’s service to the Department of Navy.”
 
Joe Havard gets off the couch and walks up to the Marine and stares at his uniform and is mesmerized by the colors. Joe salutes the young Marine as the Lieutenant turns to the Marine to ask him to pass the flag to Mrs. Havard.
 
A tear rolls down the face of the Marine as he sees the sadness in the house and the loss of a Father only thirty-seven years old. Catherine accepts the flag and places it on her husband’s favorite chair.
 
The Lieutenant turns to the Young Marine and tells him, “Marines don’t cry wipe that tear off your  face!”
 
Catherine thanks the soldiers and they leave the house. She returns to the kitchen table and sees Tom’s pack of cigarettes on the table and tries to smoke one for the first time in her life. She calls for Tommy to come to the kitchen table for a talk.
 
“Yes Mommy,”  Tommy replies.
 
“Sit down we have to talk.”  Tommy sits down and looks at his Mother. He is terrified and does not understand where his Dad went. At one point he tried to crawl into the coffin with his Father. Catherine lifts her black veil and Tommy has never seen his Mother look like Death itself. Her face almost appears to be that of a skeleton with no signs of compassion or caring.
 
“Tommy Daddy has died and gone home to Heaven. He will never come back. You have to be the man of the house and do what I say. You have to watch over your  two brothers and make sure no one harms them.”
 
“But Mommy why did Daddy go...why did he die?” A tearful Tommy asks.
 
 
 
“Tommy I need you to be strong. You can’t cry. If people see you cry they will think you are weak. Do you want your Daddy to think you are weak?”
 
“No!” a crying Tommy replies.
 
“I wish there was another way but I need you to grow up and be a man. You have to watch Mike and Joe and protect them. Now go ask Michael to come in the kitchen.”
 
Tommy leaves the table to get Michael. Joe tells Mike Mommy is going to give us away to an Orphanage.
 
A crying Tommy tells Michael, “ Go see Mommy.”
 
Michael the second son walks to the kitchen table fearing the worst but when he sees his Mother face a calm come over him. Catherine will show Michael a different face than the one she showed her oldest son. She is more calm and relaxed and the frightening look is gone replaced a more caring face.
 
“Sit down Michael. I want to tell you God has called Daddy home to Heaven. God told me in the hospital he has important work to do and God needs him. We are all going to live in this house as a family just as before. The only difference is Tommy will be the man of the house and you have to do what he says. You are the number two man of the house and you have to take care of and watch over Joe. Do you understand me?” 
 
“Yes Mommy.” 
 
“Give me a big hug. Now ask Joe to come in here.”
 
“Yes Mommy.”  Michael returns to the couch and tells Joe to go see Mom.
 
Joe asks Michael, “ Are we going away?”
 
 “Go see Mom now.” 
 
A trembling Joe walks to the table and sits down. “ Are you going away Mommy like Daddy?”
 
Catherine leans close to Joe, “I will never leave you boys. You are my flesh and blood. I will be with you forever.”
 
 Joe says to Mom, “I will never leave you Mommy.”
 
“Joseph listen to me. Tommy is in charge now. He is the man of the house. You have to listen to him. You have to listen to Tommy and Mike. They will always watch over you and protect you. Do you understand me?”
 
“Yes Mommy.”
 
“Now give me the biggest hug you ever gave your Mommy because I really need it now,” A tearful Catherine tells her third son.
 
“Mommy, why are you crying?”  Joe asks.
 
“Because I am so happy you boys are here with me now. You are my strength.”   
 
Tom and Catherine are again back at their kitchen table and Tom tells his wife, “Now you know why Tommy has been fighting with you since I died. My death forced you to make Tommy the Man of the House when he was only seven years old. He saw you baby Mike and Joe all their lives but when he needed Compassion you were afraid if you gave it to him he would become weak. That is why he hates you. He looks at Joe and knows he was treated like a baby all his life. He can’t find any peace and he looks at Joe and he is always happy and content.”
 
Catherine fires back at her husband, “What was I supposed to do? Yes, I turned Tommy into a Pit Bull. Tommy is identical to you. That is why I did it. I knew I would create a Monster but I had no choice. You don’t know what it is like to be a Widow with three small children. People don’t feel sorry for you they see that as an opening to take advantage of you.”
 
“I know you had to do what you had to do. I am just afraid Joe and Tommy won’t be able to live together. One of the strange benefits of being in a War is when you see Death you learn from it and get used to it. None of our boys were ever in a War.”
 
“Yes that is why I sent them all to College to keep out of the Vietnam War. Boys that go to War don’t live long when they get out of the service. I know that from first-hand experience. I told Joe when I die Tommy will go crazy!”
 
Tom turns away from his wife and warns Catherine, “I just pray they don’t Kill each other!”
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
.