Connecting with a Vietnam Veteran:
A Poignant Story
written by: Andy Cooper
I was at the grocery store in September, standing in line at the checkout. Beyoncé’s country tunes drifted through the ceiling speakers—a man ahead of me was on a motor scooter. His bones looked brittle as he slowly placed his canned goods on the belt for the cashier to scan. She wore a navy company vest with a name tag. Barcodes beeped as she slid items across the scanner.
I noticed he wore a Vietnam War Veteran hat and wondered if that was where he lost his left leg. I lost my dad, Russell, in that hellhole. His awards stated that he saved men from enemy fire. He was a hero to his squad. And to me. I framed his Purple Heart in my room as a kid. I’d talk to it when I needed advice from my dad. He didn’t reply, but the thought got me in the right frame of mind.
Behind us, I overheard people chatting. I couldn’t make out their words, but their tone was impolite, as they probably had places to be. I wanted to tell them off. Tension welled in my chest, but I shook it off. I quickly realized I should help the man with his items on the belt. His cheek was bulging with chewing tobacco, and gray stubble covered his jawline. He moved his hand across his mouth.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Thank you for your service, sir,” I said.
Thick gray hair shifted as he adjusted his cap. “You’re welcome,” he replied as the cashier rang him up. “A man saved me,” he said, his tone softening. “I promised him I’d meet his son one day. I said I’d introduce him to my daughter. I wanted his son to be my daughter’s husband.” The man laughed as he swiped his credit card.
“Haven’t found him yet?” I said.
He chuckled.
“I guess that’s a no.”
“He lives here in Seattle, but I don’t know where. I have little time to live.” He exhaled. “I have stage four lung cancer. I need to find him. But I doubt I will.” He looked exasperated.
“What’s the man’s name?” I asked.
The cashier chewed watermelon gum and scanned my new comforter. A bag boy loaded brown paper bags into a cart. I thanked the worker and kept pace with the man on the scooter.
“Maybe I can help you?”
A greeter checked our receipts.
The doors opened, and his wheels crunched crisp gold and brown leaves on the sidewalk from bare birch trees. A light breeze wafted sirloin steak from the grill up the road.
I scratched the back of my neck. “Could you tell me his name?” I said.
“There you are,” Ellie said.
“Ellie,” I said, wrinkling my nose and forehead.
“I see you’ve met my father. Jim.” Ellie hugged me.
“Your father?” I said, matching her gaze.
“We were going to have to meet sometime,” she said, holding up a rock on her ring finger. Her green eyes sparkled like she had happiness by its horns.
Jim squinted at me and softened his gaze. “It’s you,” he said.
“I’m sorry?” I said, arching a confused brow.
“Russell,” he said, pointing his finger at me.
I brought my hand to my chest. “No, my dad was…”
“Williams?” Jim said.
“Russell Williams,” I said.
Jim sighed as though he didn’t know he needed to. He reached into his breast pocket. He flipped through pictures and showed me one. “That’s your dad, the guys, and me.”
I held the image. “That’s Dad, alright.”
“And you guys are engaged, right?” Jim said as though he needed the answer to be yes.
“Yes, Dad,” Ellie said.
“You’ve been in Carolina for a year, Dad, and I wanted to introduce you old-fashioned style.”
“This is as old-fashioned as it gets, kid.”
Three weeks after the wedding, Jim was in a hospice bed, relaxing before he crossed over to heaven. Framed art hung on the beige walls, and a TV was going, but the sound was off. Soft rain streamed down the windows. He had a view of Mount Adams in the distance, with its tip dipped in white.
“It’s okay, Dad,” Ellie said, brushing tears with her fingers. “You’ve been so strong for me and Mom.”
“You were my life, Ellie.” Jim kissed her hand, shifting his gaze to me. “And you were my mission.”
Jim’s eyes bounced between Ellie and me. “I’ve had the best life a guy could have.”
“Jesus loves you, Dad.” Ellie kissed his cheek, blinking back tears.
“I’m drifting into his presence.” The light escaped his eyes, and Jim’s breath returned to his Creator.
I learned that love involves rug burns and sweet wine by the fireplace. Ellie struggled to accept each other’s flaws with realistic expectations.
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