the Last Run (1987) (56 page)

"Yeah, everybody but Woodpecker. My God, he looks like a Hell's Angel with that red beard and long hair. I didn't remember him being such a character."

4I didn't remember him that well, but boy did he put the booze either. He took out his billfold and gave the hostess a ten dollar bill. "Could you give her a note from an admirer?"

The hostess looked into the eyes of the good-looking customer and smiled again. "Sure, I've got to take a drink to her anyway. Keep your money, but if she doesn't read it, I will. I like admirers! I'll get her drink and be back for the note."

The pretty hostess walked toward the bar as Matt pulled out his pen and leaned over a table, picking up a napkin.

The hostess returned a minute later. Matt handed her the folded napkin and she gave him one in return.

"My number is on the back," she said with a wink.

Virginia sat in a chair, staring at herself in the large mirror. She had put on a good show, she thought, and been a trouper for not going ahead and singing her new song. She smiled wryly at herself. It wasn't that good a song anyway.

A knock at the door dissolved her smile and she grabbed for a Kleenex to start wiping off her makeup. "Come in."

"Ma'am, here is your drink . . . and a gendeman at the bar asked me to give you this note."

Virginia picked up the drink from the tray and flipped open the napkin. She thought for a moment her heart had stopped beating, as a rush of memories raced through her mind. The glass slipped from her shaking hand onto the carpeted floor with a thud.

Virginia jumped to her feet. Only one man in the whole world could have written the note. Only one man knew the one word that she'd dreamed of so many times for so many nights. He was here, after all the lonely years, after so long a time she'd almost forgotten .... She dropped the napkin and ran for the door.

The hostess bent over to pick up the glass, but instead picked up the note. She turned the napkin over and shook her head. Why a single word could make a celebrity act like that was beyond her, especially such a dumb word as "Click."

Washington. D. C., November 13, 1982

TWo women and two young boys sat beside a barren oak to break the wind's cold chill. Scattered on the grass mall around them were thousands of veterans and their families. All were waiting for the Vietnam Memorial parade to begin.

Mary Ann began to raise her coat collar, but suddenly reached out, slapping her son's hand. "No more cookies!"

"Mom."

"You heard me. Sit next to your brother and put the blanket up over you both before you eatch your death."

"But, Mom."

"Do it!" Mary Ann raised her collar, shivering, and looked at Virginia. "When is Matt going to make an honest woman of you?"

Virginia looked at the two boys and smiled at Mary Ann's directness. Her friend hadn't changed.

"It's going to take time. We're different people than we were in Vietnam."

Mary Ann frowned. "Virginia, you've been going together for six years. You can't tell me you don't love each other. My God, I've seen how you look at one another. What is it, Gin?"

Virginia lowered her eyes, knowing she couldn't hide her feelings from Mary Ann. "Matt doesn't want the responsibility." Virginia raised her head and looked into her friend's eyes. "He still feels he failed the team and he doesn't want to fail with me. That's the way he explains it. Living together he can handle, but not marriage. He didn't want to come here, you know. I forced him. It almost broke us up but I insisted and told him I'd leave him if he didn't. This . . . this getting together with his friends I thought might help."

Mary Ann reached out and took Virginia's hand. "You were right in making him come. It has helped. It's helped us all." She patted Virginia's hand, knowing she'd better change the subject, and broke into a smile. "You should see yourself. You sure don't look like your album cover now.''

Virginia laughed and wrapped her hands around the warm thermos. "That was years ago." Virginia was wearing Matt's old Army field jacket, jeans, and a stocking cap pulled down over her ears.

Mary Ann patted her coat. "Well, at least you haven't gained weight like I have. I must look awfully fat to you."

Virginia smiled again at her old friend. Mary Ann had gained a few pounds through her hips, but she was still a beautiful woman. "No, you look great. Everybody looks great, don't they?"

"Yeah, everybody but Woodpecker. My God, he looks like a Hell's Angel with that red beard and long hair. I didn't remember him being such a character."

'I didn't remember him that well, but boy did he put the booze away last night. I'd foigotten how bad they all talked. Matt hasn't cursed like that since . . . since I don't know when."

"Yeah, it was like they were back in Vietnam again. You'd think it was yesterday the way they carried on. Oh, who was that good-looking prematurely gray-haired man with the scarred face you were talking to in the room?"

Virginia lowered the thermos. "That was Lieutenant Gibson. He was with the team when they were wounded. He's an investment broker here in Washington and helped pay for the hospitality suite we were in last night. The booze was donated by one of his investors."

Mary Ann laughed. "Well, there wasn't any left after the Rangers got through. My God, it was so crowded in there I couldn't move."

A small woman wearing a quilted coat and calf-length boots approached the women. "I finally made it!"

Mary Ann patted the ground beside her. "Sit down, Mira. This old tree kinda blocks the wind off us."

The round-faced woman tossed her long black hair with a flip of her head and sat down. "How are your men doing? When we left last night they weren't feeling any pain."

Mary Ann shook her head as if disgusted. "Kenny puked his guts up half the night. It's a good thing your husband doesn't drink or he'd feel like mine did this morning."

Mira nodded reflectively. "Black Eagle laughed more than I've seen him in years. I have you and Thumper to thank for that. If you all hadn't insisted on us meeting here, he wouldn't have come."

Mary Ann smiled. "It was Kenny's idea. He wanted so bad to see his old team. He worked for months trying to find everybody and this parade and dedication seemed the perfect time."

Mira scooted over next to Virginia and took her hand. "I'm so glad to be here and meet everyone. Black Eagle talks about the team all the time and . . . and, well, I just wanted to touch a part of his life that I never knew. Seeing him with his friends makes it easier to understand."

Virginia patted Mira's hand. "I know."

Mira's eyes lowered. "Black Eagle has done so well. He has accepted his handicap and is a respected elder of the tribe, but ... but he needed this. Really needed this. At times he becomes so depressed it breaks my heart."

Mary Ann moved over and put her arm around Mira. "What is it that gets him down?"

Mira looked up and stared across the parte. "He does fine except when he sees people running. He so loved to run. Oh, he tries to hide it, but I see the change."

Mary Ann glanced at Virginia. Neither woman knew what to say to comfort her.

Mira broke her trance and smiled. "I pray every night for a miracle. The Lord one day will allow his last run, I know it."

"Where's the food?"

Mary Ann rolled her eyes upward and turned around as Thumper and Matt walked up. "The cookies are in the bag and ... "

Matt laughed out loud and put his arms around Thumper's huge shoulders. "She's still passing out cookies?"

Thumper bent over and kissed Mary Ann's forehead. "That's why I married her . . . but don't tell her."

Virginia looked at Matt's bloodshot eyes. "How you feelin', honey?"

Matt winked. "Great!"

Thumper chortled, "Hell, Matt, tell her the truth. You puked in that trash can back there."

Matt punched Thumper jokingly and frowned. "The rum and Cokes got to me last night. I shoulda stuck to beer."

Mira got to her feet. "Where's Black Eagle?"

Thumper tossed his thumb behind him and picked up the bag of cookies. "Woodpecker and him are comin'. They were talking to J. D. Gibson." Thumper tossed a cookie to each of his sons and offered one to Matt.

Matt shook his head and stood beside Mira. "He looks good, Mira. You've taken good care of him.''

Mira saw her husband coming and smiled. "No, the Lord has."

Matt felt the same pain now as he'd felt when he'd first seen Preacher yesterday.

Woodpecker walked slowly beside Preacher, being careful not to make him hurry. Preacher stepped normally with his right leg but had to toss his left leg in a jeriring motion. He supported his movements with a cane.

Matt smiled through his pain. "About time. We gotta get lined up."

Mary Ann stood quickly. "I'll say it's about time. The kids are freezin' to death. Where do we go to see the parade?"

Thumper pointed toward the Washington Monument. "To the right of the monument is Constitution Avenue. They've got bleachers set up and a reviewing stand. You all can sit in the bleachers. Sierra Rangers will be marching behind the 173rd Airborne Brigade, so when you see them pass, get ready to see the best damn company in the world."

"Amen," said Preacher.

"There it is!" said Woodpecker, holding up his thumb.

"Damn straight!" added Matt, feeling light inside. Seeing his men smile and laugh the past days had taken away his fears about coming. The first time he saw them he'd stood and cried, unable to move. They'd come to him, crying, too, and hugged him like a lost brother. There was no anger in their faces, only love. Love that he'd forgotten for too long. Ginny had been right. They'd needed each other.

Matt put his hand out to the woman who stood by him over the years waiting for him to understand what she'd known all along. Memories can change-not the facts, but the feelings behind them.

Virginia came to him and he hugged her for strength. There were two more memories that had to be faced.

The women sat the boys between them and pulled the blankets over their shoulders as the Army band marched by the reviewing stand. The crowds in the bleachers and lining the streets all clapped and stood. The band peeled off next to the bleachers and continued playing as the first contingent of veterans approached. They were led by General Westmoreland. The veterans behind him walked with heads held high and waved to the crowd. They wore every conceivable type of uniform and civilian attire. Some were in jungle fatigues, while others walked in T-shirts. Mary Ann squeezed Virginia's hand tighdy. The men she cared so much for weren't young men anymore. Most were in their thirties; their faces had lost their innocence long ago, but their smiles and waves warmed her all the way to her toes. Group after group passed, some following state banners, others, unit banners-the 101st Airborne Division, the First Cavalry, Delaware, Texas, First Infantry Division. Some walked arm and arm while others marched along with the beat of the music. As they passed the reviewing stand, many would salute while others just waved. Finally, after thousands had passed, Mary Ann saw the 173rd banner a block up the street.

"There they are! They're behind the 173rd!"

The women all stood, holding each other and waiting excitedly.

The Rangers were led by J. D. Gibson, who marched to the side of the formation of forty-five men calling out cadence. Hut . . . two . . . three . . . four. Hut. . . two . . . three . . . four. The Rangers marched in perfect step. Their heads were set to the front. They marched proudly, wanting everyone to know they were still a unit, a unit deactivated with no fanfare, no banner- waving, but still a unit, a unit of proud men who had not forgotten.

Gibson halted the formation one hundred yards from the reviewing stand to get more distance between his group and the 173rd. He began to say "forward march," but stopped himself and faced the formation.

"Rangers, we can march or we can by God show who we are! Whatddya say we double-time!"

The men yelled back, "Double-time!"

Preacher stood beside Thumper and Woodpecker in the last rank. The march had been difficult for him. Many times he'd had to grab Woodpecker's arm to keep his balance. The decision to run meant he'd have to fall out to the side so as not to embarrass his fellow Rangers. He backed up just as Gibson commanded "Double-time . . . March!"

Matt saw Preacher walking slowly to the curb and yelled at Thumper, "Get him!"

Both Thumper and Woodpecker broke from ranks and picked their friend up by his arms and jogged back into position. They held him tightly between them, allowing him to hop on his right leg and hold the left one up.

Gibson sang out, "Here we go! All the Way! One Way! Ranger! Ranger/"

The women saw their men approach and stood with tears running down their faces. The crowd came to their feet, clapping and hollering as the proud Rangers ran by in perfect unison.

Then Mira saw Black Eagle and suddenly felt weak. His head was held high and his cheeks glistened with tears of pride. He was together with his beloved friends and running. Running not like the others, but still, with them, as he had in his mind for so many years.

Mira looked skyward and thanked God for the miracle.

The march ended a few blocks past the reviewing stand at the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Matt, Thumper, Woodpecker, and Preacher walked toward the monument arm in arm, as they'd promised they would the night before.