josjabbers

I met with two fellow writers last night over coffee to visit about writing. HOw refreshing to talk to other writers. My friends and family roll their eyes when I start talking about my stories.I cleaned out all my files and organized my submissions, rejections, and research files. Now I am ready to submit. I found some old stories that I will revise and submit. I almost forgot about them. I am enclosing one. If anyone is out there perhaps you will read and comment on it.

A Soldiers Return

Tony finished the report of his last mission. He included the video that verified the car containing Iraqi insurgents was blown up by his tank. The video showed clearly the deadly bombs strapped around the waists of the enemies. Tony and his crew would be coourt-martialed if they were found guilty of knowingly killing innocents.

After two years in Korea and two in Iraq, Tony was going home.
No parade greeted him as he stepped from the bus at the gas station near his house in the small midwestern town.

"Jack, I'll leave my duffle bag here and go get my car," he said to the gas attendant.
"Sure, thing, Tony, welcome home," Jack replied.

Tony's car sat in the back yard with two flat tires and a broken windhield. It didn't start when he tried his key. He opened the back door of the house and shouted; "Is anybody home?" the old dog came out to greet him.

"Oh, you're here already?" His mother smothered him with whiskey breath kisses. "Your father moved out on me. If you want to see him you'll have to go to his girl friend's house," she said. She staggered to the kitchen. "You're probably hungry, I suppose I can find something for you to eat."

"No, Mom, that's all right. We stopped in the city for supper," Tony lied.

The next morning Tony went to the Recruiter's Office. "I want to re-enlist as soon as possible," he said. He left that afternoon for Fort Bliss.