Aw Jack. You dont always need to be the strong one. You can have a break down. And then not really want to talk. But it does help. That's what you have Mac for and he has you.

I was laying in bed tonight, not able to sleep because something had triggered memories of my own crap. And I was watching Macgyver because I often turn something on to try to drown out the scenes that keep flashing through my head.

I was getting pretty down because of how I look at those guys like heroes, and they always seem so “okay” even though they face worse than I did.

And even though I know they’re fictional, it still helps more than I realized it could to have a visualization of them having the same irrational, screwed up nights where they can’t get their head back to the present.

So thanks. Keep writing.

I really liked this and you definitely captured the way things can sneak up on a person. Having Mac know what the subtle signs were even when Jack wasn’t really aware was perfect. And the way he approached the situation was both dangerous and showed their true friendship. I think my favorite part or at least the part that made me think “wow” was Jack’s “You know I tried to count them once.” That was just. Wow. Great line. Thanks a bunch for posting this.
-Gib-

Oh golly, that was SO good! Poor Jack. So glad that Mac knew exactly what was wrong, what was happening, and did what he had to do anyway.

I have a family member who was in the Vietnam Nam war. He came back seriously, seriously messed up. Didn’t talk about it for years and years, but always acted weird around schools come to find out he had to kill a little girl. The Cong told her to go to the American cuz the Americans always have candy bars. Then he put a grenade around her neck and pulled the pin. As she ran toward his team he had no choice but to shoot her before she could get close enough to take out his whole team. The grenade blew just a couple seconds after she died. He is still a messed up man. Of course all the taunts of “baby killers” and it being an illegal war never helped.

Thank you for writing about some of the hurt these guys have. We need to all be very sensitive to them.

Oh this is great!

I like what you did here and appreciate that you did it thinking of veterans mental health. It's something I think they should tackle more overtly on the show, honestly. Lovely emotional whump and feels, too.
J

We all need to be thankful for all who have served. Those who given their lives or had dramatic changes in their lives from serving, and those who thankfully served without loss. It’s all through their grace and courage that we can live in this great country with all it’s opportunities and freedoms. Thank you for this compelling tribute.