A day late and a dollar short, here's my tribute to our veterans.

We Remember…

"They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

-Robert Lawrence Binyon, 1869-1943

The sun shined on Honolulu, Hawaii as two young women disembarked from the school ship USS George Washington, home of Saunders Girls Academy from Japan. The ship had been in port for almost two weeks now, refueling and resupplying before heading back to Japan. They were scheduled to leave tonight, but first, the group had important business to attend to.

Kay and Naomi both crammed into the cab that they managed to hail, shutting the door. As Naomi told the driver their destination, the commander of Saunders' Tankery team looked out the window quietly, thinking to herself. In her hand, she held two red poppies, directly from Flanders Fields in France. As the taxi started moving, the blonde blinked in slight surprise before falling back into her thinking.

Naomi looked to her senior as the taxi driver turned onto Highway 1, cursing as a car tried to cut them off. The short-haired girl was worried about her best friend, who'd been like this for nearly the entire time while in port. she looked over the poppies in Kay's hand, before the bubble gum in her mouth popped and she turned to look outside the window at the city.

Kay thought about the last time she'd been back to the United States, some ten years ago. Her mother had decided to move back to Japan and enroll her in Saunders two years after her father died. She remembered her home vividly, but that wasn't what was on her mind right now.

The taxi turned off of the highway onto Lusitana Street, then merged onto Puowaina Drive, slowing down to meet the speed limit. Naomi looked around again, suddenly realizing what Kay's purpose might be.

The taxi driver, a typical, large Hawaiian man, stopped just outside the gates of the National Cemetery of the Pacific, pulling over to the side of the narrow road. As the two girls got out of his car, he asked "You want me to wait?"

"Yes please." Kay said through the driver's window. She turned and walked up to the front gate, walking inside with Naomi on her heels. Naomi waved apologetically at the cab driver, who shrugged and pulled out a phone as he waited.

"Kay, why exactly are we here?" she asked, watching as the blonde went straight for a certain row of graves. As she ran after her commander, she noticed that the American flag, for some reason, was only halfway up the pole today. She wondered if that was some American custom, or if the people who had that job were just lazy.

"Kay, hold up!" Naomi called, seeing her friend almost halfway down the line of headstones, standing still. Naomi caught up to her and stood beside her. She almost said something, but then looked at the two closest headstones.

Corporal Art J. Williams

6th July 1913-24th August 2001

U.S. Army

Devoted Husband, Father, and Grandfather

Already, a red poppy plant decorated the deceased soldier's grave. At the same time Naomi realized this, she recalled Kay's last name. Williams.

Again, Naomi almost said something, but thought better of it as Kay turned to the next headstone. As Naomi read it, she started, never knowing this part of Kay's life.

GySgt. Samuel J. Williams

2nd February 1978-21st November 2004

Battle of Fallujah, U.S. Marine Corps

Distinguished Service Medal

Beloved Son, Husband, and Father

Semper Fi

A tear streaked down Kay's face as she lay the other poppy on her father's gravestone, a rush of memories coming back to her. Naomi was politely standing off to the side, allowing her to take all the time she needed. The sunlight disappeared behind a cloud for a moment as the two stood there in silence.

Kay dropped to her knees and mentally said a few words to both her father and grandfather, asking for guidance. As the sun returned, she stood, standing at full attention, and saluted her two elders, slowly dropping it. As the blonde was ready to turn away, she paused, saying something to her father.

"Happy Veteran's Day, dad."

With that, the two young women walked side by side out of the cemetery, returning to the taxi as a lone bugler, somewhere, played Taps.