I own nothing you recognize and yes it does use a character from one of my other stories. I wrote this in about 45 minutes when I could sleep and thought I'd put it up and see what you had to say.
"Hey Mister." A kid called from down the street. "Hey Mister." The soldier stopped and turned around. "Whoa...you...uh...you dropped this." The boy held out an old dog tag as he stared up at the soldier who was wearing a faded pair of jeans, white tank top, and a camouflage jacket. His dark green duffle bag had a Viet Nam Veteran patch sewn into it. The kid swallowed at the man took the dog tag from him.
"Thanks kid." The man stared at the tag and then continued down the street.
"Dude that guy's a Nam vet just like my dad." The kid whispered to his buddies.
"No way." His best friend answered.
"Yeah he's got the patch and the dog tag said he was born in '48 he must have been just a kid when they sent him over."
"Wonder who he is."
"Tag said Curtis, but the bag said Randle. You don't think he's related to Mikey do ya?"
"If he is he'd have to be Mikey's granddad."
"Whoever he is I bet he served his country proud." The last of the trio said.
The soldier walked a little taller hearing that and continued on his way to his destination knowing the duffle got him a couple of stares. The soldier was stopped again when a little girl no older than four tugged on his pants leg. With a bit of difficulty he kneeled down next to her. "What can I do for ya?"
"You in da Army?" The toddler asked.
"I was a long time ago."
"Mommy says it's Veteran's Day and that we should be tankful to all the Vets that served. Are you a Vet?"
"Yeah I guess I am."
"Can you take a look at my kitty she's got a boo boo?" The soldier knew that it wouldn't do any good to correct her so he just nodded. "See right there." She pointed to the kitty's front paw and the soldier almost chuckled seeing the stuffed toy.
"Ow what happened?"
"Mommy steppeded on it."
"You know what I think. I think it just needs a kiss from a special little girl to make it all better. Do you know where I can find a special little girl?"
"Me?"
"Uh huh." The little girl kissed the injured paw and then held the kitty up to her ear. She nodded a few times then smiled.
"Kitty says it's all better."
"Good, now why don't you be a good little girl and run back to Mommy before she gets angry."
"Thank you sir." The girl kissed the soldier's cheek and skipped off. The mother came up as the soldier stood.
"I'm so sorry sir, she didn't bother you did she?"
"No it's alright. My little girl used to do the same thing."
"Oh how old is she?"
"37. And now all I have is a bunch of rowdy grandsons."
"Thank you so much sir. Is there anything I can do for you?"
"No just raise her right. We need more kids like her around her." The woman nodded and left. Later after the soldier dropped off his load at the local Salvation Army depository site he headed back home where his wife would have supper waiting on the table. He passed a store and saw a man wearing a VFW hat and decided to see what was going on.
"Brutal war there son." The man said.
"Lost a good buddy and a lot of good men." The soldier responded. The man handed him an American flag.
"Thanks for serving."
"Just doin' my duty. How much for the rose?" The soldier asked spotting the vase of white roses on the table.
"By donation only." The man said.
"Here's a 20." The soldier pulled out a 20 dollar bill and dropped it into the bucket before taking a single rose.
"Thank ya kindly sir. This one's on me." The man said handing him another.
"Thank you." The soldier walked off and decided to make one more stop before heading home. At the grave yard the soldier walked until he came across the headstone of his best friend. "I'm so sorry I made it home and you didn't. You should have been there beside me and not up there watchin' over us. The guys are fine. Darry should be joinin' you soon. The docs don't give him much longer and sweet Sara, by god I don't know how she's managed so long with Two-Bit, never will get used to callin' him Keith. His sister Beck is doing good, Pony absolutely adores her. All the grandkids are doing great, the family still misses you. Why you buddy? This wasn't supposed to happen but I guess the good die young. Toria says I'm gonna live forever if that's true. You warned me about dating a Winston once, but...man what can I say that fiery attitude man she's still got it. Say hey to Johnny and Dally for me. I better get going before I lose my dinner. You know how Toria gets if your late for supper. See ya around bud." The soldier laid the single rose at the foot of the head stone and on second thought slid a new chain through the dog tag and then wrapped the chain around the flower.
The soldier made it home later that night just in time for his dinner. He slid the rose behind his wife's ear and then kissed her cheek.
"You're rather affectionate tonight." She answered.
"I just want you to know I love you and that I'm sorry the war took me from you and I'm sorry you raised Dustin by yourself for the first couple of years."
"It's alright."
"No it's not, I should have been there. Dustin got to see all of Mikey's firsts but I missed almost all of his. All because..."
"Because you served your country and kept us safe here. Now come on supper's on the table and the kids sent you cards for their favorite veteran." The soldier sat down to eat but remained silent through the rest of the night. As the soldier and his wife climbed into bed he sighed. "What's wrong?" His wife asked.
"I miss him."
"I know."
"It should have been me."
"That's what he would have been thinking if it was him that came home with you in a pine box. You know Soda wouldn't stand back and let you have all the fun." His wife told him wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her chin on his shoulder.
"But still..."
"Look I know you feel bad and you relive the battle that took him in your nightmares. I hear you sometimes, but you did all you could. Couple seconds later neither one of you would have made it out."
"But a couple seconds earlier and Matthew would have still had a father."
"But he grew up with Sandy and she raised him right. Soda couldn't have asked for anything more."
"I know. I love you."
"Thank you for serving my handsome veteran."
"Anything to protect you."
"Good night Steve Randle." The soldier's wife said kissing his left shoulder which held the S&S tattoo he and Soda had both gotten right before the war.
"Good night Victoria Winston Randle." The soldier answered kissing his wife and laying down to sleep.
This goes out to all the veterans out there tonight thank you for serving your country proud. I'm sorry if this has offended anyone.