This month's theme for Soap Opera Sunday is Long Distance Relationships.
I'm going to skip ahead in my Saga of Boys to one of my very last boyfriends...
When I was in college I spent two summers working in a national park with a ministry team. The second summer I was there I met a boy named Brad. At that time I had a boyfriend from college so we were just friends. We had a few things in common and we got along pretty well. He was goofy and made me laugh.
At the end of the summer I went back to college for my senior year. I ended my relationship with my boyfriend for personal reasons (but that will be another saga) and a few weeks later started communicating with Brad over the internet.
He was half the country away, going through his senior year, and DJing for his college radio station, which I could listen to on my computer. At one point he dedicated a song to me, his buddy from the summer.
Fast forward to the end of February (it's the year 2003). The US is getting ready to invade Iraq and Brad is in the National Guard reserves. His unit gets called up and he is getting ready to head out for some training in North Carolina (even farther away from me) before they are deployed.
I go to a production of A Piece of My Heart at school. It's a very powerful play about women in Vietnam in various roles (nurse, candy striper, and GSO performer girl being the ones that I remember). I come out of there just devastated.
It's almost 11pm my time and he's 2 hours later, but I call him anyway, just sobbing because I'm so afraid for him and what will happen. He calms me down and I eventually go to sleep, but I don't get over this feeling.
I believe this was the first time we talked on the phone and after that we start having weekly conversations.
Shortly thereafter Brad is shipped off to North Carolina where he's told their departure is imminent, as soon as they're issued their desert uniforms. Basically he's on pins and needles knowing they could be deployed with only a day or two's notice.
I remember that we had a little craft project we were doing one evening, weaving Easter baskets* for some local children. During the middle of the evening someone walked in and told us that we had just invaded Iraq. My heart dropped because I knew it was just a matter of time before he would be shipped over there. This is one of those moments I will remember forever...
*underwater basket weaving anyone? :)
4 comments:
Wow. when we were at USC there was a girl who only had been married a few weeks and her husband had been shipped off to the Gulf War. She always seemed so lonely and sad. There was another who was married to a guy on submarine duty. He'd disappear for six months at a time. I can't imagine having my heart linked to someone in the military...
I do not know how military wives can handle it! It takes a special kind of strength.
My story isn't necessarily about a long-distance romance but hey, it's a doomed love so hopefully worthy of SOS.
Can't wait to see what happens next. :)
I feel really lucky I've never had anyone go to war. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to handle it.
Looking forward to the next installment!
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