Homeward Bound

Home...

One of the most comforting words in our lanuage. But what if you couldn't get there...what if you were stranded in an uncaring town, in the cold rain.

I left work before 5. Almost drove straight home but remembered I was out of milk, coffee and bread. So I drove over to the Food Lion by Kmart. I noticed a soldier sitting on the bench close to Food Lion. He had about 4 of those green army issued duffel bags all around him. A young guy... he had a tired reserved look --one that gave him a look of being older than he really was.

I went inside and got my stuff. Saw an old high school classmate, Jeff who is over the Meat Market and as we chatted, one of the guys that worked there came running up to us. He told Jeff that he was needed outside...the manager was trying to get rid of a loitering guy. I checked out quickly. I was cold and ready to get home to have a nice hot cup of coffee.

As I left the store, I saw that Jeff and a couple of other guys were talking to the GI, who was visibly upset. I had to walk by and what I heard caused me to stop short. The guy whose name was Jason had just got back from Iraq a few weeks ago and was trying to get home to GA and was stranded in my town. He was suppose to get a ride from the base but it fell through...and he didn't have any other way home. He managed to catch a ride as far as my town and was trying to get a ride off the interstate but it was rainy and cold and he was hoping the rain would stop so he could get back on the interstate and thumb a ride.

The manager was adamant about him moving his stuff. I am usually a calm cool and collective type...never make waves until I feel some injustice is done, usually to someone else. And that's how I felt about what was happening to the young GI.

He looked at the manager and said in a shaky voice, "Man, where I am I supposed to go?"

No one said anything. One of the other Food Lion workers stepped out and told the manager he had a phone call. I looked at the boy and thought, "What if he were my son? What if this was Robert?"

What really got my goat was that no one was offering any solution to his problem. So I did what my heart told me to do... I told the GI to get his stuff and follow me. That I would take him to the bus station. Jeff looked shocked. I knew what he was thinking....that I didn't know this boy and it wasn't wise to pick up strangers. I know that already.

On the way to the station, Jason made nervous small talk. I asked if he was glad to be back in the US. He said he was but he hated to leave Iraq because he had bonded with the a lot of the people there...he said his unit rebuilt hospitals, schools and other public buildings. He hoped that those he left behind would be ok.

When we go to the staion, I went inside with him because I know the lady who runs the bus staion. Once a destination was mapped out I was as adamant about buying his ticket as the manager was about him leaving. He cried, I cried and the bus station lady cried.

All I can say is this...I slept good last night.