Chapter 2: Soup to Warm the Heart

I woke up to the sound of a car starting. It was already light outside and my watch told me 6:00 a.m. Although they say Marines never sleep, I was used to reveille at 5:00 a.m. I felt I was running late and jumped out of bed, did a few push-ups and headed for the shower. Before my brother left, he apparently had used the bathroom. The foul smell almost knocked me out. I held my breath, forced open the window and made a quick retreat back into the hallway.

Susie’s bedroom door was closed and there were no sounds coming from the other side. I hadn’t asked my brother or her about their schedules, but figured she would be up soon, too. I took a couple of deep breaths and went back into the bathroom and harm’s way. Fortunately, the putrid cloud had dissipated. When I closed the door, I realized there was no way to lock it from the inside, meaning anyone could barge in if someone was quietly using the facilities. I quickly took a cold shower in my skivvies and went back to my room, resolved that my first mission of the day was to clean up the sty and put some sparkle back into it.

When I came downstairs, I heard a thump against the front door. It sounded like a mortar going off nearby. Being discharged from the Marines didn’t mean I left the military. My body did, but my mind didn’t. I was always on alert. It was drilled into me, always scanning my surroundings. I had no reason to be so vigil. It was just part of my survival training. I couldn’t just turn it off.

I checked the door and found a fresh newspaper. I immediately opened it to the jobs section. Although I had enough money to last me for about a month, maybe two if I could stay with my brother, I knew I had to start looking for a job and the sooner the better, especially in light of the market downturn.

I was buried in the newspaper when I heard Susie coming down the stairs.

“Good morning sunshine,” I greeted her. “Hope you slept well.”

“Good morning Uncle Charlie,” she responded with a cheerful smile. “I did. Hope you slept well in your new bed.”

Susie had her hair braided to one side again and wore the same baggy jeans as the previous day. She had on a different blouse, but it looked more like a hand-me-down and didn’t match with her cute looks or the snappy clothes other girls her age were wearing.

I offered to make her a special breakfast with toast and peanut-butter and jelly on top. She giggled and went along with the joke. When I asked what she was going to have for lunch at school, I almost blew a fuse. There was no way she was going to take another peanut-butter and jelly sandwich with her. I finally was able to pry information out of her about the school cafeteria and how much lunch cost. I gave her a ten dollar bill which was more than enough for the rest of the week, but had to insist, almost beg her to take it.

She gave me a rundown of her schedule. Every day at 7:00 a.m. she gets up and by 7:45 leaves the house to walk to school. There is a school bus that stops at the corner at 7:30 and then drives for another thirty minutes all over the neighborhood picking up other kids. She preferred to walk to school, which was only fifteen minutes away and normally arrives there at the same time as the others who had taken the bus. School is out by 3:30 p.m. and she always walks home even when it was raining.

“Well, I hope you have a wonderful day and I’ll see you when I see you.”

She came towards me in a shy and awkward way and hugged me around the waist. “Thanks, Uncle Charlie. I’m so glad you’re here.”

I watched her cross the street and turn at the next corner. She looked back at me and we waved to each other. I could see her smile and she looked happy, almost skipping along the sidewalk until she disappeared from sight.

I returned inside and went to work in the bathroom. Fortunately, I found some bleach and was able to get rid of the nastier stains. The rest had to come off using lots of elbow grease and muscle power, scouring sponges and even a simple little toothbrush. After more than an hour of meticulously scrubbing down every inch of every surface and corner, I stepped back to marvel at my accomplishment. In addition to killing bad guys and doing a lot of other things, the Marine Corps really taught me how to clean up and keep things clean. I wondered whether my brother would perceive the transformation.

The next item on my action plan for the day was to get groceries. I refused to eat another slice of greasy pizza and drink beer, plus it wasn’t healthy, especially not for Susie. On my way from the bus terminal, the taxi passed a grocery store about four or five blocks down the street. That was my next target of operation.

“Good morning, Harriet,” I greeted the neighbor. “Do you need anything from the grocery store? I’m going there right now.”

She was happy to see me and thanked me for the offer. However, she warned me to make sure that they double bagged the heavy stuff.

I hadn’t been in a civilian grocery store for years and this one looked like it had practically everything. The shopping cart was somewhat small and filled up quickly. I grabbed another cart and towed it along nearly filling it too.

“Can we help you bring the groceries out to your car?” the manager asked.

I told him I had just come home from the Marines and didn’t have a car yet, but asked if they could call me a taxi. After I told him that I lived only four blocks down the street, the manager straightened his shoulders and extended his hand for a handshake.

“No need for a taxi,” he said and he ordered one of his employees to bring the store’s delivery van out front. “We also deliver our customers’ purchases to their door steps. But for you we will not charge our fee. You guys have done enough for all of us. It’s time we did something for you.”

After I had put away all the groceries and a few essential household items, I made myself a real sandwich with ham, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise to recharge my batteries before taking on the front lawn. I wanted to whip it into shape as a surprise for Susie. I was sure she would appreciate it. My father loved piddling around in the yard, keeping the grass mowed to look like a carpet, trimming the bushes to keep them lush and full, and taking care of Mom’s roses. I was glad I had the patience to learn a thing or two from him, including how to fill a woman’s heart with joy.