Prompt 3 - Pick a random song and write a short piece of fiction about it.
Song: "I Say a Little Prayer" by Burt Bacharach
Evelyn and Anthony Todd were married August 19, 1944 at St. Andrews Catholic Church in the town of Addison, Ohio where they had both grown up. It was a smaller ceremony than Evelyn had imagined growing up, as most of the men in both families had enlisted and were either in training or overseas when the date arrived. Still, it was a more enchanting experience than the 22 year-old bride could ever have imagined.
Anthony made the decision at the beginning of October to enlist, being the last of his 3 brothers to do so. Evelyn was devastated, but she knew how much it meant to Tony to follow the path his brothers took.
The US needed men; the European front had settled down after the Allied push during the summer, but the Pacific front intensified. So on January 24, Anthony boarded a bus to Seal Beach, California for deployment. He was to board the US Carrier Altamaha as it shipped out on the 28th.
The first few days were the hardest for Evelyn. Each day she'd wake up in the bed the two had shared for only 5 months, somehow thinking he might be there as she rolled over to his side. She'd go through her daily morning routine - shower, makeup, dress herself, eat breakfast - hoping that this was the day she'd get a letter saying that the Allies had won, that Tony would be on his way home. She knew that day was far off, though. She did receive letters from him, however. Usually once a week, she'd get a short dispatch from him, his awful handwriting would make her laugh.
She spent her time working at the local hospital where she served as a nurse's assistant, reading, and hatching ideas for the eventual coming home party she'd throw for Tony once she got that letter.
Evelyn walked to her mailbox on Thursday afternoon, the time when Tony's letter would usually arrive. She opened the mailbox and saw another one of his letters, the familiar splotchy black ink running and dried down the bottom. It said that this letter would be the last one she would receive for a while, as his regiment would be going toOki, Ojiki, some island that he couldn't spell and that Evelyn couldn't pronounce. He promised to personally make the Japanese Emperor surrender so that he'd be back in time for the Addison Community Festival in Spring.
Evelyn kept on her routine, believing it would help her manage without Tony. Not every day was the same, though, she did have visitors - usually a relative of hers or Tony's, she would play cards with the nurses on weekends, she even attended a few friends' weddings - bittersweet affairs though they were.
The days started to feel like weeks, the weeks like months and years, still she waited for Tony's next letter. She filled her mind with happy thoughts - the home they would have in the future, how many children they would have, Thanksgiving with their families together, vacations taken to the beach. It helped in the beginning, but there were only so many thoughts that could keep a young wife occupied. How long ago was his last letter - 3 weeks? 4? It seemed eons ago. She couldn't believe how slowly time felt to be passing.
She found new ways to pass the time, yet she seemed in a daze. She hadn't anticipated life to be like this when she said "I do" in August. But once Tony got home, everything would be better. Life would be back to normal. The days passed, like they always did.
On an especially warm evening, Evelyn came home from the hospital working a later shift than usual. She changed her clothes, made a light meal for herself, and afterwards sat down in the parlor. She decided to listen to the rarely-used radio in the corner, a gift from her brother not too long ago. She couldn't remember the local station's channel, so she searched until a signal came in. A voice came in, fuzzy at first, but stern and excited - a news broadcaster. Some big event going on, the first of its kind. She had tuned in too late to hear exactly what.
We now go to the live feed where the man himself is...
There, she'd find out what the commotion was.
That's one small step for man, one...giant leap for mankind.
Evelyn still didn't understand what it was about. Confused and tired, she turned the radio off and walked into her bedroom.
Anthony made the decision at the beginning of October to enlist, being the last of his 3 brothers to do so. Evelyn was devastated, but she knew how much it meant to Tony to follow the path his brothers took.
The US needed men; the European front had settled down after the Allied push during the summer, but the Pacific front intensified. So on January 24, Anthony boarded a bus to Seal Beach, California for deployment. He was to board the US Carrier Altamaha as it shipped out on the 28th.
The first few days were the hardest for Evelyn. Each day she'd wake up in the bed the two had shared for only 5 months, somehow thinking he might be there as she rolled over to his side. She'd go through her daily morning routine - shower, makeup, dress herself, eat breakfast - hoping that this was the day she'd get a letter saying that the Allies had won, that Tony would be on his way home. She knew that day was far off, though. She did receive letters from him, however. Usually once a week, she'd get a short dispatch from him, his awful handwriting would make her laugh.
She spent her time working at the local hospital where she served as a nurse's assistant, reading, and hatching ideas for the eventual coming home party she'd throw for Tony once she got that letter.
Evelyn walked to her mailbox on Thursday afternoon, the time when Tony's letter would usually arrive. She opened the mailbox and saw another one of his letters, the familiar splotchy black ink running and dried down the bottom. It said that this letter would be the last one she would receive for a while, as his regiment would be going to
Evelyn kept on her routine, believing it would help her manage without Tony. Not every day was the same, though, she did have visitors - usually a relative of hers or Tony's, she would play cards with the nurses on weekends, she even attended a few friends' weddings - bittersweet affairs though they were.
The days started to feel like weeks, the weeks like months and years, still she waited for Tony's next letter. She filled her mind with happy thoughts - the home they would have in the future, how many children they would have, Thanksgiving with their families together, vacations taken to the beach. It helped in the beginning, but there were only so many thoughts that could keep a young wife occupied. How long ago was his last letter - 3 weeks? 4? It seemed eons ago. She couldn't believe how slowly time felt to be passing.
She found new ways to pass the time, yet she seemed in a daze. She hadn't anticipated life to be like this when she said "I do" in August. But once Tony got home, everything would be better. Life would be back to normal. The days passed, like they always did.
On an especially warm evening, Evelyn came home from the hospital working a later shift than usual. She changed her clothes, made a light meal for herself, and afterwards sat down in the parlor. She decided to listen to the rarely-used radio in the corner, a gift from her brother not too long ago. She couldn't remember the local station's channel, so she searched until a signal came in. A voice came in, fuzzy at first, but stern and excited - a news broadcaster. Some big event going on, the first of its kind. She had tuned in too late to hear exactly what.
We now go to the live feed where the man himself is...
There, she'd find out what the commotion was.
That's one small step for man, one...giant leap for mankind.
Evelyn still didn't understand what it was about. Confused and tired, she turned the radio off and walked into her bedroom.
Nice!
ReplyDeleteWell written! A very enjoyable read.
ReplyDelete