AFTERMATH (It Wasn't PHYS ED, Toto!)

The Beginning

For the uninitiated, an explanation is in order. In combat, especially in an ambush, the firefight usually starts when a designated individual starts the action by opening fire on the enemy. Then, as fast as their reflexes allow, the rest of the unit joins in, so that there are 2, then 3, then 4, until all are firing, the sound of battle ebbs and flows as weapons run out of ammunition and are quickly reloaded, then as targets no longer present themselves, the reverse occurs, so that there are many, then few, then 3, then 2, and almost always, finally one weapon that fires a last burst or round, then the eerie silence returns, and the taking stock of dead and wounded begins. Hopefully theirs and not yours.

It was the end of October,1969, and I had just returned home from a 418 day tour in Vietnam. I was a man on a mission. At the end of my basic training, I borrowed some money from my girlfriend's mom, and bought a PX engagement ring. Around dinnertime, near the mess hall, I dropped on one knee and proposed; an officer holding evening formation nearby saw me and sent a runner up to see what her answer was. When the runner gave a thumbs up, the entire Battalion sized formation gave us a rousing cheer, my girl was properly impressed, and I was proud to be Army.

The Girl

AIT (Advanced Individual Training) went ok, and we had 28 days of glorious leave to share before I had to go to Vietnam. Near the end, I began to have doubts, not of my love, but of the wisdom of asking a pretty 18 year old girl to sit at home for a year, waiting for a possibly dead man to return. I thought of releasing her from her promise, but decided to let her make that choice. I boarded the plane with the hope she would be true, but prepared to receive the dreaded DEAR JOHN letter. It never came, but the letters slowed by November, and after Christmas 1968, stopped altogether, except for one tiny note on a piece of scrap paper stating her love that I received in July. But I knew the story, my "friends" had kept me informed.

When I received my orders to go home, I got the requisite re-up lecture. I told the Captain to hold my slot 2 weeks, either I would win back my girl or I'd be back by then. Thus when I got home, it was with the sole intent of finding out if my future was with her or in Vietnam. I visited her family to see her sister's baby, who was born the day I left Binh Phuoc, several days late. I told her sister Bonnie knew where I lived, so it was up to her to let me know if she wanted to see me or not. That afternoon, the girl who had introduced us asked me to come to dinner at her place. She and my best friend had married while I was away, so I agreed. When I got there, Bonnie was there too, we looked at each other, I said "Are you going to sit there or give me a hug?" She leaped up and damn near squeezed me to death, her tears flowing freely. Good start, I thought.

The Flashback

We dated several days the next week, but she was not wearing my ring. Friday she said she wanted to get some Halloween stuff, so we decided to go to the Mall Saturday morning. Willowbrook Mall had been built in the late 50's or early 60's, and she told me the mall owners were increasing the size of it and refurbishing the inside. Much had changed in the year+ that I was gone, but with some difficulty I found the Mall. I parked in the lot, Bonnie chuckled and told me Spencer Gifts was at the other end. I said I wanted to see the new mall, and so saved face.

We walked through the main mall, reaching the far end in the middle of a "T". Much had indeed changed, many new stores, new floor layout, two walking paths near the stores, the center was being redone as a long 20 foot wide tropical garden the entire length and width of the mall. Ferns,miniature palms, 25 foot tropical trees, all being planted in moist rich dirt. Looked and smelled just like home...... whoa, hold that one, the rice paddies,nippa palm and tree lines of the Mekong Delta were no longer home...or were they??

The visual input and scents were strong, we stood a while and I pointed out things that were like or exactly the plant life of Vietnam. As we looked to the left, I saw a group of about 14 boys near the toy store, they were holding brand new klackers. These toys were simple, two hard plastic balls on a string, the idea was to get a rapid up and down motion of your hand to cause the balls to strike at the top and bottom of their arc, making a loud "klack". Contests were held to see who could keep the game going longest. The kids posed no danger to me (why did that thought even occur to me??), so I determined the store we wanted was the other way and turned my back on them and began to walk. From behind, I heard 3...2...1...GO!! First one, then 2, then 3, then more........SHIT!!! AK-47s!!!

I dove head first for the nearest cover, some tropical plants to my left. Flattened to the earth, I was turning my head to determine the source. Behind me, I decided, as I looked for my trusty M-16. "DAMMIT, how could you lose it here A--Hole" I thought to myself. "Where were the other guys and why weren't they returning fire?"" Not enough cover, had to move, I rapidly crawled forward through the plants, keeping belly to the dirt, only moving my head left and right looking for a weapon or wounded. I covered about 25 feet when WHAM I ran head first into a tree hard enough to knock me flatter than I already was.

By now the AK's were dropping in volume, then it was 3, then 2, then one who fired a unbelievably long burst, and fell silent. "They'll be coming to strip the bodies" I thought, "Need a weapon to take one with me if I can." Slowly I moved my head to see what was around, as I looked forward, I saw a pair of boots right in front of me. "Too late" I thought, they're here already, wearing work boots and green slacks-----WORK BOOTS??????

The Recovery

I turned my head and pushed myself to my knees. Work boots, green slacks, tan shirt with some kind of patch and name tag, and a white Anglo face. Saved!!! but by who?? Unit patch says Willowbrook Mall, name tag says----------- Master Gardener?????? I looked around, there were people all around, staring at me, some laughing, some shocked, a few were pulling young children away as fast as they could. As I tried to stand up, two sets of hands roughly grabbed me and pulled me up. I could see blue uniforms, and looked to identify this new threat. Mall security, hhmmm, best not to react just yet. I looked into the face of the Master Gardener, his eyes narrowed as he tried to read me, as I was trying to read him. "Let him go guys, I'll take care of this" he said. I looked around, Bonnie was off to the side, visibly shaken and embarrassed. Behind me was a trail of destruction, plants torn up or crushed, fresh dirt thrown all over the walkway, a real mess to say the least.

I returned my gaze to the man in front of me, his eyes narrowed even tighter as he tried to probe my mind. 'How long you been back?' he asked. '9 days, 2/47th 9th Inf Div., Mekong Delta' I told him. 'Marines, I Corps '65' he told me. He looked around and loudly announced 'It's ok folks, just one of our boys just got back and was reliving his adventure for Uncle Sam.'

I looked at all the plants and mess and asked how much he figured I owed. 'Not a thing, troop, we still owe you a lot, just try not to do it again, ok?' Said I'd do my best, we shook hands and I brushed myself off. I walked over to Bonnie and asked if she wanted me to take her home, she looked around and said no, if I could go on, so could she. I was hungry, we got something to eat and did our shopping; on our way out, I noticed all the damage had already been repaired, but in the center, carefully preserved, was the imprint of my body where I ran into that tree. But there was no tree, only a pair of work boot prints just in front of my head.

The Happy Ending

For the record, after 3 months, I told Bonnie if she wasn't ready to be engaged, we should start thinking of seeing other people. Neither of us did so, spending all our free time together for 6 weeks. Then one night after she got in the car to go out, she handed me the ring, and said 'I'd like to wear it if you still want me to.' I put it on her finger, we were married in May,1971, had our 3 kids in 1972 (girl), 1975 (girl),and 1976 (boy) and called it quits on the kids. 28 years and three grandkids later, there were days I wondered if I did the right thing coming home, but we are still together, in a newly bought house, and I still love her!!

Harold 'Doc' Peterson