The Day

The sun rose as normal, clouds were lightly scattered, a warm breeze was picking up from over the ocean, nothing was unusual about the day's beginnings. Mother came into the bedroom singing, "Rise and Shine" Marty yawned and groaned and covered his head with his blanket. Nothing was unusual this morning. Coming down to breakfast Marty noticed the first inklings that things were not quite right this morning. Breakfast was not the normal cereal and toast. Mother had made pancakes, gobs of them. She even said help yourself to as many as you would like. Something was different but Marty wasn't going to complain right now this was a good change.

Then came another unusual announcement. Mother told Marty that there was not school today. It was not snowing out, this was the middle of spring. Now Marty wanted to know what was up. why was there no school? Mother said that they just decided to give everyone a holiday. This made absolutely no sense. Something was up. the whole school system was on a break for no apparent reason. No way!

Mom had said that she wanted to have the daybe nice and quiet. Marty could play as he pleased but he could not leave the yard. For a ten year old boy this was a little bite of a trial. The phone had been put off limits last evening for no reason that Marty could think off. He was feeling trapped. There was no way to communicate with his friends. What was going on? The suspense was almost too hard to bear.

Marty's mother had a philosophy that a child will not lose control if they do not know there is something to be excited or sad about. Marty knew his mother's extremes this way. This works for his little sister but he was ten. A ten year old is not kid anymore. He was nearly a grown-up in his mind. And really his mom's philosophy was about to work backwards. He was about to bust or explode.

About 1:00 the door bell rang. Marty had been up in his room looking out over the hill toward the ocean. Wondering, thinking...would this day ever come to an end? Would he ever know it's significance? He had missed the commotion on the street in front of the house. The door bell rang again. Marty stirred. He thought about bolting to the door but his tenseness had turned into a lethargic mood. He did not want to move. Mom called up the stairs and said that they were having company and would he please come downstairs. That was pretty formal. Not unusual but formal. Down he went.

Slowly and then slower. Every step revealed a scene that was becoming harder to comprehend. Through the picture windows Marty could see crowds on the other side of the picket fence. Every kid from school had their face stuck through the pickets. The front door was opened and on the lawn there seemed to be cameras and newsmen from every TV station in the state. Who was standing at the front door?

Mother was asking the gentlemen to please come inside. Letting him know tea was ready and we were delighted with his coming for a visit. Marty's mind was whirling. Mother, yes mother, she was always entering sweepstakes and crazy gimmicks. She never won anything but she continued to try. Marty remembered. The President of the United States of America was going to visit a normal family for tea. The realization hit Marty...Mom had won. The President was at their house. Marty couldn't believe it. He just plopped on the stairs and watched. Without so much as a flicker of uneasiness his mother was entertaining the President of the United States of America. His mother was amazing.

War Is Ugly

War is ugly
Blood
Anger
Revenge
Selfishness
Bitterness
Cowardice
War is ugly
Deep pain
Deep hatred
Deep emotion
Deep wounds
Deep hurts
Deep guilt
War is ugly
Death of innocence
Death of the soul
Death of life
War is ugly