As I reach forward to weld the pieces of metal on the army tank, beads of sweat begin to form on my forehead. Habitually, I take out my yellowed, stiff rag to wipe the droplets away. I wonder if my husband is any better off. Off to the second world war, he is serving his country in one of these very tanks. While I am suffering through my last few minutes of my shift, is he suffering worse? Where is he? What is he seeing? What is he doing at this very moment?
Back at our aparment, I have an overwhelming urge to try on the jewelry my beau gifted to me prior to his deployment. I trail my fingers around the outline of my heart-shaped locket until I reach the golden hinge. Opening the glittering pendant, I gaze into a portrait of him and I. My face relaxes instantly and I feel a breath of blissful memories gently breeze past me. A knock at the door breaks me from my tranquil trance.
Who can that be? I crack the door open and a tall, official man is standing in front of me. The man is so high in stature that I have to peek my head outside to look directly into his face.
"Yes?" I ask. "May I help you?"
The towering man looks down into my eyes with a somber expression. Searching for words, the officer removes hat.
"I regret to inform you that..."
In an instant, I realize what has happened. "Thank you for informing me, sir,"I turn away from him rapidly, slamming the door in his face. Like a disturbed child, I drop to the floor with a thud and wrap my arms around my knee caps. Unclenching my hands, I glance down at my necklace and remember the last words my soldier said to me, "A locket substituting for a ring. The minute I arrive back from Germany, I will buy you the most beautiful diamond ring in all of North America." Clenching my fist again, I realize that I will never have the twinkling band around my finger.
Back at our aparment, I have an overwhelming urge to try on the jewelry my beau gifted to me prior to his deployment. I trail my fingers around the outline of my heart-shaped locket until I reach the golden hinge. Opening the glittering pendant, I gaze into a portrait of him and I. My face relaxes instantly and I feel a breath of blissful memories gently breeze past me. A knock at the door breaks me from my tranquil trance.
Who can that be? I crack the door open and a tall, official man is standing in front of me. The man is so high in stature that I have to peek my head outside to look directly into his face.
"Yes?" I ask. "May I help you?"
The towering man looks down into my eyes with a somber expression. Searching for words, the officer removes hat.
"I regret to inform you that..."
In an instant, I realize what has happened. "Thank you for informing me, sir,"I turn away from him rapidly, slamming the door in his face. Like a disturbed child, I drop to the floor with a thud and wrap my arms around my knee caps. Unclenching my hands, I glance down at my necklace and remember the last words my soldier said to me, "A locket substituting for a ring. The minute I arrive back from Germany, I will buy you the most beautiful diamond ring in all of North America." Clenching my fist again, I realize that I will never have the twinkling band around my finger.
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