Missin' you.

Sat at the airport, waiting for my cousin Andrew to come home from his mission. A lot of soldiers passed by, off on Christmas leave, I guess. Impressive young men, the kind that shake your hand firmly, look you in the eye, hold their chin up and stand straight. Most of them I didn't know, two of them, Joe and Jared, I did. I could see that they were different somehow. Different than those who milled around them. I used to know others like them. Used to know Jeremy Long but he's dead now. And JR Szabo, he may as well be dead, for I'll never see him again. What a shame. What a damned, damned shame. To love someone so intensely, love them like you love your own kin,  and then suddenly they're gone from you forever... too many people know just exactly what I mean. I can't see a soldier, a marine, a sailor to this day, and not think about Jeremy and JR. A bullet to the chest killed Jeremy. I'm not sure to this day what got JR. I wonder if I'll ever meet another fine man, one who looks me in the eye, shakes my hand firmly, stands with his shoulders squared and  chin up, and not think about my soldiers, my heroes, my fighters, my loved and my lost...

 

Jeremy

Thought about you today, boys. Miss you something fierce.