Coleman-1 Casey Coleman Mrs. Simon Academy Language Arts 3-4 H 15 December 2 13 My !

oy "re#or $ remember reading in t%e ne&s'a'er t%e morning o( my sons dra(ting) *2+, Casualties in t%e !attle (or L- Albany "%is Morning. /Meyer0. "%is day started li1e any ot%er-day) $ &o1e u') grabbed my co((ee) t%e mail) 'ic1ed u' t%e ne&s'a'er and began reading. 2n t%e (ront 'age &ere %eadlines regarding t%e 3ietnam 4ar) &%ic% broug%t c%ills to my s'ine. $ 1ne& t%e 'ossibility o( my nineteen year old son) "re#or) being dra(ted gre& greater e#ery day. 5'on concluding my usual scanning o( t%e ne&s'a'er 'ages) $ 'ic1ed u' t%e mail and began sorting t%roug% t%e en#elo'es. "%e c%ills e6'erienced (rom t%e ne&s'a'er %eadlines 7ust minutes be(ore) suddenly turned into 'anic) a dar1ness (ell u'on me) t%e 'it o( my stomac% dro''ing) my %eart ac%ing) my mind struggling &it% disbelie( 8 my (ears %ad become a reality) my son &as being dra(ted. "&o years later) $ recei#ed t%e letter t%at &ould c%ange my li(e (ore#er. As $ o'ened it $ (elt t%e utter terror a mom (eels &%en %er baby boy %as 7ust been %it &it% a baseball. Ho&e#er) t%is time &as a lot &orse t%an a 'uny baseball9 it &as a MD-:2 anti'ersonnel mine) also 1no&n as t%e *toe 'o''er. /Meyer0. "%e letter stated t%at my boy &as ordered to &al1 t%roug% a rice 'addy &it% %is (ello& marines to attac1 a large enemy (orce) 1no&n as t%e !attle near 3in% Huy /Meyer0. 4%ile &al1ing %e ste''ed on a mine t%at too1 %is le(t leg u' to %is 1nee.

Coleman-2 4%en "re#or arri#ed %ome) $ 1ne& our ne& li(e &as going to be a struggle. His dad &as trying to %el' %im out o( t%e car) but %e &ould %a#e none o( it. He yelled and (oug%t %is (at%er o(() saying *$ can do it mysel(.. "%at (irst day %ome acted li1e a trailer (or t%e rest o( our li#es. $t &asn;t e#en so muc% o( "re#or not being able to do t%ings on %is o&n) it &as %is attitude. He &as angry at t%e &orld) t%e military) and e#en my %usband and $. All &e e#er did &as try to %el') but %e too1 it as a sign o( &ea1ness and sym'at%y to&ards %imsel(. 5n(ortunately) t%at;s &%at really got to me most about t%is &%ole t%ing. $ %ad a best (riend and lo#ing son 7ust t&enty (our mont%s be(ore) and no&) t%roug% a &ar and a single mine9 $ %ad a %ate(ul son &%o did not%ing but drin1 and t%in1 o( t%e negati#es o( t%e &orld. 4e used to do so muc% toget%er) and no& %e &ouldn;t e#en gi#e me more t%an a glance o( %atred (rom time to time. 4%ile t%is &as %a''ening) $ %ad t%e o''ortunity to t%in1 about my o&n li(e. My li(e &as 'er(ect until my son got dra(ted. <#en &%en %e &as at &ar $ (elt li1e my li(e &as 'retty great. $ %ad a (e& days a mont% &%ere $ &ould stay u' all nig%t &orrying because $ sa& an article or radio broadcast t%at &ould o'en my eyes to t%e dangers o( t%e &ar) but t%e ne6t day $ &ould be (ine. $ t%en continued &it% my regular sc%edule) doing t%e &or1 $ lo#ed) being married to t%e man o( my dreams) and ultimately) %a#ing t%e most ama=ing son anyone could 'ossibly as1 (or) e#en i( %e &as %al(&ay across t%e &orld. "%is all c%anged &it% t%e accident. $ >uit my 7ob to s'end time &it% my son) &%o &as ungrate(ul to say t%e least. !e(ore (or t%e &ar) $ &ould &a1e "re#or u' e#ery morning singing *2% Let "%e Suns%ine in.9 %e used to lo#e t%is song so muc% t%at %e &ould actually start singing it &it% me. Ho&e#er) a(ter t%e &ar) $ &ould get screamed at e#ery time $ tried to

Coleman-3 sing. As (or my %usband and $) &e %a#e ne#er been so distant in our t%irty (our years o( marriage. My li(e &as truly (alling a'art) and t%e only t%ing t%at could c%ange t%at &as my son9 &%o committed suicide August 2?) 1,?,.

4or1s Cited Meyer ) C. @.'. 4eb. 2 2ct 2 13. A%tt'BCC&&&.g2mil.comClostD#ietnam.%tmE.