A Marine Called Jason
(Revised)
by: Peter

(© 2007-2015 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 38
Goodbye To Vietnam 

Nothing was said the next morning about us sleeping so tightly together. There was too much excitement over getting Jase’s visa and making preparations to leave.  I was fluffed up and it filled my shorts to capacity, which did not go unnoticed by the teenager.  He was bone hard, tenting his shorts something awful, which didn’t go unnoticed by me. 

“This happens every morning,” he said. It was a casual mention; he wasn’t making a big deal of it.  “I have to wait till it goes down before I can leave my room.”

He dressed in a pair of worn jeans that fit him well and a brightly-colored polo shirt, and sandals. I didn’t ask if he had shoes.

Things went well at the embassy. Everything was in order. When the man handed the visa to me, Jase reached for it.

“You should carry this,” the man told me.

“I will,” I assured him but I gave it to Jase first to see it and get the feel of it; the feel of his freedom and a new life.  He held it for a moment, like a priceless treasure, then handed it back to me. I thanked the man and we left.  Jase leaped in the air with a loud whoop and landed several steps down. I’d never seen anyone so happy.  We went back to the orphanage for him to say his goodbyes.  It was a tearful event, even for me, as it hit me that the boy was leaving his home and his homeland; leaving these people….the nuns and the other boys….who had been his family.  He hugged every one of them, except for one smallish boy of about twelve who stood off in the corner of the playground.  I could see that he wasn’t of American blood.

“Aren’t you going to tell me goodbye?” I heard Jase ask him.

The boy turned his back. Jase smiled and walked toward him, and I thought he looked so old and mature compared to the rest of the boys.  He walked around and squatted down in front of the smaller boy.

“You’re not going to tell me goodbye?” Jase asked again.

“I don’t want you to go,” the boy blurted through his sobs as he threw his arms around Jase and hugged him tight.

“You know I have to go, tiger.  I don’t belong here like you do,” Jase told him in a very grown up, soothing tone. 

It seemed to quiet the boy but he walked away and sat on the wall. Jase followed him.

“Look, tiger.....”   He crooked a finger under the boy’s chin to lift his head so they could be eye to eye.  “You’re the oldest, now.  You have to take my place and help the sisters keep the other boys in line.”  The boy just stared at him.  “The sisters are gonna need you, like to go to the market for them,” he told him.  It seemed to gradually soak in and the boy finally nodded. “I’ll write to you when I get there, and I’ll send you something from America.”

Jase pulled him off the wall to stand in front of him.  They didn’t say anything, just looked at each other, then they hugged again and Jason turned and walked away.

Jase told the nuns goodbye, joking with the two younger ones, but with Sister Marie, he was more serious.

“I do not know how to thank you for saving me,” he told her.

“I will tell you how to thank me,” she said sternly.  “You be a good boy when you get to the United States, don’t ever forget how fortunate you are to have Mr. Courter, and you grow up to be a man he can be proud of. A man your father can be proud of.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he said, then he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

She brushed it off with a flourish but he playfully planted a kiss on her other cheek. He kissed the other nuns in turn.  As we were leaving, the children followed us to the gate.  Jase turned and smiled and waved to the boy still sitting on the wall. He didn’t wave back at first, but Jase stood there waving till the boy finally waved back.

From the orphanage, I took him to meet Toby. On the way I explained who Toby was, how his father and I used to meet at Toby’s and drink beer.  Toby came around from behind the bar as we walked in.  He walked right up to Jase and put out his hand.

“You must be Jason, Jr,” he said as they shook hands.

“Yes, sir.”

“Talk about a legacy,” Toby said to me.  Then he turned back to Jase. “If you turn out to be half the man your dad was, you’ll be a man to be reckoned with,” he said.

Jase looked like he didn’t understand and I told him I would explain later. We chatted for a few minutes, till it was time for us go. I gave Toby some money and told him to see about getting some playground equipment for the orphanage.

“Keep in touch this time,” Toby told me as we bear-hugged.  Then he surprised Jase by hugging him.  “You take care of this old man,” he told him.

“I’ll do my best,” Jase said.

And with that, we parted.

I didn’t look back as we left Toby’s.  It had to be left behind, till another time, perhaps, when I might return in my old age. But I couldn’t help taking a long, longing look at the Trent as we walked past.  I imagined I heard an ancient moan of farewell, and room 238 calling out to me. But I had already said my farewells to the Trent. I walked on.

To be continued...  

Posted: 02/27/15 rp