Not So Perfect After All

Sun, 2.29.2004


In the evening, John called home talking with his parents for a while.

We learnt that Cousin Leo was to be shipped to Iraq in August for 8-month service (or longer). He will be sent to San Diego camp for 2-month training prior to going abroad.

Few years ago Leo joined Marine Reserve, which surprised the whole family. He never expressed any interest in military career in the past, at least we never heard of it. He dropped out of college after a year and started working for an international freight carrier. For a young man, barely 20 years of age, it's hard to figure out what to do with life. I believe that uncle Phil, his father, encouraged him to join the reserve.

Uncle Phil served in the Navy right after high school, sailing over Asia and other parts of the world. To country Iowans, it was fantastic. It's easy money to collect for a week of service every month -- pardon my frankness -- with a good faith that Uncle Sam won't call on reserves.

How wrong was uncle Phil?

His son is about to be sent to the troubled Middle East.

For a father, that was probably the best idea he could think of since Leo's not into school or particular professions. Leo used to play football in high school and, no doubt, the stoutest male in his family. Perhaps that's why he chose the Marines?

We certainly weren't thrilled to know that Leo's coming to San Diego. No, that's not the reason we had in mind for meeting him. When the US-Iraq conflict broke off last year, our whole family worried that Leo would be sent for war. But his time didn't come then.

Uncle Phil was so upset that he planned to move out of Iowa, where he lived most of his life, to be close to his daughter in Indiana.

After high school, Cousin Julie left Iowa, and had lived in Florida then Indiana. She only sees Uncle Phil once a year. It's Leo that Phil is close to. We know that Uncle Phil will be lonely but John's parents visit him a few times a year. His step-son lives close by and is fairly close to him. (Quite rare for family relationships these days.) We don't understand why Uncle Phil wanted to move away? Was he thinking that Leo wouldn't return?

Oh, the unthinkable!