On Tuesday of this week, I suffered a big set-back. One "off" day and one long parent/student conference later, and I was a crumbling wreck. I called Mom and Dad that evening, barely able to speak around my sobbing.
There went the pride I felt in how well I was handling everything.
Wednesday was better, and Thursday was absolutely fine. Today I didn't go to work, as I have some kind of cold/flu/sinus infection. I woke up feeling pretty rough. Good spirits, awful stuffed head.
I've spent most of the day alternating between reading on the sofa and taking a three-hour nap in my bed. A few minutes ago, I shuffled down to the mail box (allll the way at the other end of my apartment complex) to get the mail, in the hopes that Season 3 of Gray's Anatomy would be waiting for me.
It was. So was an envelope from Dad containing a check to pay me back for purchasing "The War" for him on Amazon. Curiously, there was also another envelope from him. It was slightly torn and some sort of metal jewelry was sticking out.
I opened it immediately upon returning to my apartment, and found one of Dad's old dog tags and a military-issue metal can opener on a chain, enclosed with the following note:
10/2/07
Meg,
These guys flew some North Vietnam missions with me back in the '60's. The dog tag has my old serial # o nit. The serial # was discontinued in 1970 and replaced with social security #s. The can opener was used to open the K rations.
Since nobody killed me while I carried them, I thought they might protect you from the slings and barbs.
I'm proud of you. Keep up the good fight.
Love,
DAD
Needless to say, I'm sitting here crying--the good tears--as I write this.
Thank you, Daddy.
1 comment:
Meg, that's awesome!!
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