After All

Dain and I are best friends, shipmates, and soul brothers. More than genetic bonds, our spirits are entwined and will remain together for ever. We became friends when I needed desperately in my life someone who seemed to care about me. He encouraged me and gave my life new meaning even in the valley of the shadow of death. Viet Nam. He is the reason I joined the service. Dain was inspired by Master Chief Benjamin Alexander, his Sea Scout Master. Ann Marie, his wife's father. The greatest honor for me would have been to have been stationed on the USS Constellation, Dain's carrier. Dain introduced me to Ann Marie in 62' they had met in 55', by 57' he had become a trusted friend of their family and would visit on summer vacation for boy scout points to help Mrs. Alexander by doing odd chores for the family while the Chief was involved in active duties for the Navy. Dain was very fond and protective of Ann Marie and treated her like a little sister he adored as Dain was an only child.

When Ann Marie became a young woman he realized he was head over hills in love with her and wanted to keep her forever. He wanted to be her very first lover. He feared losing her some where along the way, with the vicissitudes of growth and maturity. Our nation was at war inside and out. With Ann's mom signature they married quietly proper for that time and he left her at home with her parents while they finished school, THIS WAS NO PUPPY LOVE! Ann's mother was surprised when their love lasted long enough for the Civil rights laws to pass. Now their marriage was recognized legally the unfair racist laws had not killed their desire to be together. They were more in love than ever. Dain told me many times Ann is going to play a major part in my life. I can truly attest that she has done this and more. Ann has given Dain back his life through honor and memory. In 64' they renewed their marriage vowels as they had never divorced or separated legally.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. blessed the union and I married my girl Ernestine in the same ceremony. Ernie and I remained married until she died. Just like Dain and Ann we were also an inter racial couple. Ann and I are now 70 but we have some of the best memories of our life. Ann continues to find every opportunity to serve by caring for lonely abandon Viet Nam vets alive and dead. She will take urns of these vets whose family no longer want to memorialize them. She will get them to veteran memorial parks for proper recognition. She receives their flags when no family is left to honor them. She bakes, she makes Christmas and Thanksgiving and gives them a promise of a Happy New year. Because most of these vets only have death to look forward to.

However even more as Dain predicted, she lives for Dain's recognition of honor. I'm sure he is very proud of her as in all she does she does him proud.

ROBERT imanirobert14@gmail.com

Dain Scott