Fortunate son : the autobiography of Lewis B. Puller, Jr by Puller Lewis B

Author:Puller, Lewis B
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Puller, Lewis B, United States. Marine Corps, Vietnam War, 1961-1975, Vietnam War, 1961-1975, Veterans, Disabled, Marines
Publisher: New York : Bantam Books
Published: 1993-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

to high school. Jeff and Dave caught me just as we were leaving the hospital, and I was so anxious to make good my escape that we paused just long enough to instruct them to follow us in their car to our new apartment. As I got into our car, it occurred to me that I was breathing fresh air for the first time in three months. It was also the first time in more than six months that I had been in a car, and the initial experience of transferring from a wheelchair to a car required all my strength. Years later I learned from Jeff that Dave Ware, who had not seen me since before my wounding, had cried for most of the way to our apartment.

When we arrived, Jeff and Dave carried me up the steps in my wheelchair to our new digs on the second floor. They then moved the Spartan government furniture down from the attic, and after setting up the bed and depositing me, they arranged the other furnishings as Toddy directed. Someone broke out a six-pack of beer, and for the rest of the visit Dave and Jeff were so busy arranging furniture and admiring Lewpy that neither of them had time to become preoccupied with me. I was exhausted from so much activity, and after a decent interval they sensed my weariness and departed. I thought I noticed an unfamiliar tightness in Dave's smile as he bade us good-bye, but at the time I did not give it much thought. I came to know that look well as I reestablished contact with my old chums later, but for now I was touched to have seen an old friend with whom I had played high school football, ridden motorcycles, and chased girls.

After they had gone, Toddy sat on the bed beside me and cradled Lewpy in her arms. The three of us were finally alone, and as I reached for her hand, conversation seemed completely unnecessary. I did not know how I was going to get back down the steps on Monday morning for my first day on outpatient status at the hospital, but then again I didn't really care.

For the next six weeks we settled into a pattern that was as close to normal as we could manage. The Marine Corps had promised us the ground-floor apartment just below us when it became available the first of March, and in the meantime, the captain who had the other apartment on

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.