Last Flag Flying by Darryl Ponicsán

Author:Darryl Ponicsán
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2017-09-28T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

At the station, under cloudy skies, the three old sailors watch the aluminum casket with the flag banded over it being loaded into a cargo car on the train they will take to Wilmington. Lance Corporal Washington stands at attention and salutes as station handlers put it aboard. Then he gets into the cargo car with it.

Billy looks at the sheaf of tickets in his hand and says, “Full circle.”

“What?” asks Mule.

“From Dover, Delaware, to Dover, New Hampshire.”

“That’s real close to Portsmouth,” says Meadows.

“A hearse is gonna pick us up at Dover.”

“We’re already in Dover.”

“The other Dover.”

“Oh.”

Billy offers Mule his arm and Mule takes it. They get on board the train.

“What’s our first stop?” asks Meadows, as they find their seats.

“Wilmington. It’s only thirty-five minutes. Then we gotta change trains to Philly.”

Billy and Meadows sit next to each other, facing Mule, who takes his Bible from his AWOL bag and opens it. He looks up from his Bible to see Billy studying him. “What are you looking at?”

“When did you become so old?”

“I think it happened over the past thirty-four years. Same as you.”

“I categorically deny it.”

“You can deny it all you want to, categorically or otherwise. That ain’t gonna stop the clock or turn it back.”

The train lurches forward and they are off. Meadows smiles. “Here we go again,” he says.

“What’s the word I’m lookin’ for, Mule?”

“You know full well the word you’re looking for. You know more words than you let on.”

“Déjà vu.”

“That’s the word.”

“Only this time people aren’t staring at us.”

“Were people staring at us?” Meadows asks. “Back then?”

“Oh, yeah. Two Shore Patrol with sidearms and a prisoner in handcuffs. That was drama.”

“This isn’t comedy,” says Mule.

“I remember a class of school kids, on a field trip through the train station. They all had little boards hanging around their necks with their names on ’em. One little girl was name Desirée. Who’d put a name like that on a kid? Sounds like a Creole whore. The kids pointed at us. I think we scared them.”

“I don’t remember any kids,” says Mule.

“Me neither,” says Meadows.

“Least of all some little girl named Desirée.”

“I’m surprised I do. Most times I don’t remember shit. It’s the déjà vu kickin’ in.”

The train starts picking up speed.

“Where do you figure little Desirée is now?” muses Billy. “Hittin’ the big four-oh, a couple husbands behind her, a big behind behind her … a bratty daughter goin’ out with sailors, a son smokin’ reefer, a shit job at Burger King …”

“Not all life turns sour,” observes Mule.

“Maybe that’s the difference between running a church and running a bar,” says Meadows.

“Speaking of which, I gotta check up on that fucker O’Toole, see if I’m still in business.”

“I think Desirée was a cheerleader in high school and the Homecoming Queen,” says Meadows, his head back, seeing it all play out on the overhead. “She married her high school sweetheart, Bo, who was the quarterback. Bo’s dad owned the local Ford dealership, and for a while

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.