Jack told me his army stories during the seven months when our produce shifts overlapped.  While he rinsed and diced, I wrapped and priced—listening to every word. 

 Travel, women, independence, adventure.

Jack wore camo and came home to blondes and beers.  Jack’s friend Tommy died in an exercise at Fort Benning.  Jack never went to war.

 I got my diploma. 

 Mom begged me not to, but I signed up anyway.

 I went to basic.  

 A year later some Arabs crashed some planes and everything changed. 

I wish I’d listened to my mother’s pleas, but I can’t say that out loud.

........................................................................................................................

Thanks Somyr Perry for getting this going.  I'm really enjoying the experiment.  As the "101's" I've read on here demonstrate, we've got a lot of gifted writers in our little online neighborhood.