Sunday Whatever: The Decoration by Tom Sheehan

Regular visitors to the site will be aware of Tom. He has had more stories published than any other author. Much of his work is republished writing but though he is now in his 97th year and struggling with vision loss he is still submitting new work. This is his latest submission to Literally Stories. Proof if it were needed that the soul of the writer burns brightly regardless of the passing years.

The Decoration by Tom Sheehan

The two highly-ranked officers were talking out of ear-shot from all the troops in their command, a massive force gathered for battle 24 hours a day in a foreign land, never seeing it before and hoping never to see it again.

“Does he realize what he accomplished on this day, what the enemy lost and what we gained, or got under our control? A major breakthrough, I’d say.It’s like that all the way to the moon, at least to the other side of it in the long search.”

“Absolutely, Sir, right to the last ounce, one of the bright ones. If the enemy ever got hold of the body, no matter the condition, they could doctor it any way they wanted and make it special to their selection, and no doubt about that outcome, right to the last grain in the eternal search no matter what side of the moon comes up.”

John Sable, corporal flag holder in plain sight of truth, no helmet no weapon. If the enemy retrieved the body they could doctor it any way they want it.

“I’d like to be in his shoes. Once Washington is done with him and all the hoopla, it’s on to Glendale, California, his father’s home. We don’t bring up his mother because we have no idea what goes on there and we can’t ask.”

“You’re right on that count, Sir. How far do we bend?”

“All the way if you’re sure of him.”

“I wish we had a thousand like him. The ranks would change all over Hell and back.”

“He’ll change his life., out of the ordinary the toast of the king’s people will stand up and cheer for him all along the line. The enemy, like you say, paid a horrible expense for an act of bravery, 52 of them gone. Hell of a payback on any scale. You sure he knew what he was doing?”

“Like I said, Sir, one of the bright ones. He had to bring him back, flag of truce or no flag of truce. Lickety-split or no lickety split.

“The girls will scream to touch him. Every last one of them. The parades will bounce at the chance. He’s a handsome dude besides. Could be in the movies before this one is over, Glendale or no Glendale.”

“Before this goes too far, we have to make sure of him. Bring him in.”

“Do you realise what you did yesterday, Corporal?”

“Yes. Sir, I sure did. If the enemy got his body, they could doctor him no end. I could not let that happen for the dead man and for my buddies. They all matter, and I had the chance to sweep up control and took them by the horns.”

“When Washington gets through with you, you’ll be a parade about to happen.”

“Too bad our flag holder doesn’t know it.”

“Or mother. She was cheating on my father, and he never said a word about it to me.”

“You meet everything head-on, don’t you?”

“Way to make the world go round.”

Tom Sheehan