Author: usmgrad
Subject: Full Circle - HBX Challenge March 2007

HBX Challenge March 2007
Title: Full Circle
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters for fun will return them unharmed.
Author: usmgrad

The hour is late; most people are in bed, dreaming of far off places. But not one brand new father just home from the hospital with his newborn son. Mom is trying to sleep but can’t stop looking at her husband, wondering what’s going on in his head. He’s been very quiet since they arrived home from the hospital and now he’s deep in thought just looking at his son.

In a whisper, so as not to wake the sleeping child “What are you afraid of, Harm?”

“He’s so small.”

“He’ll get bigger.”

“He’s so fragile.”

“He’ll grow to be strong.”

Silence encompasses the room; there are so many emotions, so many thoughts, and so many questions.

“I didn’t know my dad. I don’t think I know how to be a dad.”

“You’ll learn.”

“What if I make mistakes?”

“You’ll be OK.”

“I want to do this right. He’s so special.” Pausing for a moment, “I wish my dad were here to see him, tell him stories, take him flying. I wish my son could know his grandfather.”

Sitting up in bed she reaches and touches her husband’s arm getting him to look at her for just a moment. “Your son will know his grandfather. He will know him by the pictures you show him. By the way he feels when he’s soaring in the clouds. The spirit your father left you, you will instill in your son. He will have a love of flying, a sense of duty, and a love for his country.”

Giving the mother of his child a kiss, thankful that she has just the touch that keeps him grounded, he turns and again looks at his son.

“He’s so small.”

“Harmon Rabb, he’s 23 inches long and weighs 9 pounds. He’s all leg and will be giving us a run for our money before you know it. Now let’s get some sleep before Harmon Rabb Junior wakes up and wants to eat.”

Five years later -military housing-San Diego-home of Harmon and Trish Rabb and their son Harm. Harmon Rabb is a Lieutenant in the US Navy, a pilot with the air group assigned to the Ticonderoga. Its early fall and Harmon is getting ready to deploy to the Far East on a 6 month cruise that will have him flying sorties over Vietnam. He will be missing Christmas at home on this trip so he is spending extra time with his son before he leaves. It is early morning, Harmon and Trish are in the kitchen preparing breakfast and discussing the upcoming day.

“What are you and Harm doing today?”

“Something special.”

Looking at her husband for more information, “Do I get to know what it is?”

“No, this is between father and son.”

“He's going to miss you while you’re gone.”

Coming up behind his wife and hugging her from behind he whispers in her ear, “Is he the only one?”

“No.”

“I'll be back before you know it and you’ll be so tired of me under foot you’ll be asking when I’m leaving again.”

Trish turns in her husband embrace so she is facing him, “I don’t think so; this deployment feels different from the others.”

“You just don’t want to have to put up with the antics of your son by yourself.”

Slapping Harmon’s arm and turning him loose Trish continues to fix breakfast, “That’s it maybe I’ll send him with you. You think you and Tom can handle him?”

“We’ll have him flying by the time we hit deep water.” Turning toward the bedrooms “Harm, are you coming to eat breakfast?”

“Yes, sir, I just need to put my pets up.”

Trish looks up from what she’s doing, “Pets, what pets?” Turning toward her husband she shakes her finger at him, “I swear if he has brought another lizard in the house, he’s definitely going with you.”

Harm comes into the kitchen wiping his hands on his pants.

“Harm, is there a lizard in this house?”

“No ma’am.”

“Was there a lizard in the house?”

Heading toward the back door, “Can we go Dad? I don’t want breakfast.”

“Harm, you can't run away all your life, answer your mother.”

“He’s outside now.”

“Harmon Rabb Junior I have told you time and time again that lizards, frogs, bugs and rocks belong outside and are not to come in this house. I have a great mind to make you stay home today and spend the time in your room, alone.”

“Mom.”

“But I won‘t, not today, but tomorrow you will be punished for bring a lizard in the house.”

“Yes ma’am”

“Now sit down and eat your breakfast.”

After breakfast father and son are off for their special day. First is Harm’s choice – the park. Harmon tries to teach his son how to catch a baseball. Unfortunately Harm drops more than he catches, but he never gives up, He keeps trying. ‘He has fortitude’, Harmon thinks. ‘Hopefully my son will remember what I tried to teach him today and it will help him as he gets older.’ After catch, the swings were next on the list. Harm liked to swing high, way up in the sky like he was flying and who was his dad to deny his son the change to fly. After the swings comes the slide. Harm likes the slide as much as the swings but today he runs into an obstacle - girls. Harm tries to charm his way into the line but one girl grabs him to push him out of line. Harm was not having it and yelled “Hey let go of me.” Harmon chuckled; apparently Harm wasn’t a “ladies man”, yet. To avoid further confrontation Harmon decided it was a good time to have lunch, so they headed to the picnic area to eat the lunch Trish had packed. Harmon had been quiet all morning about his son’s breaking of the house rules, but the time had come to have a heart to heart talk with his son.

“Harm”

“Yes Dad”

“We have to talk”

“Yes sir”

“You know what you did was wrong this morning.”

“Yes sir”

“Do you understand why it was wrong?”

“Mom said no”

“Yes, but it’s not just because mom said no. Mom and I make rules for our household and rules have to be obeyed. Do you understand?”

“NO”

“Harm, we make rules to keep you safe. We do this because we love you and don’t want anything to happen to you. Do we need to go over the rules?”

“No sir.”

“Remember to say please and thank you, always address adults as sir or ma’am, always let your mom now where you are going, never speak to strangers, never play with matches, no running or yelling in the house and?”

“No animals in the house.”

“Right “

“Harm I want you to try very hard to obey the rules. I am not going to be around for a while to help your mother so I need you to be extra helpful. Be the man of the house and look after your mother. That means no lizards in the house.”

“Yes sir”

Not convinced that Harm agrees to follow the rules, Harmon tries another approach. “How about this, you follow all the rules and behave, especially no more “pets” in the house and when I get back we will see about getting a dog.”

“A real dog, just for me, one that I can take care of and walk and let sleep in my bed?”

“If you behave and follow all the rules while I’m gone.”

“Yes sir, I’ll be the best boy in the world.”

Harmon ponders; maybe that is the clue to raising kids, bribery.

Months later…
I remember them coming like it was yesterday. Mom and I were in the kitchen having lunch when there was a knock at the door. I followed Mom into the living room, past our Christmas tree to the front door. There were two men in uniform at the door. I had never seen them before. As soon as she saw them Mom got nervous. She invited them into the living room. It didn’t take long for them to say what they came to say. “Your husband was shot down December 24th and is listed as missing in action.” I didn’t say anything, they were strangers and Dad told me not to talk to strangers. Besides I didn’t like what they were saying. If my Dad was missing why didn’t they go find him? Last week when Tommy from down the street was lost we all got out and looked for him. He was found in a tree. He had climbed up and couldn’t get down. All the Navy has to do is look in the trees maybe my Dad was stuck and couldn’t get down.
The men didn’t stay; they told my Mom they would keep in touch if they found my Dad. After they left Mom cried. I tried to hold her like Dad did when she broke the turkey plate last year but I’m not as big as my Dad so I couldn’t hug her good.
A few days later lots of people came over to the house. They all brought food and sat around. Everyone was sad. They talked like my dad was dead, but he’s not dead, he’s missing. One day he will come home and then all these people will have to take back all the things they are saying about him being dead.
Mom cried all day when Dad’s ship came back. He wasn’t on board. They didn’t find him. I don’t understand why my Dad hasn’t been found. I looked on the map and Vietnam isn’t that big. How can the whole Navy not find him? Maybe they aren’t trying hard enough. I asked Mom if I could go find Dad, but she said no and then cried. If I could I would run away and look for him but I can't run away, I promised my Dad to obey the rules and I would have to tell Mom where I was going. Besides I’m all she has and I have to take care of her.
It’s been a year since he went missing. We moved to a new house and I am going to a new school. I didn’t want to move, how would Dad know where we were when he comes home? Mom explained that the new people in our house would tell him where we are. Mom is working now; she says she needs something to do during the day while I’m at school. I remember what my Dad told me about obeying the rules, and sometimes it’s hard. But if I’m going to be a pilot I have to follow rules. Maybe now is the time to tell Mom about the dog Dad promised me.

Years later…
The hour is late; most people are in bed, escaping from the drudgery of the work day. But not one brand new father just home from the hospital with his newborn daughter. Mom is trying to sleep but can’t stop looking at her husband, wondering what is going on in his head. He has been very quite since they returned from the hospital and now he is deep in thought just looking at his daughter

“She’s so small.”

“She’ll grow.”

“She’s so fragile.”

“She won’t break.”

Silence encompasses the room; there are so many emotions, so many thoughts, and so many questions.

“I don’t think I know how to be a dad.”

“You’ll learn.”

“What if I make mistakes?”

“You’ll be OK.”

“I want to do this right. She’s so special.” Pausing for a moment, “I wish my Dad were here to see her, tell her stories, and take her flying. I wish my daughter could know her grandfather.”

Sitting up in bed she reaches and touches her husband’s arm getting him to look at her for just a moment.
“Your daughter will know her grandfather. She will know him because you will teach her the things he taught you - how to trust her instincts, to never give up, to always look for the truth. Her grandfather will be with her every step of the way, watching and protecting.”

Giving the mother of his child a kiss, thankful that she has just the touch that keeps him grounded, he turns and again looks at his daughter.

“You didn’t mention flying.”

“You noticed that did you?”

“Yes.”

“Trish and I are hoping for a land lover, with her feet solid on the ground.”

“She’s so small.”

“Harmon Rabb, she’ll grow. Now let’s get some sleep before your daughter wakes up and for once, admits she has real feelings and wants to eat.”

“What do you mean for once, she was letting her feelings be known very loudly earlier? I think she has your appetite.”

“Good night Harm, I love you.”

“Good night Mac, I love you too, Good night little one, tomorrow you learn about flying.”