»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #44
»
Bones Dad Sometimes Gets a Little Crazy
| Open Poetry #44 |
|
Bones Dad Sometimes Gets a Little Crazy |
|
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
|
Bones is sitting at home with Mom. They’re waiting for Dad to come home. He’s late as usual for Thursday night. "Thursday night's the night to howl in Philly. That's when the guy's get paid in our hood." They figure he’s down at A Jay’s bar, drinking it up with his pals. He’s down there telling war stories. Mom hopes he’s not getting too worked-up. That’s never good. Dad gets a little crazy when he drinks too much, and starts in talking about the war with his drinking buddies. There’s a loud crash, as Dad slams open the front door. Dad rushes into the kitchen. He’s waving a pistol around in the air, shouting incomprehensible gibberish about shooting some lousy krauts. Mom makes a bee line for the backdoor, she’s out of there. Mom's been on this trip before, she doen't plan to take it again. Bones is little, he's not used to seeing his Dad like this. He's always in bed this hour on Thursday night. This crap is all new to Bones. Bones drops to his knees in front of his father, starts bawling, screams that he’s no kraut, and begs his Dad not to shoot him. Dad stands there for a few seconds, starts crying, and drops the gun. No one gets much sleep that night. Bobby [This message has been edited by Robert E. Jordan (03-20-2009 11:28 PM).] |
||
| © Copyright 2009 Robert E. Jordan - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Wow! That's a touching story Bobby. It's terrible what the ravages of war can do sometimes and adding alcohol to it doesn't help. I'm glad no one was hurt on this occasion. Nice write, can't understand why it wasn't commented on before this. Take care Eric |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Thanks Eric, I think it's a little rough for people. My father never fully recovered from that war. He saw too much, and knew too much. When he came home, I asked him to buy me a toy rifle. He did, but he really didn't want to. I still feel bad about my stupidity. I was young, so I forgave myself. Bobby |
||
|
Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
Pretty scary. Ida |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Thanks dear Ida, No, not too scary. It happened a lot to a lot of people, and still does. Love Bobby |
||
|
ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
My grandfather went through the same war and it made him more tender and compassionate but he also drank heavily the rest of his life to mask some of the memories. He was extremely good to me. It happens that way sometimes when it's the grandson. I also had a cousin that went through the first world war and it affected him terribly and he shot two of my great aunts to death in Novemeber 1924. They were only 11 and 14 years old. Back in those days it was a horrific thing to happen as he had sexually abused one of them. Something you didn't hear too much about in those days. Back in those days they didn't fool around too much and they hung him by the neck in Feb 1925. However, that's some of the harsh reality of it all and war affects all participants a different way. He simply went to pieces and though some say there's no excuse for what he did, I'm not so sure. Take care Eric |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Eric, My father was in WW II. I still have his knapsack, the flag from his coffin, and a fancy certificate from President Gerald Ford commemorating his heroism, after he died. He spent most of his life after the war locked away in a mental hospital. Bobby |
||
|
Juju Member Elite
since 2003-12-29
Posts 3429In your dreams |
I am sure the PTSS puts alot of stress on him. That is the way alot of them turned out. Unfortunately the mental health area was not important in the 70's. Juli -Juju |
||
|
ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
That's sad Bobby but you were there for him at the end. I don't know how you could do too much more it's the way blood runs deep and not something easily explained. Doesn't matter what happened in between when it's all over and none of us can live in the past though we can draw powerful lessons from it. Eric |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Thanks Dear Juju, and Eric, My father was heavely involved in the fire bombing of Dresden, and I think that got to him pretty hard. I have an old handout of a flyover of Dresden after the attack that father sent me. Here is some information on the fire bombing of Dresden. The Bombing of Dresden by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Force (USAAF) between 13 February and 15 February 1945, 12 weeks before the surrender of the Armed Forces (Wehrmacht) of Nazi Germany, remains one of the most controversial Allied actions of the Second World War. The raids saw 1,300 heavy bombers drop over 3,900 tons of high-explosive bombs and incendiary devices in four raids, destroying 13 square miles (34 km2) of the city, the baroque capital of the German state of Saxony, and causing a firestorm that consumed the city centre.[2] Estimates of civilian casualties vary greatly, but recent publications place the figure between 24,000 and 40,000.[3] A 1953 United States Air Force report written by Joseph W. Angell defended the operation as the justified bombing of a military and industrial target, which was a major rail transportation and communication centre, housing 110 factories and 50,000 workers in support of the German war effort.[4] Against this, several researchers have argued that not all of the communications infrastructure, such as the bridges, were in fact targeted, nor were the extensive industrial areas outside the city centre.[5] It has been argued that Dresden was a cultural landmark of little or no military significance, a "Florence on the Elbe," as it was known, and the attacks were indiscriminate area bombing and not proportional for the commensurate military gains.[6][7] As late as the 1958 edition, Encyclopedia Brittanica made no reference to the bombing in its entry for Dresden. In the first few decades after the war, some death toll estimates were as high as 250,000. However, figures in the regions of hundreds of thousands are considered disproportionate.[8] Today's historians estimate a death toll of between 24,000 and 40,000,[3] with an independent investigation commissioned by the city itself stated that around 18,000 victims had been identified and that the estimated total number of fatalities was around 25,000.[9][10] Post-war discussion of the bombing includes debate by commentators and historians as to whether or not the bombing was justified, and whether or not its outcome constituted a war crime. Nonetheless, the raids continue to be included among the worst examples of civilian suffering caused by strategic bombing, and have become one of the moral causes célèbres of the Second World War.[11] |
||
|
ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Dear God that's awful. It's little wonder he suffered so. Some things are impossible to understand. Thanks for sharing that Bobby. It certainly sheds a different light on things. God how can we be so cruel sometimes? Eric |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Thanks Eric, The fire bombing of Dresden is covered well by the novel "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. It's a good read. "Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance With Death (1969), by Kurt Vonnegut, is a post-modern anti-war science fiction novel dealing with a soldier's (Billy Pilgrim) experiences during World War II and his journeys with time travel." Bobby |
||
|
ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Humm that sounds good. I'll look it up. Thanks Eric |
||
|
2islander2 Member Ascendant
since 2008-03-12
Posts 6825by the sea |
Hi Bobby, drinking fathers are terrible. They ruin their family and have no respect for others...Your poem is avery sad one but I thank you for talking about that. regards yann |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Thanks Yann, For reading and commenting. Drinking fathers are a problem. I think "selfish" is the operative word. Bobby |
||
suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
This is one of the most powerful of your poems I've read... so many bring untold horrors home with them. Excellent work, Bobby!! |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Thanks dear Suthern, Yes, you are correct about those untold horrors. My Dad never recovered from it. I'm pleased that this one worked for you. Love Bobby |
||
|
Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Bobby, I was just shaking my head in horror ~ and compassion ~ while reading your poem and the war stories shared by both you and Eric. War sucks! Even those who manage to get out physically unscathed, have scars that run very deep. Love, Light, & World Peace, Linda  |
||
|
Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Thanks dear Linda, Yes, war does suck. I'm all for world peace too. Thanks for the kind words on the poem. Love Bobby |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
