O.k. so no--ones answering,
Well cant you just let it ring a little longer
Ill just sit tight, through the shadows of the night
Let it ring for evermore.
~Electric Light Orchestra
The phone.
I love the phone, I hate the phone.
There are times over the years I loved to hear it ring, and other times, I was afraid to pick it up. The glorious calls of "it's a boy", "we are getting married". The 3:30 am phone call when you find out your Grandmother passed, or your Dad had a heart attack. There are times, when the phone rings and you just do not want to pick it up out of fear.
Then there are the times when your Dear Husband or wife is deployed, and watching the phone is like watching a pot of water boil. Sometimes after sitting by the phone, you finally get the courage to go to get groceries, only to return to his or her voice on the answering machine.
The simple calls, the "I miss you" calls. Those are the sweet calls. I was reminded of one of these "sweet calls" over at Sgt Hooks this week.
He asked if he had waked her.
She told him no. She lied.
He apologized for waking her.
She repeated that he hadn't, lying again. She asked how his day had been, whispering so as not to wake her bedmate.
He told her it went well. He lied. He asked her what she did over the weekend.
She changed the subject. Not wanting to tell him. She asked if he had gone out on another convoy.
He told her that he had.
She asked if all had gone well.
He replied that it had, lying again. Not wanting to worry her about his injury. He asked if she had gone out with her friends.
Go here to read the rest.
The phone, e-mail, instant messenger. Many couples talk daily, some once a week, others once every couple weeks. We all handle that differently. Communication....is key right?
I never have to go far for a reminder of my Dear Husbands 18 month deployment with his National Guard Brigade. This last week or so I was reading one of my favorite deployed soldiers blogs Jack Army , and he was generous and shared a conversation he and his wife had over the instant messenger... here is part of that conversation.
JILL ARMY: I thought you didn't go on patrols
JILL ARMY: :o
JACK ARMY: talking on the radio, checking Army emails, working on sekrit stuff, picking up or dropping off people and supplies at the airfield, giving briefings, having meetings...
JACK ARMY: Oh, I go. Just not all of them.
JILL ARMY: ugh
JACK ARMY: It's not ugh.
JACK ARMY: It's my job. I'm a Soldier and we go on patrols. sheesh.
JILL ARMY: it is for me!!! what will we do with out you? what will I tell the kids if you don't ever come home to us???
You can go here, to read the rest of the conversation. I could relate to the conversation, although it is one we have NEVER had, it is the conversation I have never been able to have out loud. We have had the conversation, it happens when you are handed the will, and the P.O.A., and they wave goodbye, and the final hug occurs.
I know some couples have the "what if" conversation often, and there are some of us that never say the words.
Once again I am glad to find mil-bloggers discussing the intimate conversations that do take place.
I feel less alone.
Yet another caller on the line:
Sean from Doc in The Box, shares his experience calling home too...
