Today
is my 47th wedding anniversary...and my husband left me this morning. It's not unusual...he has left me before...many
times. I used to worry about it but not
anymore. Here's a little essay I wrote
years ago about the homecoming from the longest he ever stayed gone.
HOMECOMING 1968
The wolf whistles that echo against my back confirm
that my skirt hem, which just skims my knees, is riding the static up the back
of my nylon-sheathed legs. My spike
heels, painted bright orange to match my dress, make a loud statement as I
hurry across the nearly deserted airport.
I finally spot the gate where his plane will land and
stand, back against the wall, to wait. I
am all nerves and eager anticipation. I
touch my hair and inspect my reflection in a night-backed window. I left home bare faced and in curlers,
stopping just outside of San Francisco to change so I will look my best for
him. We were only married six months
when he left, and though he has been in Alaska, not Vietnam, a year is a long
time.
Finally the plane arrives and people
start pouring out of the gate, business travelers, soldiers, and tired looking
women with children.
My stomach tightens, and my heart
pounds hard against my throat when I spot him moving across the floor in his
uniform, a duffle bag across his shoulder, and the same smile I fell in love
with over two years ago on his face as our eyes meet. People and sounds disappear. We take a step forward, hesitate then take
another. He drops his duffle bag, and I
run into his arms. We embrace and kiss
then I stand still and hold on while he re-maps my face with his fingers. The cheering and applause from the circle of
travelers that have stopped to watch our reunion bring us back to the
present. Blushing, I step back and take
his hand and we leave the airport to head home and finish the rest of our lives
together.
AT
THE END OF THE DAY...i still get that little butterfly feeling in my stomach
when I see him after a month a week or a day...because he always comes back...although
now when he leaves I do shout...PARTY...PARTY...PARTY...lol...
