by Bill Brewer
The major stepped over to an open area with a metal bar suspended from the ceiling.
“The army standard is ten pull-ups. Why don’t you show me how many you can do?”
Diegert removed his coat, took off his heavy boots, and jumped up, grabbing the bar, pumping out twenty-two pull-ups.
“Well, that’s a good place to start,” said the major, whose look of surprise revealed he was truly impressed.
The two walked into an interview room and sat down on comfortable chairs. The Major offered Diegert bottled water and then asked, “Why do you want to join the Army?”
“Whoa, I never said I did. The sheriff told me to come, and I knew he would call you.”
“Alright, so Sheriff Lowery told me you lost your job at the mini-mart.”
“So?”
“So what was your mission at the mini-mart?”
The major let the question linger. Diegert looked at him suspiciously.
“Whaddya mean, like exceptional customer service and bullshit like that?” asked Diegert.
The major smiled knowingly, nodding his head, and then asked, “And what is the mission of the US Army?”
Diegert looked at him but wasn’t going to answer with something stupid.
Winston continued, “The mission of the US Army is to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States and to protect this country from all enemies foreign and domestic.”
Diegert was underwhelmed; everybody knew that. Why the question, he wondered.
“We achieve this mission through the actions of soldiers who go from being lost young people to dedicated military professionals capable of learning, achieving, and leading.” Winston stood up and walked over to his desk. “All men need a mission, and there is no better training experience in the world than that of the US Army. We help you find within you the best you can be.”
Diegert watched as the major turned from his desk with a picture frame in his hands.
“The Army challenges your sense of self and allows you to bring out the brave person who resides within you.”
The major sat back down next to Diegert with the picture frame facedown in his hands.
“David, is there a brave person inside you?”
“Yeah.”
“How do you know?”
Diegert stayed silent.
“How do you know what bravery is?”
Diegert stifled a quiver in his lips as he held the major’s eyes and sought his answer.
“I’m not afraid.”
“OK, you’re defining what it is not, but do you possess the courage and resilience necessary to persevere in the face of physical and moral adversity?”
Diegert angled his face to Major Winston but held his gaze.
“I’ve seen young men like you, David, grow into capable, powerful warriors with integrity and values that represent the very best of our country. These men sat in the chair you’re in and then became members of the most formidable fighting force in the world.”
Winston spun the frame in his hands and showed Diegert a group of a dozen young men all dressed in combat uniforms with helmets and rifles. He saw the smiles on their faces and the spirit of union apparent in their camaraderie.
“These men are all members of the 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood. This picture was taken upon their arrival in Afghanistan. It was sent to me by this man.” Winston pointed to one of the guys whose broad smile conveyed the pride he felt for what he was doing. “That’s Joe Bortle. He came through here after being in a drunken bar fight and getting arrested. He was headed to jail until a judge gave him the same kind of choice Sheriff Lowery gave you. Now he’s the sergeant of this squad, and they are one of the best units in Afghanistan. He sent me the picture, and on the back, he wrote, ‘Major Winston, thanks for helping me make the right choice with the most important decision of my life.’”
The major looked squarely at Diegert.
“If there’s a warrior in you, David, and I believe there is, then there’s only one safe way to let him out, and that’s to grow and develop within the US Army. Guys like you make the very best soldiers. You’ll become a man of high character.”
A smile spread across the young man’s face; the recruiter had coaxed out a sprout of pride from the compost of Diegert’s dreary life.
“Have you ever considered going to college?”
The question yanked Diegert from his thoughts of becoming a soldier. “Yeah, but it’s too expensive.”
“After serving two years of active duty, you’ll be eligible for the GI Bill, which can pay your college expenses while you earn a bachelor’s degree.”
“Really? I serve two years, and they pay for four years of college?”
“Well, you have to complete basic training, then begin active duty. You also have to qualify for the tuition payments. But if you’re smart and serve well in your MOS, I’m sure you’ll qualify.
“What’s an MOS?”
“It’s a military occupational specialty. It’s basically a job in the Army. You said you were getting paid minimum wage at your retail job, right?”
“Yeah.”
“As a soldier, you will not only earn more than that in a salary, but you’ll also receive a full compensation package that covers housing and healthcare, so you get to keep all the money you earn.”
“How much will I make?”
“I would estimate your total compensation package would be worth thirty-five to forty thousand dollars.”
“Really? That seems like a lot.”
“If you’re willing to serve your country, then it’s worth it for your country to pay you. If you enlist in the next two days, there’s also a fifteen-hundred-dollar signing bonus.”
Diegert looked at him with suspicious but excited eyes.
“You can start filling out your information on this tablet.”
Diegert went to work typing all his personal information into the small computer. As he typed, he started to feel the excitement of moving forward with his life. This was going to be exactly what he needed. When he was done, he handed the tablet back to Major Winston.
“Look, son,” said the major calmly and clearly, “you go home and discuss this with your folks. You don’t need them to sign anything. You’re of legal age to make this decision yourself. But you are volunteering your life for several years, and I want you to talk to them. Call me in two days. If you tell me it’s OK, I’ll have you processed to Fort Benning, Georgia, to begin Basic Combat Training.”
“How long does that take?”
“Basic is ten weeks, then you’ll have fourteen weeks of Advanced Individual Training before you’ll join the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood in Texas.”
“That’s a lot of training.”
“Wanting to become a soldier may feel natural to you, but it definitely takes a lot of training.”
Diegert shook the major’s hand with enthusiasm and left the office excited that he was going to become a soldier in the US Army.
3
Standing outside the Triple Crown Diner, Diegert braced against the cold. His mother’s shift ended at eleven p.m., but the single-digit temperatures made each minute as long as the icicles hanging from the gutters. Diegert was too excited to wait at home for her, and he wanted to tell her about the Army without his father and brother around. When her five-foot-eleven-inch frame stepped out the diner door, David approached as she wrapped her scarf around her neck and pulled a wool hat over her lustrous black hair.
“Hey, Mom.”
“David, what are you doing here?”
“I wanted to surprise you and walk you home.”
“Alright. I just never expected to see you here.”
“That’s why it’s called a surprise.”
They started to walk down the road.
“How was your shift tonight?” he asked.
“Same as always. Everyone talking about how cold it is, but they all want ice cream on their pie. I never expected to find you
waiting out here for me.”
“I’ve got something to tell you, Mom.”
“Something good, I hope.”
“I think it is. I’m going to join the Army.”
Denise Diegert looked straight ahead, making no reply as she continued striding forward.
“Well, what do you think?”
“I can see why you’d think that’s a good choice, but I hate the thought of you going to war.”
“Just ’cause I’m joining the Army doesn’t mean I’m going to war.”
“We are at war all over the world. If you’re in the Army, you’re going to war.”
“Oh, come on, Mom.”
They turned the corner onto the dirt road on which they lived.
“I’ve got nothing to keep me here and no chance for a good job. The Army is going to pay me forty thousand dollars.”
“I know there isn’t much for you here, but I’ll worry about you.”
“There’s just as much for you to worry about if I stay here. I’m going to call the recruiter tomorrow and commit. Then I’ll be shipped out to Georgia for training in two days.”
“Two days?”
“It’s coincidence. A training class begins next week. It’s OK. I’m ready to go.”
David stopped walking and held his mother’s mitten-covered hands.
“I’ll worry about you, Mom.”
She sniffed back tears, turning her head away.
“I’ll worry about leaving you with Jake and Dad.”
“Don’t worry about me,” she said as she released one hand and held on to the other as they resumed walking. “I have a wife’s way of handling him, and even though he and your brother are criminals, I’m not worried about them.”
“They’re both pathetic jerks who don’t deserve to have you in their lives.”
“I love our home, David. I’ve put so much work into it, and it is the only home I’ve ever really known. When they’re not around, it is such a lovely place for me to be.”
“Yeah, thinking back on how it used to be and how much you’ve done to it, I can see why you love it. It’s just too bad those two idiots live there too.”
As they approached the small two-story house with its snow-covered roof, Denise said, “This house is where my heart lives.”
Standing outside between the snowbanks of the driveway, David said, “I’m not saying anything to either of them. Please don’t tell them about the Army, but will you take me to the bus station when I leave?”
She looked at him, her dark irises bathed in liquid emotion, then hugged him tightly. “Of course, David. Besides, I have a doctor’s appointment in Bemidji on Thursday, so I’m going anyway. Your secret’s safe with me, but I’m afraid my heartache may betray me.”
“I trust you, Mom, and I love only you. What’s with the doctor?”
“Oh, just some routine women’s health checks, nothing to worry about.”
David let her go and walked back to the barn as she opened the door and stepped into the kitchen.
The next morning, Diegert borrowed his mother’s phone and got excited when he heard it ringing.
“Major Carl Winston speaking.”
“Major Winston? It’s David Diegert.”
“Well, hello, son. I’m glad to hear back from you. Did you have a talk with your folks?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And they’re OK with your decision?”
“Yes, sir, they are.”
After a brief pause, the Major said, “OK, then I will process your application and have a bus ticket waiting for you at the Bemidji station to take you to Fort Benning day after tomorrow.”
“Excellent, sir. Thank you, and I’m very much looking forward to getting started.”
“Very well, David. Congratulations, and I look forward to hearing about your successful career in the US Army.”
“Thank you, sir, thank you for giving me this chance.”
“You’re very welcome, but it’s your country that’ll be thanking you for the gift of your service.”
After he hung up, Diegert thought about the gift of his service. He would be serving his country, and for the first time, he realized he would be helping others, not just doing things for himself. He felt a flash of pride, and a smile rose from his lips as he thought of himself as a patriot.
On the morning of his departure, Diegert had the car warming up as he waited in the driveway for his mother. When the kitchen door opened, his father stepped out into the zero-degree weather wearing dirty sweatpants, a gray T-shirt, and fuzz-lined moccasins. His eyes squinted as he descended the steps and moved toward the car. He rotated his fist and arm, and David pressed the button to lower the window.
“What the fuck you doin’ in the car?”
“I’m taking Mom to a doctor’s appointment in Bemidji.”
“Get the fuck out. I never said she could use the car.”
“Look, Dad, I’m taking her. She asked me to, and that’s all there is to it.”
“Fuckin’ bullshit. You can’t just use the car.”
“Dad, you’re gonna freeze out here.”
“Fuck you. You sound like your mother, like a scared little bitch.”
Denise Diegert stepped out of the house and was intercepted by Tom as she attempted to cross the driveway to the car.
David exited the car and stood by the driver’s door.
Squeezing Denise’s arm, Tom said, “I didn’t hear anything about a doctor’s appointment. What’s wrong? Why are you going to the doctor?”
Without struggling against Tom’s grasp, Denise stood with stoic resolve and said calmly, “I have to see the gynecologist. It’s very typical for women to have examinations from time to time, and I would appreciate it if you would let me go.”
“Fuck that. You’re not going anywhere. We don’t have health insurance to pay for this, and unless you’re really sick, you’re not going.”
David grew angry listening to his father’s foolishness. He crossed the driveway, grabbed his father’s hand, and pulled it off his mother’s arm. Tom Diegert swung, striking David in the jaw with a solid right. David’s head snapped, and he stumbled back against the car. Tom took a fighter’s stance, but his self-confidence evaporated since he had just picked a fight with the 180-pound State Wrestling Champ of Minnesota. In spite of his misgivings, Tom’s bravado ruled the moment. “Come on, you pussy, let’s see what you’re made of.”
David stepped away from the car and moved toward his pathetic opponent. With lightning skill, David shot low, going to one knee, wrapping up his father’s legs and putting him on his back in two seconds. He flipped his dad’s legs, holding them perpendicular to the ground so that Tom was stuck on his back like a turtle. With an arm lock, David retained control of both legs, which allowed him to see the fear and the fury in his father’s eyes.
“Let him go.”
The command came from Jake. Turning, David looked right into the barrel of a Ruger SR22 pistol.
“Let him go and stand up.”
David complied, letting the turtle’s legs fall to the snow. He stood up with his hands in the air.
“Dad, are you OK?” blurted Jake.
Tom Diegert had to roll over onto his stomach, struggle to his hands and knees, and pull on Jake’s outstretched arm in order to stand up.
Jake was so pissed he started shouting at David while pointing the pistol. “You fucking bitch, you little fucking bastard, how dare you treat him like that? You are such a prick. I can’t believe you have the balls to treat Dad like shit.”
Jake’s movements were as unhinged as his words, and he was handling the gun as if it were a toy. He stepped closer and closer, continually waving the gun in David’s direction. Backed up against the car, David struck his brother’s arm and pushed him hard in the chest. As Jake awkwardly fell back, a shot rang out from the Ruger. The unaimed bullet went wild, striking Tom Diegert in the left hip.
Tom fell to the ground, shocked by the pain and the si
ght of his own blood. Jake stared with horror at the blood splatters in the snow. He looked at the gun in his hand with utter disbelief. Getting up, he shouted at David, “You goddamn, fucking idiot! Look what you’ve done. You fucking shot Dad.”
“You’re holding the gun, genius.”
Jake swung his arm into full extension, pointing the gun at David’s head. “Die, fucker.”
Denise Diegert stepped in front of the gun, putting herself between Jake and David. “Stop it, Jake.” She turned to David and said, “Get in the car.” David stepped around to the driver’s door. Denise lowered Jake’s arm, calmly looking him in the eye. “You need to help your father. Take him to the firehouse and have one of his buddies patch him up. I’m leaving with David, and I’ll be back in two hours. You need to act now.”
Nodding his head, Jake turned to his father, who was groaning in the driveway and clutching his bleeding hip. In spite of his condition, he shouted out at David, “You fucking son of a bitch. You’re the son of that bitch!” He pointed at Denise as she opened the car door and climbed in. “You fucking shot me, you shithead.”
David, looking over the roof of the car, shook his head at the stupidity of the two idiots as they struggled to get up and make their way into the house. He opened the car door, got in, and backed the car out of the driveway.
4
On the drive to Bemidji, Denise shook in her seat, reacting to the violence that had just exploded in her family.
“Is he going to be OK?” she asked David.
“He’s a tough old lump of shit; he’ll be OK. Besides, the gun was only a .22.”
“What about the police?”
“I think it’s pretty unlikely either of those pseudo felons are going to call the cops.”
“But they could do it just to make things difficult for you.”
Diegert did not reply as he considered that Jake and his father might very well try to use this against him. He took comfort in the fact that they had no idea where he was really going.
“Mom, you’ve got to promise me you won’t tell them anything about the Army.”
“I won’t, but eventually they’re going to ask about you.”