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Feb 21, 2004 The letter, sent “FedEx”, started, “Dear Mr. McCrae: The purpose of this letter is to notify you that [we] will be unable to provide you with continued employment beyond February 27, 2004 due to lay off for lack of work.” Man! Did I read what I just read? I had never seen a letter like that before. From the time I first joined the Army in 1971 to the very day I received the letter I had been steadily employed with only one two-week exception in 1974. What will unemployment be like? I have no clue. Here comes another major shock to my lifeline. It is no wonder that so many men have heart attacks by age 60. My early 50s are becoming one heck of a roller coaster ride. In May of 2002, one of my twin sons (Thomas) graduated from Navy Basic training. He had not shown much of an inclination toward any service, but very suddenly, he became excited enough and motivated enough to work off 100 pounds of body fat to qualify for enlistment. He is now serving somewhere in the Middle East that he is not permitted to tell me about. In June of 2002, my only daughter (Susan) marries the love of her life; the pizza delivery guy she met a few months earlier. This guy would never have been my first choice of Son-In-Law, but daughters usually win such choices over Dads. My Son-In-Law’s major life’s goal is to be the best pizza delivery guy in all of Southern New Jersey. He failed to get the marriage certificate filed with the county on time, so we were forced by circumstances to conduct a second wedding to legalize the de-legalized formal (expensive) church wedding. No one understands why I don’t particularly like my extremely stupid Son-In-Law. June 2002 also saw my final day of Active Military service. I became a civilian, but I had a job. This company now informing me of my termination had hired me. I began working officially on July 8, 2002, enjoying every minute of the teaching and the travel. Only 4 days before that I had turned 50 years old. I was born on the 4th of July in 1952, and though I turned 50 without much fanfare, I did buy myself a new car. I had to buy a new wardrobe and ties, and new shirts too. Gone were the battle-dress uniforms and the black combat boots of my previous life. I believe everyone has had at least one year in their lifeline that they can point to and see major changes that affected their life and their thoughts and their future. Well, I have had two of those. The first year was 1974. I had left the Active Army early in January 1974 to begin a 9- year employment with a civilian firm while serving in the Regular Army Reserve. That was also the year I met my wife. Our first date was July 4th , 1974 and we were married shortly thereafter in October. It was only three months later (just barely into 1975) that I turned my life over to the Lord, converting from an irreligious brand of agnostic Romanism to true faith filled Christianity. My second life-changing year was 2002. I retired from the Army permanently; watched my twin sons’ self-determined acceptance of adulthood and family separation; saw my daughter married (twice); retrained into a new job; bought a new car and began a new existence. If not for the blood pressure medication, who knows? Now comes this letter after 18 months of some of the finest life experiences I’ve ever encountered. I have accumulated over 50,000 sky miles and I have days upon days of free stays available at choice hotels from my accumulated hotel reward points. Where do I go? What do I do? I have been practicing (Welcome, to Wal-Mart. I hope you will enjoy your shopping experience with us today….BIG SMILE!) and New Jersey still does not have self-serve gasoline. I did see a sign in the window of a local auto repair shop seeking a part-time cashier. Right across the street is a restaurant looking for weekend server help. My military retirement pay is adequate; the Veterans Administration covers my health care; and my wife makes more money than I do. Hey! Maybe I can retire-retire and go into writing full time! And just when all seemed lost! ------------ About the Author: Independent, Conservative, Christian. Married 29 years with 5 children raised and one grandson being raised. 30 year Army Veteran and published poet with www.poetry.com since Y2K. Email Michael John McCrae: michael.mccrae@us.army.mil Comment on this column in the forum. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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