Wish the Phone Would Stop Ringing . . .
Exactly one week before the "Attack on America," on September 4th, my husband was sent to Fort Drum, New York for his annual training through the Army National Guard. His itinerary stated the training would be split between his unit in Vermont and New York, but he was taken directly to New York immediately instead. He didn't know why. He told them he didn't have any of his gear ready to leave yet, they told him not to worry because there would be plenty for him to borrow -- they had to leave that night despite the six hours they had already traveled from Maine to Vermont. They arrived in New York at 1:30 a.m. to wait for further instructions in the morning.
He called me to let me know all was well on the 5th and that he would call again either on the 8th or the 9th. He still didn't know why he was there so early, but didn't seem concerned. The call never came that weekend.
One week later, I woke to my phone ringing off the hook. "Jenn, turn on your TV!" Over and over, calls came. "Where's your husband?" "Have you heard from him?" My heart sank when the Mayor ordered all members of the National Guard in the state of New York to the site of the tragedy. My thoughts, he was there already. I could offer no comfort or additional information to his desperate family members or friends.
Here it is, eight days after his phone call and still no word. I have everyone I know praying he is safe and to give him the strength, courage and endurance he'll need to get through this. I go for walks to get away from the phone and TV and pray the answering machine will have a message from him when I return. I am disappointed every time.
The irony: his commanding officer begged him to attend this drill despite our difficult financial circumstances and the fact that he was to be discharged the second week of October. (This is his last drill.) His CO drove from the unit in Vermont to get him and is driving him back home. Over and over again he was notified by his unit how crucial it was for him to attend this drill. Even after he left, calls still came from military officials looking for him. At the time, I didn't think anything of it. His commanding officer asked him if they should, by chance, need him longer than two weeks would he consider extending his service and be discharged at a later date. He, of course, said yes. Again, we didn't think anything of it . . .
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