Lost at Sea

Occasionally Dorothy would sit in her backyard around the area where her husband would have been buried. She would stare into the distance reminiscing about the memories her and her husband, John, shared. She couldn't believe it had been two years since he passed away, yet it felt like it was just yesterday. After his passing, she was in a great deal of pain. The pain was like an arrow slowly piercing her heart. Her life had just been turned upside down, nothing would ever be the same again. She would wake up every morning to set the table for two, but had to remember he was no longer there.

Dorothy met John on March 29th, 1938, her senior year of high school. She was formally introduced to him by her friends. At first, she didn't think she would like him. She thought he would be just like the other guys her friends had previously introduced her to, but he was not. He was sweet and charming. Within a few days after spending time together, they became close friends. They studied together, and she would often tutor him in math and English. Not too long after, they began dating. On their first date, John took her to a dance. Dorothy wasn't great at dancing, but she tried her best. She didn't want to make a fool of herself. By the end of the night, she ended up having a great time.

As the school year went by, John and Dorothy grew closer. They had gone on many dates and soon discovered they wanted different things. Dorothy wanted to go to college, and John wanted to join the Navy, so after they graduated, Dorothy went to the University of Chicago, and John joined the Navy. He joined because he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. He wanted to become Fleet Admiral, the highest rank in the Navy, but things didn't turn out as well for him as they did for his father.

The day he arrived in the Navy, he was given a navy blue uniform and told where to place his belongings. He was taught how to properly fold his clothing and how to make his bunk. The bunk was narrow, and the room was small. He also received a complete dental and medical exam to ensure he was in good health.

During the first week, he went through conditioning and drills. The conditioning consisted of exercises and activities to get the recruits in shape. He also had to take practice tests that involved running, swimming, push-ups, and curl-ups. The first time he took the test, he was able to do 65 push-ups, but he knew he had to improve. He had to prepare himself for what was to come, so everyday he trained for hours to build up his strength and speed.

The second week, he learned how to handle certain situations when aboard a ship. He was taught how to handle an emergency if needed, and other situations that he could encounter. While training with the other recruits, he learned the true meaning of teamwork. The third week, he learned first aid techniques and how to signal with the flags. He also had to take his first physical training test. This test showed how much he improved over the past few weeks. The fourth week, he learned how to shoot with a M-16 and a 12 gauge shotgun. It was nothing like he expected. The gun was much heavier than he thought.

One day after training, he wrote a letter to Dorothy. He apologized for not writing sooner and told her how much he loved and missed her. He also told her he was going to visit her that following weekend. When John arrived in Illinois, Dorothy greeted him with a hug and kiss. She hadn't seen him in over six months. They tried to spend as much time together as they could before he had to go back, so they went on many dates and talked for hours. Later that day, John took Dorothy on a picnic where he proposed to her under a cherry blossom tree while the sun set. She was speechless. She told him she would love to spend the rest of her life with him, and he told her he wanted to get married that weekend because he wasn't sure when he would see her again.

The next day, they joined their hands in marriage. The wedding was simple yet beautiful. After the wedding, they went to look for a house. It took some time to find one they both liked. Eventually, they spotted a small house on the corner of Jasmine Street that they both fell in love with and decided to buy. Dorothy loved the size of the kitchen because she loved to cook. She would make sure to wake up early every morning to make breakfast for her and her husband.

The following day before John left, Dorothy kissed him goodbye. She was sad to see him go and hoped he would return soon. When he made it back to the base, he continued to train with the other recruits. They told him that he when was away, a war had begun after Hitler's army invaded Poland and that the US was not going to get involved. However, after several months, the United States did get involved and all military personnel were to join the war. John was stationed on a battleship with many other recruits and told to invade Japan, but before they could attack, their ship was hit by a torpedo. The force of the torpedo blew the ship right out of the water, resulting in it sinking. John and the other sailors panicked for their life as they took their last breath.

Weeks passed before Dorothy received a letter. When she opened the letter she read, "I regret to inform you that John Smith was killed in action on the morning of December 8th, 1941 when an enemy force fired a torpedo. I cannot tell you how sorry I am for your loss and wish to offer my condolences. If there is anything you would like to know or that I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask. Again, I am sorry for your loss." After reading the letter, Dorothy was in tears. She couldn't believe what she just read. She didn't know how to cope. She had not only lost the love of her life. She had also lost her best friend and would be all alone in the house they were supposed to live in together.

Years passed, and every now and then, Dorothy would sit in her backyard where her and her husband would have picnics. She would sit there for hours and every time she felt alone, it was like he was there with her. It was as if he was watching over her. Even after time went by, she was never able to cope with the loss of her husband.