Black Sands – fionagreywrites

Part of the fun of Odd Prompts is seeing what other people do. Fiona got the luck (good or bad) to draw my photo prompt for week one.

I asked: Why are you meeting him? What is he telling you?

Black Sands

June wandered the path in quiet contemplation. Helen had excused herself and headed for the chapel a few minutes earlier, claiming the need for a few moments not focused on memorials. June had pretended not to notice the shine in her eyes and let the older woman move ahead without asking questions. Her brisk footsteps faded away as June studied the foliage and greenery surrounding the park.

Peter was several statues behind her, happily debating minor details of battles past with his father. The last bit she’d overheard didn’t make much sense for the National Museum of the Marine Corps, as much as sea strategy had been critical for the Peloponnesian War. She glanced behind her and bit back a smile. George was waving his arms with wild enthusiasm, with Peter as his mirror a few feet away.

She turned back and blinked in surprise. It was a lovely late spring day, with the scent of flowers and grass in the air under the trees, but most of the museum visitors were inside. Few took the paths of the memorial park, with its statues and peaceful walking paths. The elderly gentleman must have come from the chapel Helen had just entered.

Go read the rest, it is well worth it. https://fionagreywrites.com/black-sands/

Read her story before reading the rest….

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The part the almost freaked me out, I am almost certain that I did not mention where the photo was taken. I didn’t want to influence the outcome. Of course a sharp eyed, observant, person could have read hi shirt, but it still caught me off guard.

In 2011 my family drove to National Museum of the Marine Corps. During the visit we went into an area that was more like a narrow hall than a display. After the doors closed we were presented with an IMAX style “movie” of PT boats landing at Siapan (iirc). This was Marine Corp Archival footage, not a Hollywood movie. The gentleman in the photo started talking about his experiences on Iwo Jima. Some of the things he said chilled me to the core. Before we left, we made a point of stopping to shake his hand and thank him for his service. Like Fiona’s vet, he said he was just doing his job.