Items related to Delayed Departure
Synopsis
It is 1918 and the Great War is over. Wil Drury is returning to Wyoming to marry his love, Carla, and start a family. Unfortunately, Wil’s brother, Tall, is never coming home again. As Wil grapples with his grief and eventually becomes a father, he has no idea that very soon his young son will die and another boy will begin a journey that will transform his life once again.
When little Jesse James’s mother succumbs to illness, he escapes his misery on an orphan train heading west. After he departs the train in Cheyenne, he is plucked off the side of the road by the sheriff. In his possession is a knife with Wil’s name on it—the same knife that Wil gave Tall before they went off to war. When Wil realizes that Jesse is Tall’s son, he takes him in as his own. As Jesse’s coming-of-age journey leads him into the army, he is eventually captured by the Japanese during World War II. But when Jesse decides to exact revenge on an enemy commander, he unwittingly places the United States on the edge of an international crisis.
In this historical tale inspired by true events, a young orphan is led down a compelling path through war to his destiny where he discovers the power of a promise.
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Delayed Departure
By Tall PaulAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2017 Tall Paul
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5246-8966-7All rights reserved.
Contents
Preface, vii,
Chapter 1 The Homecoming, 1,
Chapter 2 Life, 15,
Chapter 3 Life Changes, 22,
Chapter 4 Heading West, 30,
Chapter 5 Riddle Solved, 40,
Chapter 6 Ranch Life, 49,
Chapter 7 Tough Decisions, 59,
Chapter 8 The War, 64,
Chapter 9 Captured, 70,
Chapter 10 Recovery, 75,
Chapter 11 Rescued, 81,
Chapter 12 Remembering, 86,
Chapter 13 Whitehouse Plan, 95,
Chapter 14 Commence Operations, 103,
CHAPTER 1
The Homecoming
It was a bittersweet time. Men were returning from war to a hero's welcome, but for some, the real heroes, were those who would not be coming home.
November 1918, the Great War is over, the Germans are defeated. Wil Drury and many of his fellow soldiers are heading back home to return to their former lives. They receive a tumultuous welcome as they land in the New York harbor and are paraded through the streets of New York City. Confetti is dropped from the rooftops as the cavalcade of waving soldiers goes by. The crowd roars their congratulations and welcome home to the passing troops. In return, the soldiers toss candy, money, anything they have to spare, to the cheering crowd.
Wil is packed in one of the many buses taking the soldiers through the cheering streets. Although his heart is torn from the loss of his brother, he too is caught up in the joy of the moment. He too is compelled to toss trinkets to the crowd. His duffle is packed away in the bus storage area and he cannot retrieve any tokens to throw to the crowd. He searches his pockets hoping to find something that he can toss to the crowd, but the only thing he can come up with is a deck of cards. Leaning out of one of the bus windows, he opens the deck and begins tossing the cards one by one. In an instant, just as he is tossing a card, he sees in the crowd a young lady; most definitely of European descent. It seems as if time stands still as his eyes fixate on her. He has tossed a card which seems like it will fall at her feet, but it seems, momentarily, to have stopped in midair.
Wil cannot help but stare at her. He nearly falls out of the bus window stretching to get a better look at her. The sunlight fondles and the cool breeze caresses her wealth of auburn hair as she stands with her hand held against her belly caressing the child she has conceived. Wil watches as she reaches down to pick up the card he has thrown. For that second, she disappears from his sight, but he sees her again as she stands back upright with the card in her hand. She looks at the card, the Queen of Diamonds, smiles and holds the card against her unborn child, then quickly turns to look at the bus. Her eyes catch the eyes of the soldier that threw the card. Their eyes are locked for that short moment in time as if she was staring at someone she thought she knew. The bus continues down the street, she slowly disappears from Wil's sight and he from hers. For that single moment, Wil felt an attraction to that woman, but he was confused as to why. He didn't know her and he is heading back home to marry his sweetheart, but somehow, he felt a sense of affection for her. Spontaneously he begins to rub his shirt pocket that contains Tall's pocket knife.
Finished touring the town, the buses pull into the depot and the soldiers disembark and gather their gear. They bid each other adieu, "We'll keep in touch," they assure each other with a firm handshake and a pat on the shoulder. With that, they each head in separate directions to their final destinations home.
Wil is headed to Wyoming, back to the ranch that his ancestors had homesteaded. It is a great spread, rich in Wyoming history. On the bus headed back home, Wil ponders his feelings for the woman on the street. Unknowingly, he reaches in his pocket, takes out Tall's knife and begins to rub it. Wil is restless on the long bus ride home and drifts in and out of sleep. From time to time, distantly, he stares out the window and his mind drifts off to memories of Tall.
The room is dimly lit and Wil says to Tall, "You know Tall, when we get in the action, one of us could get killed or captured."
"You are not going to get killed or captured little brother. I will see to that," Tall responds sternly.
"Well," Wil replies, "I was just thinking that maybe we should exchange something, you know, just in case."
"And just what were you thinking we should exchange?" Tall questions.
"We don't have much," Wil suggests, "but perhaps we should exchange the knives that Grandpa Maxie made for us."
"You know," Tall says, "that's not a bad idea. They have our names on them and if something were to happen to one of us, then the other could take that back home as a remembrance. I would want mine to go to my first born."
"I didn't know you had a first born, Tall," Wil replies.
"Well, the war ain't over yet," responds Tall jokingly. "I've been seeing this little gal in town and she's a real keeper. I told her if she can get to the States after the war that she should come to Wyoming and look me up."
"And does this little gal have a name?" Wil asks.
"Let's just say I will have a fond MEMORY of this one," Tall quips.
"I don't know why you always have to talk in riddles, Tall," Wil responds.
The two brothers exchange knives and continue talking with Tall ignoring Wil's last comment.
"You know Wil," Tall continues, "I've lived a pretty good life."
Wil responds, "What are you talking about, Tall? You're not even thirty years old yet."
"Oh hell Wil," Tall replies, "it ain't about years, it's about livin'. Just think back to all the good times we had back on the ranch."
Wil's mind drifts off to a time when a young Wil and Tall are caught in a rainstorm while out fishing; they have their dog (Jake) with them, as it is impossible to leave the ranch without him. They take shelter in a small cave in the hillside. As the lightning strikes, lighting up the blackened sky, they huddle together all soaking wet, the dog, Tall and Wil. Suddenly Tall turns to Wil and says this reminds me of the poem that Uncle Kermit used to like, "High up in the lonely mountains, the Indians watched and waved. The wolves in the forest, the bears in the bushes and I in my path belated. There we two in the stormy dark, I and the wolf together, side by side through the long, long night, hid from the awful weather. His wet fur pressed against me, each of us warmed the other, each of us felt in the stormy dark that man and beast were brother."
"Seems like you had a poem for every occasion," Wil remembers. "I don't know where you always came up with that stuff."
"Just lucky I guess," Tall responds.
"Well you certainly must have a poem for this occasion, don't you Tall?" Wil asks.
Tall responds as he fumbles around in his pack, "I just happen to have one here that I just wrote."
"You mean you don't have it memorized?" Wil chuckles.
"Nope," Tall replies with a grin. "There's not been enough time for that yet." Tall hands Wil the folded up piece of paper he has taken from his pack. "Here ya go Wil," Tall says.
"You mean you ain't even gonna read it to me?" Wil queries.
"Somehow Wil I always thought you knew how to read. Guess I should have known better. Here give it back and I'll read it to you, but you probably won't understand it and I'm not gonna explain it to you," Tall states jokingly.
Wil hands Tall the poem, Tall unfolds it, pulls the lamp closer and reads to Wil.
It's Me
At first, I thought little about him,
Though I knew that look in his eye.
A stranger, but somehow I knew him,
I was sure from days long gone by.
I lingered a bit when I saw him.
His look took me back years in time.
I thought 'bout the ways that I knew him.
I had memories, some sad, some just fine.
In truth, I knew all 'bout this person.
There were things that no one else knew.
Some things that should be kept secret;
Some secrets that were told to a few.
I remembered this man kind and gentle.
I recalled his rage like some beast.
Some things I wanted to recall,
Others, to remember the least.
Yes, I knew all about him,
Like a God who keeps tabs on one's life.
I knew of his good deeds and bad ones,
Of his happiness, troubles and strife.
As I knelt by the tarn and saw him,
In the water's reflection I could see.
I said to myself staring at him,
Of course I should know him ... it's me!
"Wow," Wil states, "that's pretty deep Tall."
Tall folds the poem back up and places it into his pocket without saying a word.
In the silence Wil's mind again drifts off to memories of Tall.
Wil recalls the time he and Tall were out on horseback checking cattle. It was a beautiful, sunny, summer day with a rich blue Wyoming sky free of clouds. Everything was going along smooth and lazily, when all of a sudden Tall sees a bobcat in the distance. With a hoop and a holler, Tall grabs his rope and spurs his horse racing after the surprised cat. The cat takes off for the creek bottom, racing through the brush and trees to escape the oncoming danger. Tall, hot on the heels of the bobcat, has the brush and tree limbs tearing at his clothes as he refuses to stop the pursuit. He eventually makes a valiant attempt to rope the fleeing bobcat, but all is in vain as he is knocked from his horse by a low tree branch that he is unable to avoid. Wil gathers Tall's horse and brings him back. Tall, bruised up, clothes torn and a little bloody, is laughing as he gathers himself. "Did you see that, Wil?" Tall asks. "I almost had him."
Will replies, "And just what were you going to do if you caught him?"
"Not too sure about that, Wil, but we would have figured out something," Tall answers back.
Handing Tall the reins of his horse Wil mumbles, "Yeah, I guess we would have thought of something. Perhaps WE should think of something that will keep mom from getting upset about your clothes."
"Yeah," Tall chuckles, "guess you can work on that on the ride home."
"Why am I the one who always has to explain it to mom?" Wil mumbles to himself. Wil mumbles this to himself over and over and suddenly wakes to find himself on the bus going home. He is still gripping Tall's knife and he opens it to look at Tall's name on it, then closes it. Staring out the bus window, Wil again drifts off to sleep and his mind fades again to memories with Tall.
Wil recalls the time that he and Tall are out mending fence. "We best be heading back for lunch," Tall commands.
Wil agrees and they load the tools in the bed of the truck and head for home. Wil is driving and just as they get started back Tall sees a badger running up the road.
"Stay after him," Tall barks as he slips out the truck window into the back of the pickup.
Tall grabs the digging bar and holds it like a spear as Wil races the truck toward the badger. The badger, sensing the hot pursuit, stops suddenly and Will runs the truck right over top of him. The badger is quicker than Wil and darts out from under the truck heading back down the road in the opposite direction.
"Put 'er in reverse," Tall hollers.
Wil does as Tall requests and Tall takes up position at the back of the truck bed. Wil is racing in reverse and catches up to the badger, but again the badger stops. Wil is not going to let the badger out fox him this time so he slams on the brakes. Tall is in throwing position, holding the digging bar like a spear and as Wil brakes, Tall is thrown out of the back of the truck and lays on the ground face to face with the badger. Wil is frozen in the truck, fearing that he has really screwed up this time and perhaps even run over his brother. He sits quietly for what seems like an eternity and catches a glimpse as the badger runs out through the sage brush. Wil is relieved to hear Tall laughing. He takes a deep breath and exits the truck only to see Tall laying on the ground, halfway under the truck with the "spear" still in his hand.
"I thought I killed you for sure or at least crippled you and the badger was going to eat you." Wil remarks to Tall who was still laughing.
"Well," Tall quips as he crawls out from under the truck and dusts himself off, "it sure took you long enough to check on me. You should have seen the look on that badger's face when I landed on the ground under that truck. He was scared to death."
"Probably so," Wil replies, "and so was I. I guess this is going to be the topic of the dinner table today."
"Pretty exciting, you have to admit," Tall responds. "Damn that was funny!"
With that, they load back into the cab of the truck and head for home, Tall still chuckling about the whole incident.
Wil's mind is now back in the room with Tall and breaking the silence, Wil remarks, "You always were the one to take chances, Tall."
"Oh hell, Wil, that's exactly what I'm talking about when I say I've lived a pretty good life," Tall counters. "You know Wil, it wouldn't hurt if you did some things different now and then."
"Yeah, like what?" Wil questions.
"I'm glad you asked, Wil," Tall responds. "I been looking through these dime novels that I bought."
Wil interrupts, "Just why did you buy them anyway? You already know all those stories."
"Now Wil," Tall snaps, "what have I told you about interrupting me when I'm on a roll? I'm not sure what I'll do with them, but this one I want you to have."
"Oh, well pardon me," Wil responds humbly.
"Okay," Tall quips. "Now what I was about to say was that you should grow a moustache like this one here that Wyatt Earp has." Tall hands Wil the book with Wyatt Earp on the cover with his full moustache.
Wil questions, "Now why would I want to have something like that draped all over my beautiful face and what would Carla think?"
"Damn it Wil," Tall snaps, "what does it matter what other people think? It's about you, not about what other people think. You put too much stock in what other people think. Wouldn't you want to do something for you and not care about what other people think?"
"I'm not sure I even want to have a moustache like that regardless of what other people think," Wil responds. "I'm just really not too sure I would like a huge moustache like that."
"Well," Tall replies, "you will never know unless you give it a try and I would sure like to see how you look. So there, if you want to please someone besides yourself, you could just do it as a favor to me after the war."
"Okay Tall, okay," Wil answers laying the book on the stand beside his bed. "After the war, I'll give it a thought." Wil continues to mumble to himself, "I'll give it a thought, I'll give it a thought ..." and again wakes to find himself on the bus ride home. He takes his hand and rubs his face as if he were sporting that huge Earp moustache, grins, looks out the bus window and fades back to sleep. Wil's mind again drifts off to memories of Tall.
Wil and Tall are sitting in silence, contemplating the next day's adventure.
The silence is broken by Tall, who states, "It's getting late. We better get some sleep. We will need to be in position before light."
Wil recalls Tall reaching over and blowing out the lamp and then the two are on the battlefield engaged in a great fire fight with the enemy. Tall and Wil are hidden and begin sniping enemy troops as they come into range. Wil's position is compromised and suddenly he is hit by enemy fire.
Wil reaches for his radio and calls Tall. "Tall, over," Wil speaks into the radio. "Come on Tall answer damn it!"
"I'm a little busy here Wil, what is it?" Tall radios back.
"I'm hit Tall, my shoulder is broken and I can't shoot anymore. They hit me in my gun shoulder," Wil exclaims.
"Well get the hell out of there!" Tall responds.
"They're closing in on me Tall, I don't think I can get away," Wil radios back.
"Wil, you've had a broken shoulder before and it never affected your legs. Now get the hell going and I'll keep them off of your ass just like I did all those bulls!" Tall replies sternly.
"Tall, you have got to come too. They will discover your position once you start covering me, so come on and go with me," Wil begs.
"Wil, there is no time for bullshit, now get going and I'll be right behind once you are in the clear," Tall demands.
With hesitation, Wil vacates his post while Tall lays down cover, but just as Wil feared, Tall's position was now compromised also. Tall refuses to stop firing in order to give Wil cover to get away and just as Wil is in the clear and begins to radio Tall, there is a loud explosion near Tall's location.
Wil screams into the radio, "Tall, Tall, Tall!" but there is no answer. Tall's position has been hit and Wil awakens while mumbling, "Tall, Tall, Tall."
Startled, he looks around at his whereabouts and realizing he is still on the bus headed home, he stares out the bus window. At that moment, in the darkness, just before dawn, he sees a vision of the woman who picked up the playing card he threw from the bus in New York. As the sun breaks over the horizon, her image fades away. Wil can no longer go back to sleep and he realizes that he is back in Wyoming.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Delayed Departure by Tall Paul. Copyright © 2017 Tall Paul. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
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