answer the call

The sun rose on a crisp winter morning as a young female rose from her creaky old bed. Looking around the dilapidated room, there were two other females fast asleep in their own equally uncomfortable beds, no doubt exhausted from the night shift they just had last night. Rubbing her eyes, Sophia mumbled to herself quickly as she got dressed as quietly as possible and went to the kitchen to eat a simple peanut butter sandwich. It paled in comparison to her mom’s cooking of fresh eggs and bacon back on the farm with her family. The most recent letter she had received from her old brother stated that he had finally got into the Army Air Corp. While she was happy for him, the brown-haired female was also quite jealous. The job opportunity offered a more exciting lifestyle and the potential for more pay that could be used to help the remaining family back at home.

After finishing her breakfast, Sophia exited the apartment and walked the short commute to the hospital to start her shift. Getting there early, she saw the main doctor already standing outside one of the patient’s rooms busily filing through various papers.

“Morning Doctor.’ Sophia said as she tried to smile while hiding her disdain for him. 

“Grab me a coffee with sugar.” the doctor curtly replied as he walked off without even looking up.

Grumbling, Sophia just nodded as went to grab the requested drink but intentionally got the black coffee variant. Not sticking around to see the results, the nurse went to go treat the patients assigned to her. Making sure to spend the time needed for each patient, Sophia was behind schedule as usual but didn’t really care. It was around 2:15 pm when she finally found some time to have lunch. Instead of sitting in the staff room, Sophia decided to sit with one of her patients who had been a WWI veteran. He was about to be discharged after recovering from pneumonia. The two had developed a good rapport over the previous few days and now were chatting as the radio in the room was tuned to CBS.

“So why did you sign up Bob?” Sophia said as she took a bit from her apple.

“Simple, it was to fight for a safer world. With that Zimmermann business, we had to serve to preserve this nation’s peace.” the older man replied. 

“And it looks like the world has gotten itself in trouble once again.” Sophia quipped.

“Absolutely! Those Krauts are at it again and those Japs have been terrorizing China, I tell you it’s only a matter of time until we are pulled into it again.” Bob noted.

“Did you enjoy your time serving?” Sophia asked.

The veteran stayed quiet for a few seconds before he replied, “I won’t say it was always fun. The trenches are something I would not wish upon my worst enemy. Seeing what the war was, all the death and destruction, it was ugly. However, I would not give up the time I had while serving with my platoon. They were the thing that kept me going. You should maybe think about joining, I can tell you it will be a better experience than working here.”

Sophia just froze as she was taken aback by the idea. Sure she was fit from having worked at a farm growing up but she was never much of a fighter. She left those things to her older brother.

The veteran chuckled as he continued, “I might be mainly confined to my room for my entire stay but I can tell from your eyes and how the others treat you. You’re miserable here. The army or Marines might be tough but like I said, it will give you purpose and a group of friends who you will go through hell for. My buddies that I served with, I haven’t seen some of them in years but when I said to them I caught pneumonia, they sent over well wishes cards and some sent money to help pay the bills. You can’t find a better group of friends. I tell ya.”  

Before the conversation could continue, their attention was brought to the radio as the voice of John Daly spoke.

“We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin, the Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor Hawaii by air President Roosevelt has just announced. The attack also was made on all naval and military activities on the principal island of Oahu.” 

The room was deathly silent as both of them digested what was just announced. An attack on US territory seemed unfathomable. For Sophia, she looked at the white linoleum floor with a stunned look on her face. Bob wasn’t wrong about her feelings toward her job. She had been yearning for a different opportunity. And now it looked like the country would once again be at war. Rising to her feet, Sophia began to quickly gather her stuff. 

“Where are you off to in  such a hurry?” Bob asked.

“I think you are on to something. I’ll keep in touch.” Sophia said as Bob picked up what she was saying and just smiled. Exiting the door of the hospital, Sophia made her way to a certain building that she always walked by every day to and from work. Normally she paid no heed to it but today, it was different. Entering through the front door, she saw a young man who was intently listening to the radio for updates on Peal Harbor and looked up with a somewhat surprised look on his face to see a nurse standing in front of him. 

“What can I do for you madam?” the sergeant at the desk asked.

Smiling, Sophia looked over at her left shoulder at her patch which was emblazoned with the head of a bald eagle against a black background and the word “AIRBORNE” written in gold.  The memory was three years old but one that she reflected on often as she mummed over what else to write to Bob. She just finished a letter to her family and was trying to finish the other one before she was called away.

“Hey Doc! We need some help!” a sergeant shouted as he and another soldier carried a badly wounded comrade on a plank of wood that was serving as a makeshift stretcher.

“On it!” Sophia said as she grabbed her medical bag, put away the letter, and jumped out of her foxhole. Duty called once again in the Normandy hedgerows.