He tried not to think about the blonde haired lady trying to give him the hundred dollar bill or the woman who had ignored him the other day.
It was just as much his sidewalk to be on as it was hers. He wanted so much to just walk into her office and give her a piece of his mind, but she wouldn’t listen and would have him thrown out of her office by security. I am sure she had security all over that place. He would stay on that sidewalk and if she confronted him he would be ready to give her a piece of his mind.
He got up to walk back to his spot under the bridge. The sun was low in the sky and he wanted to get some sleep. He wished that he could work. He had spent several months in the hospital after his injury. The government basically told him good job and gave him a purple heart. He had tried to get disability and the government said they would see to it that he got it. Kyle kept after them and they said they would get to it. Kyle kept on them and hounding them. They gave him the same old story.
He never got the money.
“Sorry sir,” the lady said behind the counter. “We have no papers stating that you receive disability pay. There is nothing on file.”
“I don’t understand,” Kyle said, “I served two tours in Afghanistan, watched my buddy die, I was shot in the head, underwent extensive surgery, and spent months in the hospital. I lost some of my vision! The physician gave me documents that I gave to the military putting me on permanent disability so I could receive my pay.” Kyle was furious.
“Look sir, I appreciate your service to our country, but again, without the papers authorizing this, I cannot do anything else. My hands are tied.” The lady responded. “You will need to call the proper person or people to explain this to them, and when I get those papers; we can start the disability payments.”
“I have tried profusely and they keep giving me the run around.” Kyle spat.
“Again sir, I am sorry, there is nothing I can do.” The lady looked back to her computer. Kyle slammed his fist on the counter and walked away.
Kyle was dumbfounded; the country he had served was treating him like crap. He remembers hearing about the Vietnam Veterans coming home to nothing, being spit on, called baby killers, and many becoming homeless. He remembers hearing this from his dad before his parents died. His father had gotten real sick years after he came back from Vietnam. Kyle was sure it had something to do with his father being in the war in Vietnam, but the government denied it.
His mother died of a brain tumor before he graduated high school. He stayed with his grandparents. Kyle had received his parent’s life insurance and used much of that to put himself through Culinary School. He had a good job and married his high school sweetheart.
After 9/11, he signed up for the Army, he went to basic training and after that, was shipped to Afghanistan. His wife Janice and his best friend saw him off, the money he had left over from the life insurance, he had put in Janice’s name with her being his wife. She had full access to their accounts.
His best friend from high school, Jerry Lites, had been a Business Major and him and Kyle talked about opening up a restaurant in New York when Kyle got out of the military. Kyle would be the head chef and half owner of the restaurant and Jerry would be half owner as well.
Kyle gave his best friend a hug; he held his wife and gave her a long and loving kiss before he headed to Afghanistan. He had served eighteen months, and then came home for three months. Janice did not like what was being reported over there and wanted him out.
“I want you out.” Janice said to him. “I want to start a family and it is hard to do when you’re over there. We can only talk by email and a lot of times you cannot even tell me where you are or what you’re doing.” Janice cried.
“I am so sorry my love, but you knew this before I signed up. I cannot desert my fellow soldiers. I will serve another tour in Afghanistan, do my time, and I will not reenlist so we can start a family. I promise you okay.”
Janice sighed. “I have nightmares Kyle. I cannot take this anymore. I want my husband back. I am tired of being lonely, tired of lonely nights.”
“I know I know,” Kyle hugged Janice. “I will return as soon as I can.” Kyle was sent back to Afghanistan, two years this time. In those two years, Janice and Kyle’s best friend Jerry were having an affair. Janice sent him an email telling him that she could no longer take this.
After his stay in the hospital, he was packing up to go home when he was given a letter by his commander and a manila envelope from his wife Janice. He opened it. With some of his vision gone, he had to hold it closer to him so he could read it enough to know what it said. It read this:
Dear Kyle,
By the time you read this, I will be gone. I am no longer in love with you. Jerry and I are in love now and we want to be together. I am tired of the lonely days and nights. I am tired of being so lonely. I need someone by me Kyle. I watch the news and hear what is going on over there. Jerry and I have been having an affair now for a year and we want to marry as soon as the divorce is final.
You will find the divorce papers in the manila envelope along with this letter. Please do not try and find me and try to get me back, I will not come back. It would be futile; anyway, I found out that Jerry and I are going to have a baby. It is the family that I have been wanting. Now I will have it. Jerry has gotten a good job and will provide for us.
I have sold the house and everything in it. I hope that someday you will understand. Jerry and I are happy now. Please let us be.
Goodbye,
Janice
Kyle just stood there. He could not believe what he was reading. While he was away fighting a war and recuperating after his injuries, his wife was having an affair with his best friend, having his best friend’s baby, wanting a divorce, and sold their house. He wondered about the money he had left Janice in case something happened to him.
He would make a trip to the bank after leaving the hospital. He opened the manila envelope and looked over the papers. He was seeing them but still could not believe it. He had come home to losing his wife, his best friend, his home, and some of his sight.
He walked out of the hospital and got into a taxi. He told the taxi where to go. He went to the bank first to find out about the money. The teller just looked at him funny when he asked her about the life insurance money. She said he would have to talk with the head of that department.
He talked to the man. “I am so sorry sir,” the man said. The man was a little older than Kyle and had red hair and brown eyes. “The account is empty. Your ex-wife withdrew the last of it.”
“I don’t understand sir,” Kyle said in disbelief. “She was supposed to get that money if something happened to me. I am alive and well.”
“Sir, you gave her power of attorney over everything. You gave her full access to the accounts.
Here is the form you signed.” The man handed the paper to Kyle. Holding it close to him, he read the writing on the paper. The man was right; he had given Janice full power to his money. Kyle felt defeated.
“Thank you sir for your time,” Kyle got up and left. He got back into the taxi and told the taxi to take him to his old home. The taxi
