HomeComing

Editor's note: this story contains scenes of rough, reluctant, dubiously consensual, or non-consensual sex.

*****

I was drafted in late 1969 at the tender age of 19. I reported for duty in January, 1970. I finished basic training and was sent on to my AIT (Advanced Individual Training). I had been assigned as an artillery mechanic and it took me 4 months to finish the training. When I received my orders, out of a class of 38, two of us were sent to southeast Asia. They gave me 20 days leave then I was put on a plane bound for Vietnam.

When you read the history books most will say the war was winding down by then and the U.S. troops didn't do much fighting. If you find an entry about Lam Song 719 (the South Vietnamese push into Laos), you'll also read that the U.S. didn't have any combat troops engaged in that operations or in Laos. In fact, they didn't, but they did supply many of the helicopter pilots and some of the support troops (like a certain artillery mechanic). That's how I came to be in the middle of some of the fiercest fighting in the war.

I spent two months in the middle of hell. I got promoted regularly, but because I was working for the Vietnamese and not a U.S. unit, I had no metals or ribbons to show for that time in combat. When my tour was over I left for home as an E-5 Sargent.

I had one year left on my enlistment so they assigned me to the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley Kansas. The Army gave me a 30 day leave before I had to report to Riley, but I didn't want to go home. I won't go into a long-involved explanation, but my mother had died, I didn't have any siblings, I never knew any of my uncles, aunts or cousins and my father was a bastard so I had nothing to go home to. Because of that a buddy, Charlie, who left country the same time I did invited me to stay with him during my leave.

I met Charlie at the holding station where we were being processed out of country. He was from the pan handle of Florida and spent three days telling me about the gulf coast beaches and laid-back life style where he lived. After a year in 'nam what he painted with his words sounded idyllic. I finally caved in and agreed to go home with him.

We flew out of Da Nang and landed At LAX on our way home. We were in our class A uniforms so we could fly military standby and when we left the plane it seemed few would meet our gaze. I was nervous but proud. I was just 20 and a Sargent in the Army. I thought I had done great things. I was soon to learn not everyone shared that view. We made our way across the airport to catch our connecting flight to Panama City, Florida.

When we got to Panama City Charlie called a friend of his to pick us up. He hadn't told his family he was coming home because he wanted to make it a surprise. His buddy showed up and we piled into his pickup. Charlie's family owned a farm and it was a good hour ride out to the place.

When we got there Charlie had his buddy drop us off at the gate and we walked the 1/4 mile to the house. When he pounded on the door his 20-year-old younger brother Carl opened it. When he saw Charlie, a huge grin split his face. A moment later he glanced at me and his face fell into a neutral non-committal mask.

"Mom!" Carl called, "We got company!"

From back in the house, I heard a female voice call, "Well invite them in."

"I'm not sure you want them in your house!" Carl called as that huge grin returned to his face.

"Carl Albert Gorshin!" I heard his mother yell, her voice getting clearer and louder as she made her way to the door, "There isn't a person alive who isn't welcome here!"

"You invite them in right...." When she arrived at the door and saw her oldest son her voice stopped and a tear ran down her cheek.

She didn't say another word, but grabbed Charlie in a hug that looked like she was trying to squeeze him in half.

She held onto him for a very long time, then let go, stepped back and said in a voice filled with tears, "Welcome home Charlie."

I stared at Charlie's mom, stunned by her. I was expecting a large matronly woman in her late 40's. Charlie's mom couldn't have been more than in her mid-thirties. I later found out she was only 38. She was dressed in a flannel shirt tucked into jeans that hugged her lower body like a glove. Her hair was cut short and was curly.

After a moment she looked in my direction and asked, "Charlie, who is this you have with you?"

"Mom, this is Sargent Trent Maier a friend I met at the ETS station when we left country. He didn't have anywhere to go on his leave so I invited him home with me. That's alright, isn't it?"

Charlie's mom looked me in the eye and said, "You were in the war too?"

"Yes mam." I replied

"First, don't mam me. Call me Ida. And any young man that's done his duty is welcome in my home." She said as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her body was slim, firm and felt so damned good against me. My nostrils were filled with a faint sweet scent of lilac combined with the cock hardening aroma of a woman.

I hadn't been with a woman for over a year. Being scared to death of VD I hadn't hired any of the girls in country. My last time having sex was with a girl in high school before I left for the Army. When Ida pushed herself against me, when I felt her firm body press tight against mine, my maleness reacted.

I tried to keep it from happening I really did. I tried to pull back a bit so her sexy body wasn't pressed so tightly against me, to keep her from feeling the bulge growing in my pants, to keep from embarrassing myself or her. She would have none of it. She held me tightly, her large breasts pressed to my chest and the rest of her firm body tight against mine.

After what seemed like forever but couldn't have been more than a second or two, she stepped back with a smile and said, "Come in. Let's get you settled. Charlie, your bed in Carl's room is still just like it was. I think the best place for Trent to sleep is in the hired hands room."

She turned to me and said, "Make yourself at home. I'll go out and get your room ready."

"Please don't go to any trouble. I'll be happy to do that."

"Heavens no!" Ida replied, "No guest in my house is going to make their own bed, much less house clean!"

"Charleen! Shondra! Come and meet our guest and get him something to drink."

A moment later two very pretty young girls appeared. Charleen looked to be 17 or 18 (I'd later find out she was 18) and Shondra looked to be about the same age (again I found out later she was 18 and Charleen's fraternal twin).

As fraternal twins the girls didn't look much alike. Charleen was about 5' 6' tall with "D" breasts that were in proportion to her full hips and nice bubble ass. Shondra was tiny at 4'11" tall with small pert "A" cup breasts and a willowy frame to match. Both were very pretty in their own way.

The girls showed me to a seat at the kitchen table and poured me a cup of coffee while Charlie went off to get settled. Carl stood in the kitchen doorway for a while staring at me, then went outside. The girls left and I sat alone drinking the coffee and waiting for Ida to return.

Ten minutes later I heard voices that grew louder and louder until I could make out what was being said. It was Carl's voice I heard first,".... damn it mom! He's a white boy! We can't have no white boy staying here!"

"Carl Albert Gorshin! That boy in there just got back from a war. There is no telling what kind of horrific things he's seen or had to do. He needs a place to stay, to recuperate. He will stay here with us and you will treat him like a human. Do you hear me?"

I could almost feel the anger in her voice as she spoke.

"But mom..." Carl began.

"No buts!" Ida growled, "You will do as I tell you. That is the end of this conversation and I don't want to hear another word about it, do you understand?"

"Yes mom." Carl said, defeat plain in his voice.

A few seconds later Ida came through the door.

"Trent, come with me and I'll show you to your room." She said without a sign of the anger I had heard a moment before.

She led me to a room connected to the barn. It was clean, the floor was rough boards and there were gaps in the board siding that were plugged with wadded newspaper.

"This is the room we usually use for the hired hand but we don't have one at the moment." She said, "It isn't much but I hope you can be comfortable here."

"Ida this is fantastic. I love it." I said with a smile, "But I need to tell you, I overheard part of the conversation you and Carl had. If I'm going to cause problems I'll leave."

Ida's face grew taunt as she said in a tight voice, "You heard us? Damn it! Sometimes my son can be so stupid! He isn't in charge here, I am. I want you to stay. The color of your skin isn't a problem for me."

"You're sure?" I asked, "Because the last thing I want to do is cause a rift in your family. I know how important your family is to each other. Charlie has told me a lot about you all. I envy what you have."

"Oh baby," Ida said as she stepped forward and pulled me to her in a hug, "I am so sorry you don't have a family. You can stay as long as you want."

Her hug was another of those full body, cock hardening hugs like the first one. Again, I tried to keep from letting it get me hard, but I failed miserably. She held me for what seemed like a long time and when she stepped back my cock was rock hard.

"Did you meet any women over there?" She asked out of the blue.

"I...aw...no...there were only...aw...well....well...." I stammered.

She grinned and said, "Prostitutes?"

I was surprised but thankful for her easing my discomfort, "Yes. Prostitutes. I never took advantage of that particular outlet. I was too afraid of disease."

"So when was the last time you were with a woman?" she asked.

I was again stunned at her frankness and answered before I thought about it, "In high school, before the army."

"Oh, baby I am so sorry for you!" She said as she pulled me into another hug.

Again, she pressed her body to mine and this time there was no way I could keep her from feeling the lump of my hard cock caught between us. When she finally let go and stepped back my cheeks were warm and I'm sure red.

She smiled and said, "Don't be embarrassed. You have been nothing but a gentleman. Now supper is at 7:00. We're having fried chicken, one of Charlie's favorites. Don't be late. I don't tolerate being late for a meal."

I smiled and said, "Yes m...Ida."

She grinned at me, put her hand on my cheek and said, "That's good you listen to me. See you at supper."

When I arrived at the house at 7:00 the places were set at the table and the food was setting on platters, hot, steaming and ready to eat. The food platters were passed around and we heaped our plates then fell to eating. For the first few minutes there was silence, other than the clank of forks on plates and the smack of lips as the most delicious chicken I have ever had was consumed.

After a bit Shondra asked Charlie, "What was it like over there?"

"I was in Da Nang the whole time. I never saw a shot fired or carried a weapon for that matter. I was a data analyst in an intelligence unit." Charlie said around a mouth full of chicken.

Carl looked at me and asked in a voice that was slightly colored with disdain, "What about you? You spend your time in one of those cities drinking and working the whores?"

"Carl!" Ida yelled, "If you can't be civil to our guest, you can leave!"

Carl grunted and went back to eating.

Shondra turned to me and asked, "So did you spend your time in Da Nang too?"

"No. I was north and west of Da Nang," I replied.

"Really? Where?" She asked.

"I was based out of a place called Phu Bia on the coast, but I didn't spend much time there," I answered around a mouthful of chicken.

"So where were you when you weren't at your base?" Charleen asked.

"All over. I supported the heavy artillery so I traveled a lot." I replied.

Charlie looked up at me and said, "Traveled? You were at some of the fire bases?"

"Yeh, Bastogne, Birmingham, Vagal, J.J Carol and a few LZ's too."

"LZ's?" Charleen asked puzzled.

"Landing zones. Cleared areas in the jungle where the choppers would land." Charlie replied to her, then he asked me, "Which ones?"

"Pistol, Rifle and a few with no names." I replied as I kept eating.

"In the A Shau?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied then added, "and Laos."

Charlie stopped eating and stared at me as he said, "Laos? We didn't have any combat troops in Laos!"

"I wasn't part of a combat unit." I replied, "I was maintenance. I repaired artillery. And for a while I did it for the South Vietnamese army."

Charlie sat staring at me, a drumstick close to his mouth.

"You were there?" He asked.

It took me a moment to answer.

I took a breath and replied simply, "Yeah."

"So what was it like there?" Shondra asked.

"Shondra, drop it." Charlie said forcefully.

"But I..." Shondra started to say.

Ida must have seen the look of distress on my face and the look of concern on Charlie's because she said, "Shondra, I don't think Trent wants to talk about it right now. Maybe later."

"Carl, what welcome home do you have planned for your brother?" Ida said, changing the direction of the conversation.

"I called all our friends. We're going to have a party at Harold's Bar & Grill tomorrow night."

"That will be fun," Ida said with a smile.

After that the conversation drifted back and forth from what was going on in the community to how the crops were doing and on to the high school football team. By the time supper was over I was stuffed, happy and ready for bed. When everyone got up from the table I started to pick up dishes.

Ida pulled them out of my hands and said, "Oh no! No way. You are going out to the porch and sit while me and the girls do these. I'll bring you coffee when it's done."

I was going to argue but I saw her jaw set and knew it wouldn't do any good. I went out, sat down on the porch swing and lit a cigarette.

As I sat there smoking, I heard Charlie say, "Yes mom. He was in one of the biggest battles fought. We didn't fight it the South Vietnamese did. But he was in the middle of it because he was supporting them. I saw the reports on it. It was bad, really, really bad. The NVA killed a lot of the south's troops. Since I met him, this is the first time Trent has said anything about his time there. I think it must have been pretty bad for him."

"Oh that poor baby." I heard Ida say.

Ida came out a few minutes later with a hot cup of coffee.

She set it down next to me and said, "Trent, you'll have to forgive my girls. Shondra and Charleen don't understand."

I smiled at her and said, "There is nothing to forgive. They're innocent. I hope to God they stay that way and never have to see what some will do to others."

"I hope so too." Ida replied as she leaned down and kissed my cheek.

She went back inside and reappeared a few moments later with a cup in her hand. She sat in a chair across from me and began to sip her coffee.

"I haven't seen your husband about." I said, "Will he be home soon? I'd like to meet him."

An expression of anger flitted across her face, then it was gone like a puff of smoke on the wind.

She smiled and said, "No he won't be home. He left us many years ago. It seems he liked cards, girls and liquor more than a wife and family."

"I'm sorry I asked. I didn't mean to pry," I said.

She smiled and said, "Oh baby, you weren't prying. We all have our crosses to bear."

We sat in silence for a bit then I asked, "If you don't mind me asking, you don't have a boyfriend?"

Again, she smiled and said, "No."

"That's a pity." I said, "Some guy out there has no clue what he's missing."

Ida stared at me for a long moment, then threw her head back and let out a laugh.

"Damn baby, you are a charmer!"

She got up, stepped, over and again kissed me on the cheek as she said, "Thank you for that. It's been a long time since someone has been so charming to me."

As she started to go inside, I said, "I think I'll turn in."

"Breakfast comes early." She said, "We eat at 6:00 AM before we start chores."

"I'll be there on one condition."

"And that is?" Ida asked.

"You give me some of those chores to do."

"Ok honey, you got it." She said with a grin.

I walked out to my room, stripped and climbed onto the rough bunk. It was still warm so I laid on the bed in my underwear. I was close to drifting off to sleep when a knock sounded on the door.

I quickly pulled the sheet over me before I called, "Come in."

The door opened and Ida stepped in. She held a blanket in her hand.

"It might get cool later so I thought you should have this," She said holding out the blanket.

I took the blanket and as I did Ida sat down on the end of the bunk.

"You have to forgive Carl. He had some bad experiences with the local clan." She said, "He blames all white people for what a few did."

"I can understand his feelings." I said, "It's hard for me to look at a Vietnamese without hating them."

"Yes, I think you might be able to understand." She said softly.

"So, you going out with the boys tomorrow night?" She asked.

"I don't know. As the only white boy, will I be out of place? Will they accept me at Harold's?"

"Some of those boys are kind of mean over there at Harold's, but you should talk to Charlie about it. He has more of a feel for that place then I do. Last time I was there was with Frank my ex-husband. Hell, that was so many years ago I don't want to count them!"

"You should go along tomorrow night." I said, "I know for a fact that every man in that place would be looking at you."

Ida threw her head back and let out a laugh as he said, "Damn baby, you really are the charmer aren't you!"

"Nope," I replied in a matter-of-fact way, "I just say what is and what needs be said."

Ida stared at me for a long moment, then got up and said, "You need rest. Get on to sleep. I'll see you at breakfast."

I watched her step out the door and thought, 'If only I were a bit older, I'd give it a try.'

The next morning breakfast was great: eggs, bacon, biscuits, homemade jelly and all the good coffee (as opposed to the army swill I'd been drinking for almost two years) I could drink. After breakfast Ida told Charlie to find me some work.

"Come on." He said to me as he headed out the door.

The rest of the morning Charlie had me stacking hay bales. We broke for a huge lunch at 12:00 then returned to stacking. By the time we quit in mid-afternoon the hay was neatly stacked in the barn. The entire family gathered and sat for an hour on the porch talking and drinking lemonade. We had supper at 6:00 then Charlie said it was time to get dressed so we could go to Harold's.

As we prepared to go I asked Charlie, "Do you really think I should go? Being the only white guy in the place might rile some. I don't want to spoil your party."

"Don't worry about it. I've talked to my friends about it. I have quite a few who are vets. A few didn't like the idea, but most said they'll make sure you have a good time," Charlie told me.

We left at 7:00 and drove to the bar. When we entered almost everyone greeted Charlie. Most shook my hand when Charlie introduced me, but there were a few who just glared at me. I was prepared for that. All I did was keep a neutral expression on my face and let it go.

We had a bit of time before the band started, so we drank and talked to Charlie's friends. As he had told me, several were vets and we spent a lot of time talking the military. When the band started it was a local R&B band and they were very good.

I was sitting in a corner enjoying the music when a pretty girl came over and yelled above the din, "Ain't you gunna dance some?"