Mr. Unknown

Mr. Unknown.

By loveofmyLife75.

My name is George Harrison and what I am about to tell you might alarm a few of you. When I was a toddler, my mother took me to nursey school. I looked at my mother and wondered what was going on. She was talking to another mother. She had with her a little girl at her side. I was asked to look after the little girl in the nursey school. I nodded to my mother and the little girl's mother. We were like a pair of magnets all day long and her name was Mary.

I did not know at the time, but Mary lived ten houses down the street from where I lived. As time passed my mother and Mary's mother took it in turns to take us to school. Our mother became great friends and so did our fathers. I was so young I did not know the meaning of love at first sight.

We played together after school and at weekends we never strayed far from one another as we were growing up. From nursey school to a primary school, we were always together. After primary school Mary went to a girl's school and myself to a boy's school. We walked to school together in the mornings.

From being twelve, Tom Jenkins bullied me he was bigger than me. Mary was to never know.

I only kissed Mary twice a week. It was time for me to kiss my Mary with love. I plucked up the courage and held her and our lips meet. We both left School I went into automotive engineering. Mary wanted to become an Accountant. When I was studying in the first year all the engineering technology, I soaked it all up in seconds. It was second nature to me.

When at home and not seeing Mary, I read engineering book after book. When at collage and asked a question, it was always three years ahead of where we currently. I sat my first exam and passed first. I was always years ahead of my other classmates. I was so far advanced in the mechanics, and electric's I started to study jet engines.

My father and mother had to drag me away from the books, and we went shooting and fishing at weekends in the summer. Mary and her parents came to, and we shared a six-berth log cabin. My father was a good shot and by the time I was eighteen he gave me his rifle fitted with a scope. He bought a new high-powered rifle for himself. My father's rifle was adjusted the scope and zeroed it in to suit me. I had to reset it as I was growing. I went in the TA's. That turned out for me to be a mistake.

By the time I was twenty my father gave me his new high-powered rifle it was for my twenty-first present. Mary and I then became well qualified, and we were in love. There was only one outcome to come to get married. And we did just that. At twenty-one and a half. We went on a two week's honeymoon.

When we returned to our four-bedroom house all our wedding day clothes where there. Mary's mother had put them there. Mary's wedding dress, veil, shoes, underwear something borrowed and something blue. Next to Mary's clothes were mine, three-piece suit, shirt, tie, shoes and socks. We looked at our second-hand dressing table from her great aunt. There were Mary's pressed flowers next to it my button hole flower. Stacked next to it all our wedding cards, telegrams and all the place names setting. And last of all the bride and groom figures from the top of the cake with our place names on.

My Mary ran to the phone to thank her mother for what she had done. Mary opened up the deepest honey moon suitcases and emptied it on the floor. The first thing to go in were my wedding clothes. Then my Mary's clothes. Then the cards and the two figures. She packed the pressed flowers in paper bags they were the last to go in.

All the time she was packing the clothes away a tear or two came. When she shut the suitcase, she turned to me saying when we are old and grey. We will look at them and remember our wonderful day. All I could do as hold her tight and kiss her for all my worth.

Twelve months later I was the proud father of twin boys. My Mary had a problem after the boys had been born, she could not have any more children. That was tearing use apart, but life had to go on.

I always wanted to join the army. My father tried to talk me out of it and Mary's father tried to do the same. My mind was made up. I went in the army. My TA file went with me, and I finished basic training was finished.

Because of my Engineering ability. I was going to be transferred to the Engineering section. And they knew also I was a crack shot. I was issued with a sniper's rifle. Then the unforeseeable happened WAR BROKE OUT.

We had orders. I went home for twenty-four hours to see my Mary and the two boys before I left. We made love as soon as the boys were asleep. Holding my Mary so tight I kissed the boys and then my lovely Mary. Tears flowed from her eyes she called out to me please be safe. I turn and looked at her and replied I will.

My transfer papers never turned up. Someone had failed to write out the transfer papers. So, I went to war. I killed twenty. The first and second one I was sick as a dog. It was a matter of kill or be killed. War was dreadful. The things I saw would haunt me for the rest of my life. But they had to be shut out of my mind. Time passed and I sent letters home and I received my letters. Photos of Mary and my boys were next to my heart.

We were in camp and there was a make shift shower. We took it in turns to take a shower. Then it was my turn. I stripped of and removed my dog tags. Then we were under fire with half a dozen explosions!!!

I woke up in hospital days later. The Army nurse called for the Army Doctor and he examined me. All I had was a screaming headache.

"Soldier what is your name," he said to me.

I opened my mouth to speak and give him my name rank and number. Nothing came out. He asked me again.

"It's on my dog tags," I said.

I went for where my dog tags should have been round my neck and they were not there.

"Don't worry Soldier. It will come back to you pretty soon. You been hit on the head, and you have lost your memory for a while," he said.

In days I was up to my feet the only personnel effect I had on was a wedding ring. I was married but to who?

I asked about my mates. I was told they were all were found dead spread out all over the place. I was the only one they found alive. I was the lucky one. Session after session they tried everything in the book to get my memory back. But it refused to come back. At the top of my bed, it said "UNKNOWN."

They had to give me a name I picked up a magazine and looked for a name. So, I called my self-Jim Taylor. While I was in the Army Hospital, I fixed all the broken beds that were not working. They knew I had mechanical and electrical skills. From time to time. I would raise my arms holding a rifle. They never gave it a second thought.

At last, I was sent home (back to my county) with my new name Jim Taylor and wearing my wedding ring. The army looked after me and I went back to work fixing cars.

I went to every Army camp in the country at weekends. To find out my true identity. Going into pubs hoping someone would recognize me. The weeks dragged by turning into months then into years. Although I called myself Jim Taylor, to me, I was still Mr. Unknown. I was married and where was my wife. You might as well know I stared at my ring and cried my eyes out time after time.

The years past and I was under a lorry fixing the prop shaft. I let go of it, and it hit me on my head. Knocking me out cold. I woke up in local hospital. I knew it was not an Army hospital. It was late in the day, and night was coming up fast. The nurse told me to lay still, and she went for the doctor.

He came and examined me.

He said to me," How, do you feel Mr. Taylor."

I shook my head saying, "my, name is George Harrison, not Taylor and what's wrong with me doctor."

"Mr. Taylor, you had an accident while you were fixing a lorry. A prop shaft knocked you out," he said.

"Yes, I remember that I was under a lorry. But my name is George Harrison, not Taylor I must telephone my wife she will be worried about me," I said.

"Mr. Taylor, I have to run some test on you. I seam you have lost your memory and you think you are a Mr. George Harrison," the doctor said.

"Doctor my name is George Harrison, and I am in the Army," I said.

He looked at me. He was very concerned. Then he went to the medical box and picked something up.

"Doctor, my real name is George Harrison, I can prove it to you."

He could feel the panic in my voice. And he was ready to give me an injection to calm me down.

"Doctor, my wife's name is Mary and our telephone number is. My mother and father telephone number is. And my Mary's mother and father telephone number is.

Hang in a minute where is my wallet. They handed me my coat, and I pulled out my wallet and a letter. I handed the letter to the doctor saying please read this it is from the Army. The doctor stopped and read the letter. Then he told the nurse to go and call. The head of administration and tell them to return to the Hospital immediately.

"Sir I am going to give you an injection and while you are resting, we will send for your wife," the doctor said.

The doctor did not call me Mr. George Harrison or Mr. Jim Taylor it was now Sir. There was something in the letter about the reason why? I fell asleep after about fifteen minutes.

The following morning when I was awake, the room was full of people. A new nightmare in my life was about to begin. A hospital doctor examined me then in walked in the Army Doctor and high-ranking officer. He examined me. Then they all made a circle. All I wanted to do was get out of the bed eat something and get home to my Mary.

The Army Doctor asked for everyone to leave the room except for the Hospital Doctor. The Army Doctor pulled out a file and high-ranking officer stood there. The high-ranking officer started to ask me a load of questions. The date I joined the Army, where I did my basic training and so on and then my name rack and service number. Every single detail confirmed I was Mr. George Harrison and my next of kin was my Mary.

I had not noticed the Hospital Doctor had his hand behind his back.

"Mr. George Harrison. I have to give you an injection it is to do with the knock on your head," the doctor said.

In went the needle and the high-ranking officer started to do all the talking. What was in the needle was something to relax me.

"Mr. George Harrison. Please listen to me and try to understand what I have to tell you. I see your transfer papers never turned up. Because someone had failed to write them out. You should have not been in a combat seven years ago. In combat you had a knock on the head and you lost your memory. We always had a feeling that one day your memory would return. That is why we asked you to always carry that letter with you with all the details on it.

Mr. Harrison, you came under fierce fire and you were the only survivor. You were naked and no clothing was found. The medics brought you in to the Army Hospital and when you woke up you had lost your memory. We informed all the soldier's families of their deaths in action. But the records shown you were a member of the group. Nobody could find your body. Because of the fierce action, it was assumed you had had received a direct hit like three others.

We the Army had to inform your next of kin. Your wife sent a telegram to inform her that you were missing and killed in action."

I screamed the room down. "No, no, no not my lovely wife thinks I am dead. It's not true I want to see her where she is."

I screamed and screamed the room down. The injection was helping me, but my mind was on my Mary and only on her. I wanted to get up and find my wife and put things right.

The Army Doctor went out of the room, and he returned with my father.

"Dad is Mary with you," I screamed out to him.

My father looked sad I had never seen him look that way before. All he did was hold me tight.

"No son but your mother is here and she wants me to talk to you first."

"Dad whatever you have to say to me I want my mother to hear it as well. Is Mary with her."

My father asked my mother to come in, and Mum held me. The way I remembered the way she use to do when I was little boy. Her love was screaming out to me, and she was starting to cry.

"Mum, mum don't cry I am alive where is my Mary."

Mum sat on one side of the bed and dad on the other side both held my hands. The Hospital Doctor told mum and dad. That he had given me an injection to help keep clam.

Then he said, "We will be outside if you want us."

My father did all the talking. Another nightmare was about to begin. And this is what he told me.

Mary does not live in the house you both lived in. She has moved to the other side of town. We see your boys every other week, and they are the twin of you. They are great kids. Mary moved in with her parents soon after she got the telegram. Saying you were missing killed in action. She as prayed and prayed for seven empty years that the Army was wrong. This son is going to break your heart. Mary remarried a month ago the boys needed a father. She was having the age-old problem money troubles. Mary had to sell the four-bedroom house and move into rent housing. We did all we could, but the boys needed that little extra thing a father figure. We never accepted that you were dead nor did Mary, but she had to do something for the boy's sake.

I stared at my father then at my mother she nodded and burst into tears. My head fell into my hands, and I sobbed my heart out. I screamed out for the Army Doctor and high-ranking officer to come back in. They stood at the bottom of the bed looking at me.

I said," the Army as screwed up my life good and proper first of all. The jerk who failed to write out the transfer papers. His officer should have noticed right away that's the Army fault. I went into combat. The Army got their reward I killed twenty. I have lost seven years of my life. You lot should have taken photos of us before we left. That would have helped the Army identify me for sure.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. IS MY WIFE AND MY TWO BOYS. AND BOTH OUR PARENTS.

MARY THINKS I AM DEAD. AND WHAT ABOUT MY SONS THEY THINK I AM DEAD. BUT I LAY HERE WITH MY LIFE IN PIECES BECAUSE OF THE ARMY MISTAKES. TO HELL WITH THE ARMY."

The Army Doctor and high-ranking officer could not defend the Army, and they knew it. They walked out the and left me to deal with the problem. My life was now in shreds, but I wanted to see was my Mary and tell her what had gone wrong. A new nightmare was about to begin. And I had no idea how it was going to end.

My father and mother stayed, and we talked about the years before but we always came to my Mary and my two boys. As the day went on the hospital doctor wanted to make sure I was ok before I could go home. That was to be with my parents. When my parents left, I cried myself to sleep. I stayed in hospital until five pm the following day and my father took me home.

Life was hell all I wanted was to see my Mary. But my parents did not know the address so I had to go to Mary's parent's' house to find out. Another nightmare was to come thick and fast. The three of us sat in silence for most of the night. When I spoke, my parents gave me an answer trying not to upset me. I understood why.

The following day the three of us went to Mary's parents' house. They had moved. My mother and father knocked at the door I sat in the car. Mum and dad went inside I sat and waited. Then there was a scream from Mary's mother. She had just found out I was alive and sitting in the car. She came out of the house crying her eyes out with joy that I was still alive and well. Mary's father was close behind her. All they wanted to do was hug me to death. The five of us all sat down they wanted to know what went wrong. All I wanted was to nowhere Mary lived.

I said," I want to see Mary and go and see her right way. And yes, my parents have told me she as remarried a month ago."

They were uneasy all the time. But I asked it over and over again for Mary's address.

They said to me," can you please met Mary in this house first before you see the boys and to meet her husband."

"Yes, can we see her tonight at six please? I said it as best I could.

Her parents arranged it but did not tell Mary why they wanted to her to come to the house that night. I marched up and down the rest of the day thinking what to say to Mary. You think war is hell, but nobody knew what I was going through second by second in my hell. The time drew near. I washed, shaved and put on my best clothes I had. I went to Mary's parent's house alone before six and sat down in the kitchen holding a beer.

I heard a car pull up and the door slam shut. The memory of Mary's walk was there in a split second. Mary's mother opened the door.

"Mum, wants all this about you want me here tonight." Mary said.

Mary voice was pure music to my ears, and a lump was in the back of my throat. Mary sat down on the couch so I could sit next to her it was facing the kitchen door.

Mary's father spoke to her saying, "would you like something strong to drink."

"No dad what's wrong are you ill, "Mary said with alarm in her voice.

Her father said," No, but Mary please prepare for the shock of your life."

"Come on Dad it cannot be all that bad what is it," Mary said to her father.

That was my queue to come in. I opened the door and Mary let out the loudest scream any one could give out and fainted. I ran to my Mary, and her parents did the same. We looked at each other all thinking what went on inside Mary's head. Then at last she came round. She looked at her parents with a shock on her face. Then my Mary turned to me her eyes opened wide and her mouth did the same.

" Dad give me that strong to drink now," Mary said to her father.

My Mary's eyes were now fixed on me. Neither of us knew what to say.

I spoke saying, "how beautiful you look."

Mary burst into tears I knew her too well. I sat beside her and held her hand I wanted to kiss my beautiful looking wife. She threw her hands round my neck and held me. I held her as tight as I could. We broke and looked at each other as though we had never seen each other before.

Then my Mary spoke to me with her first word. "George."

My name spoken to me from my wife in over seven years brought me to tears. Mary followed suit we cried together. Mine was pure joy. But Mary had remarried the next nightmare chapter in my life and my Mary's was about to begin. And we had no idea where we were going. I was speaking to her for hours telling Mary everything.

Then the phone rang it was Mary's husband on the phone asking when she was coming home to him and the boys. Mary's nightmare was there full in the face. Now remarried to her new husband and still married to me. What a mess.

Mary told her new husband she would ring back in a few minutes. She looked at me then at her parents Mary's mind was spinning. I knew from what her parents had told me that she still loved me and always will. Mary could not go to her new husband she knew the pain would kill me. She slumped on the couch and cried. Saying what am I going to do over and over again.

Her father spoke. Saying," Mary you cannot go back to Tom and the boys. You will have to move away from him tonight. You are staying here from now on. I will go and get the boys. Ring Tom back and tell him I am coming over to pick up the boys."

Mary did what her sensible father told her to do she rang Tom her new husband. She put the phone down and burst into tears.

"George what do I have to do we have to get out of this mess."

"Mary, I have to leave I don't want too but I have to leave if I see the boys the nightmare will be twice as bad. I will find a lawyer tomorrow, so the legal system can sort this one almighty mess out."