This is a story I'm making exclusively for "mastfic" as he calls himself. A remake of "regular show Vietnam", this story is about Mordecai receiving a draft form to fight in Vietnam. Enjoy!
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Mordecai wearily shut off the alarm clock.
"Good morning, Margaret." He said to his partner. He and the cardinal had been married for three months.
"Good morning, Mordecai." She replied. The year was 1961. The United States had just entered war with Vietnam. President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared war only three months ago, right on the date of the two bird's marriage.
The happy couple walked down the stairs of their house. Mordecai knew he couldn't provide for a family on the salary of a park groundskeeper, so he had no other choice but to quit his job.
Margaret sat down at the table and started flipping through the "Help Wanted" pages. She too had quit her job at The Coffee Shop, so they were both deadbeats.
Mordecai had just put on a fresh pot of coffee when a knock on the door could be heard throughout the home.
"Mail for, a uh, Mordecai?" The mailman asked.
Mordecai shot his head at Margaret. The two's eyes both widened in horror.
"Oh no." They said on unison. Due to lack of volunteers, President Eisenhower had sent out draft forms to random addresses throughout the U.S. (To those of you that don't know what drafts are, they said that whoever the draft was for HAD to join the military).
Mordecai cautiously walked toward the door.
Cracking the door open slightly, Mordecai peaked through the door.
"Y-Y-Yes?" Mordecai stuttered. He knew if he got a draft form, he was a goner.
"A letter for you." He said to the blue jay.
Mordecai opened the door more.
"Oh. I was worried there for a sec…" Mordecai said.
"From the U.S. military." The mailman interrupted.
"No, wait!"
But it was too late. The man dashed for his truck, leaving Mordecai at the doorway with the form in his hand.
….
Mordecai sat down across from Margaret, who was in tears. Mordecai began to read the form.
"Dear Mordecai,
We regret to inform you that we need your service to endure these trying times for The United States. Your transport will be arriving at your address in three weeks.
You will be departing for 'boot camp' before you head to the jungle-like terrain of Vietnam. The training facility will be in South America, the only terrain we could find most matching that of Vietnam's.
Sincerely Yours,
General George S. Pattons"
"My gosh… {sob}…" Margaret cried. "I can't lose you… we just married!" She cried.
"I can't lose you either, but… the FBI will arrest me if I don't go." Mordecai explained, equally as upset.
…
Two weeks, six days later
That night, Margaret cried herself to sleep. Mordecai lied awake, thinking about tomorrow.
What would he do? He would die if he went, but he would be arrested if he didn't go.
I'm just gonna have to sleep it over. Mordecai thought as he fell asleep.
….
Margaret roamed throughout the house a couple weeks later. Mordecai was recruited into the infantry, and she got a new job as an auto dealer.
A loud knock was emitting from the door. She walked over to it, and when she opened it, she was shocked to find two soldiers carrying an American flag. Mordecai had died in action.
"Wh-Wha-?" She stammered.
"Private Mordecai was planting a charge on a communications tower when it exploded early. The explosion didn't kill him, but the communications tower fell on top of him. I'm sorry, ma'am." One of them said. Everything around her turned black, and then, she was at the site of the tower.
"Private, hurry it up! The Vietnamese are right on our tail!" The sergeant said.
"I'm hurrying!" Mordecai shouted back. When the charge was planted, Mordecai turned around, but the explosion knocked him on his back a couple yards away.
Enemy soldiers poured in, forcing the American soldiers into retreat. Mordecai was still on the ground; unable to move (he twisted his ankle). The tower began to wobble, falling in Mordecai's direction. Margaret ran at her husband, but she was moving too slowly. The communications tower fell on top of the blue jay. Margaret heard his bones crack. She forced herself to look away from the gore.
….
Margaret snapped awake. "Gosh! What a nightmare!" She exclaimed. She crawled back under the covers, and put her hand where her husband should've been.
"Mordecai…" She said playfully.
No answer.
"Mordecai?" She asked.
Still no answer.
She pulled away the covers, and there was a note on Mordecai's pillow.
"Mrs. (Whatever Mordecai's last name is),
Mordecai has departed for Vietnam. We didn't wish to disturb you…"
So I could see my husband for probably the last time? She thought, angered.
"So we left you this note instead. Mordecai wished for us to tell you that he would write home often.
Sincerely Yours,
Corporal Kenny