Princess Claire
Chapter 4
Disclosure and Acknowledgement:
I am using JE's wonderful characters for fun, not profit.
Thank you to Maggie, my wonderful content and copy editor.
Frankie, like many children, had more than a few occasions to wear his costume during the Halloween season. He loved his soldier uniform and happily paraded around in it at every opportunity.
Ranger took Frankie's desire to be a real soldier for Halloween as seriously or maybe more seriously, as his son. To keep Frankie's interest in being a soldier, Ranger did a variety of things. He redrafted his own military exploits into bed time stories about the war adventures of Captain Frankie, Major Ranger (or Major Daddy, as Frankie called him) and Sargent Tank for Frankie. He ordered Frankie a set of personalized dog tags to wear with his gear, like a real soldier. Once Ranger hung the tags on his son's neck, Frankie rarely took them off. Ranger taught his son some basic military protocol, like how to stand at attention and at ease, how to salute properly and to answer, "Yes, Sir" or "Yes, Ma'am" to all questions from his elders. Ranger also took Frankie to the Rangeman gym to do a small set of calisthenics: five jumping jacks, five crunches, five modified push-ups and one lap around the gym, every morning, just like a real soldier. Frankie liked the aura of being a solider and was eager and happy to learn the real details of being a military man from his dad. Ranger was pleased that Frankie was pro-military and was taking so well to this early lesson on being disciplined.
Stephanie thought that Ranger was making a bit much of the soldier thing. After all, Frankie was just three and playing dress-up-soldier was his current fascination. Stephanie had to admit that her boy looked very cute in his gear, but she still wished that he had picked a more colorful costume, one that had a cape. But it was what it was and Frankie was thrilled to be a real hero for Halloween. Maybe next year, Stephanie thought, he'll want to be Superman or Batman. Frankie, however, in future years, continued to insist on being a real hero and not a make up one for Halloween. Over the course of his childhood, he was a firefighter, police officer and EMT for Halloween, but never a super hero.
Frankie first wore his soldier costume to visit his dad's office to show it to his Tia Ella, Rangeman's peerless housekeeper, and the Merry Men, as Stephanie referred to her husband's employees. The Merry Men, who were all ex-military, approved of Frankie's choice and saluted him, literally, on the excellence of his choice. Tank, Rangeman's second in command and the largest person that Frankie had ever seen in his whole life, got dewy eyed when he saw his young Godson in army gear and had to repair to his office for a few minutes.
Next, Frankie wore his uniform to visit his maternal grandparents and Grandma Mazur to give them a preview. Grandmas Plum and Mazur told the tyke that he was handsome. Grandma Mazur began to reminisce about the late Grandpa Mazur and started to tell Frankie stories about men in uniform, but Stephanie and Helen quickly steered the conversation to another topic. Grandpa Plum, who served in the military when he was a young man, saluted his grandson. When Frankie returned the salute with his own salute, Frank Plum gave his only grandson a bear hug.
Then there was a trip to Newark to see his Manoso grandparents, who were suitably impressed with Soldier Frankie, especially Abuelo Enrique, a party at Sunday school and trick or treating at Quakerbridge Mall. Frankie even wore his soldier kit when he and Stephanie went shopping for Halloween candy at the local shopping warehouse. Some of the male shoppers, who were probably ex-military, saluted Frankie or said, "Hello, Soldier", to him. Frankie, who was thrilled with the attention, said to Stephanie, "Mommy, they think I'm a soldier."
Stephanie answered, "Yep."
"When I grow up, I'm going to be a real soldier, like Daddy and Uncle Tank."
Stephanie quietly gasped, then gulped. She wasn't sure if she should be proud or scared or both. She could deal with Ranger's Special Ops background, because it was in the past. She met him after his tours of duty. He had come out of the army, as he told it, unfazed and better for the experience. And he had. He was able to build his post-army career and business based on his Ranger training and experience and created a fine life. But, Frankie in the army? Her baby? Her only child? Her angel? That was entirely another matter. The only way she'd consider, just consider, letting her boy go into the army was if he had his own personal bodyguard and even then she'd nix the idea.
Frankie had fun with all of the pre-Halloween activities, but he was looking forward to the real events on real Halloween: trick-or-treating in Grandma Plum's neighborhood, the burg, with his dad and grandpa and, especially, the party at Little Turtles.