Chapter 11 Cleveland
The train reached Cleveland, Saunders stop.
"You stay out of trouble now Kirby" the sergeant advised as he stood up to leave.
"I'll have to Sarge, I won't have you to get me out of it" Kirby laughed.
They shook hands then he turned to Dietrich.
"Don't worry Lieutenant Hanley will get you home soon." He shook his former enemy's hand.
Dietrich had noticed Saunders North Africa decorations.
He didn't want to think about when he had fought and killed men like him, but that was war and it was over now.
He thanked the sergeant who shouldered his duffel bag and walked away whistling.
Saunders never imagined he would be bringing an enemy officer home with him to within blocks of his family.
But after all didn't they defeat the fascism to free people?
The German soldier was forced to fight in that mad man's war and should be freed too.
Sergeant Saunders strode down the sidewalk whistling.
His duffle bag filled with gifts for his family. His extended family were also waiting for him.
Since their house was a few blocks from the train station he chose to walk through the old neighborhood and prepare for the big reunion.
Even the family beagle Bow Wow was waiting.
His kid sister called him that when she could only speak a few words and the name stuck.
Bow Wow was quite old now but letters from home always mentioned that he was doing well.
As Saunders came to a street corner he noticed a policeman that looked vaguely familiar.
When he got closer he read the officers name tag and froze staring.
It was the punk that killed his little brother Joey.
He was of course years older but Saunders knew it was him.
He'd sworn to kill the rat that knifed Joey and left him to die in an alley.
The policeman didn't notice Saunders standing there looking at him for a moment.
Then he smiled at the returning soldier until recognition fell across his face.
The smile went to a look of shocked surprise.
He stammered, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to kill Joey. It was an accident, he had a knife too!
I just ran I didn't know what I was doing!" He truly appeared about to cry.
He looked at Saunders in supplication.
A battle hardened veteran, and he'd killed the man's brother.
He was completely unable to read Saunders expression.
Finally Saunders spoke with no malice in his voice. "So, how'd you end up a policeman?"
The young man stuttered "I was sent to reform school after….. well things were pretty rough for a while.
Some of the teachers took an interest in me and got me into a youth program run by policemen.
From there I went to the police academy, graduated sixth in my class."
He tried again to read Saunders expression.
All he perceived was someone that had seen to much and was very tired.
Saunders looked at the man another moment then he said "Well good luck with it,"
encouragingly just as he would one of the men in his squad.
He walked down the street not looking back.
The policeman stood mouth agape and watched Saunders round the corner.
Saunders could see the man had genuine regret for Joeys death and would spend the rest of his life in public service making amends.
As he walked along Saunders pondered the death of his brother.
Joey had been a teenager when their father died in a factory accident.
When Saunders and his brothers took jobs to support their family
Joey had become uncontrollable, hanging out with the wrong crowd.
The particular boy that killed Joey was from a criminal family with alcoholic parents.
It was the worst day of Saunders life, at least until the war when he went looking for Joey and found him bleeding in an alley.
He had rushed Joey to the hospital where he died. Then he had to go home and break the news to his mother.
The terrible day haunted him even in his worst delirium as he was wandering lost and badly burned on a French battlefield.
He felt such guilt that he was unable to help his little brother.
Since then there had been many men he couldn't help.
Those to foolish or stubborn to listen to his advice or follow his orders.
Or those who's fate's were just against them.
He guessed that Joey's death had somehow prepared him for what was to come later in the war.
He knew it would be hard to adjust to civilian life now that it was over.
He'd brought back most of the squad intact and they promised to contact each other periodically.
Saunders wasn't going to think about it now that his house was coming into view.
Bow Wow had spotted him and was barking a welcome.
So many times he thought he wasn't going to make it, now here he was opening the gate to his front yard.
His mother and sister were rushing to hug him.
He couldn't have imagined it being so good.