Don't Let the Sun Go Down...

"What happened to your hand, Private?" I asked a young Marine.

"I punched my screen door." He answered. It was early summer 1982.

"And why did you?"

"My wife spoke to a man."

"So, what'd yah think?"

"I thought she was cheating on me."

"How do you know."

"I got jealous."

"Well, that's not smart. Let's talk."

At this point I was an E3 and he was an E1 in the Marines. I liked the kid. He was a good Marine. Yet, he was not all that bright, I knew so.

Our youngest daughter still asks me how I know if someone is not so bright. I've told her, "Sometimes it's experience, sometimes its a feeling and other times; as Dad would put it, 'it's in their eyes.'" She shook her head trying to wrap her mind around my assessment. "That makes no sense." She'd stated.

"It just is." I'd remarked.

That day back in 1982, decades before becoming a parent of our two daughters; I'd already matured and had been the caregiver to infants through adults when I was a child.

I understood protection whether it was for a lost kitten, my little sister, my mother or my older brother. Making certain neither were harmed, and were in a safe place.

Back on a military base in 1982 that morning, I stood apart from our unit to speak to the young Marine with a bandaged hand. I continued, "So you married. Correct?"

"Yes Ma'am." He hung his head in shame.

"So, instead of hitting her or the guy, you put your hand through the screendoor?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"You renting?"

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Landlord know?"

"No Ma'am. But I'm fixing it."

"Good. So uh. Is it worth hurting yourself over jealousy?"

Sheepishly looking at his bandaged hand. "Uh no Ma'am."

"Okay. Did you two talk afterwards?"

"Yes Ma'am. And she's mad at me for being jealous."

"You wouldn't hit your girl, would you?"

"No Ma'am."

"Good. I get it. Let me tell you Private, my boyfriend made a deal with me. He's a studied man. Has a psychology degree. The deal was that I wouldn't get jealous just because he spoke to another woman, too if he thought she was pretty."

He looked at me. I continued.

"So, you see it's about maturity. You're a Marine. You're supposed to be better than that. And I think you are. Understand?"

He nodded still head hung low.

"Yes Ma'am."

"So Private, if you want your marriage to last, I'll say two things: 'You can read the menu, just don't order the dessert.' And 'Don't let the sun go down on your anger'. Okay?"

He nodded. 'Yes'.---Jody-Lynn Reicher

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