Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Dear Louie: It Was A Pleasure To Meet You. (Gwendolynn Robicheaux Writing) by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Friday, June 16, 2006
Rated "PG" by the Author.
Louisiana Sandusky hears from a veteran of the Marines that she met during the recent Cajun festival held two weekends ago.
This was a joint effort, Karla helped me with the sentence structure. My story, her revisions. How'd we do?? :)
Friday, June 16, 2006, 10:27 a.m. D.S.T.~
Ma'am~
I met you at the Cajun festival/veteran's tribute, oh, what, two weekends ago? I don't know when I laughed so hard, or had so much fun--thank you for bringing me some needed joy and relief!
You see, I am a Marine, have been for nearly 20 years now. Life was good until late last year (October), when it changed forever: I was in Iraq, near Fallujah, riding in a Humvee; a mortar hit and my three buddies were killed and my legs were blown off. I was the only survivor, and it hurts...I was really close to them. Add the burns from the attack, and the continuing (painful) recovery, learning how to live as a disabled person, and you can see my state of mind. Depressed? You could say that. Wracked with guilt? Yes. What could I have done? Probably nothing--but how I wish I could have changed things!
My name is Gwendolynn Me'Shell Robicheaux.. From your neck of the woods of Louisiana, Breaux Bridge, lived there until I went into the Marines. From basic, they sent me to Alaska (boy, talk about freezing my coonass off! LOL), then Germany, then California, then Iraq. I'm an only child, parents still living in Breaux Bridge; they're in relatively good health, thank Le Bon Dieu.
Loved being a Marine, am a damn good medic. This injury has really changed me--never know what it was like being a patient until the accident put me on the other side of the charts. Patient? Not ME!!
Lonely here--not too many visitors, and then here you come. What a breath of fresh air! Then the festival--my first outing. Was I nervous? Whooo, chere', you bet! I did not know what people would think of me, but you accepted me as I am, and I really appreciate that.
The festival was so fun--the music, the food, the music, the food, the music--BeauSoleil, my favorite group--Mon Dieu, I was in HEAVEN!! And ate my self nearly sick (NOT really, but close, close LOL). Mmmm-mm-mmm!!
And I was surprised they were having a veteran's tribute. Didn't expect the outpouring of support--what they say, Memorial Day's event was rained out? Y'all made this Marine's heart swell with pride. Thanks. :)
Damnit, they're here to take me to Physical Torture--err, umm, Therapy. (I swear those guys took lessons on how to make you talk. Or, in MY case, swear!! LOL).
Will write again, hope you visit me soon. I'm BORED!! You can tell me more about your million kids (okay, okay, exaggerating here). Still think you crazy in the head. Over FIFTY kids? Man, ONE kid makes ME a nervous wreck. LOL Cannot imagine the NOISE y'all must hear! Then there's me, SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! LOL
Take care!
Most sincerely,
Gwendolynn Me'Shell Robicheaux, USMC (HOO-AH!!), AA-II-EEEE! Laissez les bon temps rouler!! :)
You two did excellent! A smooth and interesting letter, uplifting, filled with love and care, giving us one more thing to smile about! Loved the Veteran input too!
Lots of love and hugs to both of you,
B&R
You make quite a powerful team! I can see the book now!;-) Karen and Karla this is truly a fine story that speaks the truth of what a wounded soldier feels, and what war does. It is very well written and I salute you both!
Mushroom Cloud, a fact-based historical novel, is the first book of The First Strike Trilogy: USA and the Soviet Union are building nuclear arms for a face off in a potential nuclear war in the late 1950's and early 1960's.
An illustrated developmental history of the American military chemical and biological protective respirator for use against war agents, this work provides photographs of actual respirator specimens and several useful appendices, in addition to its en
