The Last Days of Tony Kings : An American Story

By TH Hollimon

Vietnam Vet “Tony Kings” suffering from “Survivors Guilt”, advanced PTSD (Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder) major depression, flashbacks, and alcoholism. Contemplates his survival as he seizes a chance for redemption, in this exciting fictional tale of War, Love, God and Country.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483522975

Book preview

Tower"

Chapter One

PARIS

Aw cmon vieja let me see you yaaaa! Tony at the bathroom room door pounding away trying to sweet talk his wife Tess to come out. just a liitle longer viejo fix me a drink okay? Tess sitting at the mirror applying makeup, it’s New Years Eve 1990, in Paris, they’re celebrating their 22nd wedding anniversary.

Dressed in a tux, writing a love letter and placing it under her pillow along with a pearl necklace he bought at Harrods, as a surprise for later,not much, but to make it up to her, for all the years she put up with his shit damage control he called it, he begins fixing her favorite drink a vampiro

It’s late evening they’re dining at Le Meurice and then on to the Eiffel Tower before midnight, she’s excitedly thrilled, to her Paris is so romantic it took her a very long time to convince him about the trip, he wanted to celebrate at home in Texas with their family, but their kids gave them their blessing Mom Dad you should go to Europe on a honeymoon one of their twin daughters Blanca told them.

Wow paloma you look fantastic! vieja let me look at you, hold you! he embraces her she’s wearing a long evening gown sequins throughout, pink her favorite color. you smell good baby"! he gushes looking at her intently happy as ever.

How do you feel viejo she lovingly asks, knowing the struggles they’ve endured since he returned from Vietnam so many years ago, being the lone survivor of an ambush, and has since been plagued with survivors guilt according to Dr.Gonzales, Tony’s therapist.

I feel fine paloma never better you ready? Our reservation’s for eight o’clock our taxi’s downstairs vamos vieja, man your going to be the most beautiful woman in Paris! He gushes again as they’re leaving for the door, going to be? Antonio?! you mean to say the most beautiful in Paris correct? she stops him briefly for confirmation looking at him smiling, he’s hoping not to start an argument on this night oh baby please! Not tonight! hanging his head in frustration, then looks at her like a wet puppy, gotcha! she says, pinche"! he says, both laughing, walking towards the elevator.

The wedded couple enjoyed the fine French food, a first for both, entrees, maincourses followed with wine, he calls for a bottle of champagne, the wait staff were gracious enough to sing the couple a wedding song La Vie en Rose even though the couple didn’t understand thanking them merci merci, well lets get out of here vieja the Eiffel’s waiting he said.

The Eiffel Tower was crowded all around thousands of people partying in the streets, on the bridge, along the banks of the Seine, Tony had a reservation that took Tess a year to get, a grand view of Paris from the Iron Maiden herself.

Walking on the upper deck enjoying the view he takes her hand, I had another dream last night paloma appearing concerned was it a nightmare viejo? Tess worried squeezing his hand, no I was walking through a tunnel of light, it was bright, and something was pulling me in I guess I’ll have to talk to Father Murphy or Dr.Gonzales when I get back looking at her calmly its probably nothing vieja not to worry he reassures her lets have fun happy anniversary paloma! he yells out to her as she hugs him tightly reciprocating Happy Anniversary viejo!

Then Tony wakes up from his drunken slumber by a dog licking his face, the dog owner a little boy, and his father just smile, asking him etes-vousd’accord are you okay? Tony just nods merci merci finding himself indeed at the Eiffel Tower.

Hallucinating an anniversary that never happened, he stands up cries for a moment to walk around at the base of the tower both hands to his face, the only unhappy soul among thousands of tourists, and Parisian’s celebrating the new coming year.

He again begins to repeatedly hug himself imagining it’s Tess his wife, who he abandoned, she did not give him the divorce.

Still suffering after all these years from depression, flashbacks, PTSD( post traumatic stress dis-order), he never could get the help, or benefits he needed so badly from the VA, here was a very sick man, an ex Vietnam veteran in tatters, mumbling to himself.

While some of the people in the crowd stood there passing judgment staring at this old vagrant, looked upon as disposable someone calls security, and they escort Tony away to a neutral location, telling him to stay away from the tourists.

Do not be asking for money or bothering anyone no estes molestando they tell him in spanish let me see your passport? one of the security guards looks it over gives it back to him, they leave him on the bridge over the Seine.

Moments later a tourist kindly walks over to him, gives him a half eaten macaron wishing him Bonne Ann’ee! Happy New Year, and walks away with his family into the crowd..

Chapter Two

RANIER HIGH 1966

Life was difficult for Americans in the "turbulent 60’s, particularly for latinos, and the black community, but not impossible, here are some of the highlights happening in America.

The US has 250,000 troops in Vietnam, by March 8 the US announces a substantial increase of troops, the Draft Deferment test is started as a way for students to convince the draft board they would serve the nation better in a classroom, than the jungles of Vietnam.

Race riots in Atlanta, Lansing Michigan, soon spread throughout the country to major cities like Chicago ,Los Angeles, New York.

Racial profiling is the accepted norm in most police departments across America in the 1960’s.

In 1962 Cesar Chavez, the labor leader and civil rights activist left the CSO, and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Dolores Huerta, it was later called the United Farm Workers (UFW).

In 1966 the UFW supported fruit workers in Starr County ,Texas, leading a march to Austin, in support of UFW farm workers rights.

On May 16, Dr . Martin Luther King Jr. makes his first public speech about the Vietnam war in New York City.

The Mini skirt was in.

Sniper Charles Whitman kills 13 people, wounds 31 from atop the UT Austin building tower ,after earlier killing his wife and mother, before being killed by DPS officers.

Gasoline was between 19¢, and 39¢ a gallon premium, young men like Tony had to have fast cars, in comes the muscle cars 400 hp Camaro’s, 429 Fords, 427 Chevy’s.

On television were shows like Get Smart, the Danny K Show the Dick van Dyke Show, and of course Ed Sullivan violence and gore was subdued.

San Antonio was no different from the rest of the country, race fights were common in some schools around town.

Ranier High 1966 where Tony and Contessa (Tess) meet for the first time beginning a lifelong romance- a love story.

Contessa Ovalle (Tess) is narrating:

I remember the very first time I saw him, I fell in love