Asian Stained

By W. Thomas Leonard

Asian Stained, sequel to Napalm's Embrace, is a short story collection that deals with the Vietnam Era. The stories are set both in Vietnam and back here, on the home front.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483577166

Book preview

Epilogue

Arrival

The warm sunlight shone brightly on the silver-sleek jet aircraft moving steadily on its compass heading over the blue-wide Pacific. The freshly trained Marines, which included two Second Lieutenants, were quieter now, more introspective, knowing that their destination, Vietnam, lay just over the horizon.

One of the officers, Kevin Charles Barrett, occupied a window seat on the right side of the aircraft just forward of the wing. His best friend, William Francis Kelly, sat farther back. Kevin, who was so used to seeing Billy at his side, found it strange to be glancing at someone else. The aircraft started to turn and a shaft of sunlight passed over the new wedding band on Kevin’s left ring finger, its gold glint piercing the oval white light. Kevin smiled fondly remembering his wedding just three weeks ago. Now he was on his way to Vietnam. He paused and pondered his decisions; was it the right thing to join the Marine Corps, to get married knowing he would be leaving? ‘Yes’ he told himself, a smile spreading on his handsome face. ‘Most definitely.’ And he was now focused on the coming challenge. ‘My father served in World War II and my uncle served in Korea, lost a leg and now, in keeping with family tradition, I’m serving my country.’ Yvette, a French exchange student he had met in college, was now his wife, and she fully supported his decision. We go into the future together, come what may, she said. Kevin smiled at her memory. It was the first military-style wedding in Yorkville, a German-American neighborhood on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Some neighbors, seeing the Marines in their dress blues uniforms, thought there was a parade they hadn’t heard about. They were then told that the Barrett boy was getting married, and they all started to gather. When Mr. and Mrs. Barrett emerged at the entrance of the church, cheers went up. Billy Kelly gave the order and the uniformed Marines held their tempered steel swords up in perfect alignment to form an arch of crossed swords under which passed the young officer and his new bride. More cheers filled the air, and handfuls of rice rained down on the newlyweds.

They had a good old fashion reception at a German beer garden on 86th Street. Billy Kelly, the best man, gave an eloquent toast to Kevin and Yvette, wishing them a bright future that would span two continents.

Lieutenant Barrett reflected on his best man Lieutenant Kelly, and remembered when he first met him at the age of nine. Kevin had been walking down the block to the grocery store to pick up some fruits and vegetables for his mother when he suddenly saw a long, black hearse stop in the middle of the block in front of one particular tenement. There was a long line of cars with their headlights on behind the hearse. The door of the second car opened and a short, blond-headed boy wearing a new black suit, got out. He was crying and held a single red rose in his right hand. Kevin watched him as he gently set the rose down on the stoop and stood there shaking and sobbing. A large, burly man came up behind him and said softly:

Come on, son; it’s time to go, and they returned to the waiting car. Kevin’s mother told him that Mrs. Kelly passed away unexpectedly and that the blond-headed boy was her only son, young Billy. A few days later, when Kevin saw Billy sitting on his stoop, still crying; he went up to him and said:

My name is Kevin Barret. I’m sorry. Thanks. I’m Billy Kelly. The two boys shook hands. Wanna play? Kevin asked. What? Catch. Kevin replied pulling out a pink rubber ball from his pocket.

Sure, Billy said wiping his eyes. They played all afternoon: catch, stoop ball, King-Queen, and stick ball. Kevin and Billy were both fast and agile and tested each other throwing the ball higher and faster than before. Billy laughed for the first time in a long time when he made a catch with two fingers over the hood of a parked car. When it came time to go home for supper, the brightness in Billy’s face dimmed. He told Kevin that his father was not home but out in the bars drinking; he had been drinking since his mom passed away.

Why don’t you have dinner with us, Kevin suggested. My mother and father would be glad to have you.

But how will my father know where I am if he does come home?"

I’ll have my mother write a note and we’ll scotch tape to your door.

Okay. Billy said. The two boys ran up the block to the tenement where the Barrett family lived on the first floor.

Kevin’s parents and two older sisters welcomed Billy as if he were part of their own family. From that day on, Kevin and Billy became inseparable. The Barretts, in a silent understanding, adopted Billy since Mr. Kelly continued with his drinking and lost his job as a bottler in Rupert’s Brewery. Mr. Barrett tried talking to Mr. Kelly, but there was no helping him as he spiraled down in grief. Mrs. Barrett, a kindly attentive woman with wire-like gray-black hair parted down the middle, served dinner punctually at six o’clock every evening; lateness was not tolerated. She was always well organized and managed a love-filled home with care. Mr. Barrett, a well-built man with dark blue eyes and neatly combed jet black hair, was a World War II veteran who survived the D-Day invasion at Normandy, and was the proud owner of an automotive dealership in Queens. As a family man and steady provider, he set the example of fatherhood that Kevin, Theresa, Erin, and now Billy looked up to. Billy was impressed how the Barretts worked together as a family, helping each other out in times of difficulty. Billy soon realized that the younger sister, Erin went to a special school and needed a lot of attention. Billy became her protector when kids in the neighborhood made fun of her. He would read children’s stories to her after dinner, and it pleased him to see a smile spread on her plain face. Mr. Kelly did not resist letting the Barretts care for his son and tried to give them what little money he had left after his binge drinking; he could not get past the loss of his dear Colleen, whom he had met in Dublin, Ireland, while in the Army.

Because the school Erin attended was very expensive, Kevin was always trying to figure out ways to make money to help his parents. He came up with the idea of building a soapbox car, not to race but to help shoppers at the local A&P bring their groceries home. Billy, who was very mechanical, was the one who built the vehicle while Kevin secured permission from the store manager to solicit customers at the checkout counter. In time, Billy built a second soapbox car and, at twenty-five cents a trip, the boys built up a steady income. Kevin expanded the business to helping Mike, the ice man, a stocky Italian of gentle nature who hauled blocks of ice in the summer to all the tenants who still owned iceboxes. Kevin and Billy would load their soapbox cars with the heavy ice blocks, then deliver them to the walkups, where Mike, with pincers, would heave the ice up onto his towel-draped shoulder and mount the steep stairways to make his delivery. In the wintertime Kevin and Billy helped him deliver sacks of coal and bundles of wood to those who still heated their flats with coal stoves. Mike gave the boys ten cents a load and, in time, they were able to fill two coffee cans with dimes.

On Saturday evening, when Mr. Barrett was relaxed with a beer, he would entertain Kevin and Billy with funny stories of soldiers he had served with in Europe like Sergeant Bum Scoop. The troops called him Bum Scoop because he always passed on the wrong information. Mr. Barrett, in deeper moods, told the boys of brave men’s actions that saved his and other lives. Mr. Barrett served with the 82nd Airborne Division, which was successful in blunting the German counteroffensive after the invasion at Normandy. Kevin and Billy sat in rapt attention and the seeds of patriotism were planted in their young minds.

The boys grew up as best friends and into manhood together. Both attended Fordham Prep High School and then Fordham University; Kevin majored in marketing and Billy, mechanical engineering. Mr. Barrett worked a lot of overtime to pay for Billy’s education; it helped that both boys had academic scholarships and both lettered in track, baseball, and soccer. In his sophomore year, Kevin met a French exchange student, Yvette Marceau from Paris. They fell in love and, to everyone’s surprise, they decided to get married as soon as Kevin graduated. Billy, despite his good looks, did not allow himself to get serious with any girl. He was a very private person and did not want anyone getting a close look at his father, who had by that time, become a chronic alcoholic.

Kevin and Billy graduated Magna Cum Laude in June 1967. Surprisingly, Mr. Kelly, with his mounting health problems, proudly joined the Barrett family at the boy’s graduation and, for a brief moment, everyone in the Kelly and Barrett family were happy. Loyal to their core values of family and service to country, the young graduates promptly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

Lieutenant William Francis Kelly, who was so much on Kevin’s mind, was himself asking: ‘what am I doing in the Marine Corps on this plane heading to Vietnam?’ He quickly answered his own question: ‘watching over Kevin, a small token of appreciation for all the watching he and his family did for me.’ Then he reminded himself that he also promised Yvette that he would watch over her new husband and return him safely to her, ‘so here I am.’ Billy smiled at giving the Marine recruiter, who came to campus, a hard time. He said he would enlist only on one condition: that he be assigned to the same unit as Kevin Barrett. The recruiter bluntly stated that the Marine Corps did not operate that way, that military occupational specialties and unit assignments were determined at Basic School in Quantico, VA, after their training was complete and an assessment of their skills made. Billy stated that he would match Kevin’s scores point for point, test for test, and would not budge from his request. The recruiter, desperate for officer candidates, relented, contingent upon both men successfully completing the required regiment of training. Both Billy and Kevin graduated at the top of their OCS and TBS classes and were assigned to the same unit: 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, based in Dong Ha. They would fly into Da Nang, then take another plane up to division headquarters. Dong Ha was up in I Corps, the northern most tactical zone in South Vietnam, where the heaviest fighting of the war was, not far from the DMZ.

‘This Vietnam stint is probably the last time I’ll be watching over Kevin,’ Billy thought. ‘He’s married now; can’t come between a man and his wife even if he is my best friend. Think I’ll go up and check on him.’

Lieutenant Kelly got up, walked up the aisle, and tapped the enlisted man sitting next to Kevin on the shoulder.

Would you mind if we exchanged seats; I’d like to talk to my friend here.

Not at all, Sir, the private answered getting up.

I’m in the back, on the left, aisle seat.

Yes, Sir, came the sharp reply, and the trooper moved off.

Can’t let you land in Vietnam without having your back, Billy quipped, sitting down and smiling.

Thanks for coming up, Kevin commented, feeling more relaxed at having his best friend at his side. You know, I was just thinking about my wedding. It occurred to me that I never formally thanked you for being my best man and getting our marine reservist friends to execute that crossed swords order with such precision. So now that you’re here, thank you. They shook hands.

I’ll be your best man every time you get married.

Don’t plan on it. There’s only one Yvette; she’s my wife for life. How did you ever get our buddies at the Tumble Inn to pull off that sword drill so well?

We practiced with broom sticks in the bar. I told them I would buy each of them a round every time they got it right. By the end of the afternoon, even though they were drunk, they got it down pat.

Remember the night we beat Bugs McGowan up in the Charade bar on 93rd St.?

That was a close call, Billy said seriously. He could have killed you.

That’s true, but he didn’t. We beat him together. That’s another one I owe you for.

Yeah, Billy said smiling. I'll take credit for getting us out of that tight spot.

He vividly remembered back in time to that sultry summer night in 1965 when the softball team from the Tumble Inn beat the goons from the Charade. To rub it in, the Tumble Inn team celebrated their victory at the Charade, a local watering hole with a bar in front and a dance floor in the room behind it. It was crowded; the air was filled with music and blue cigarette smoke. The booze and beer flowed freely, and the jukebox was blaring out ‘Bad Man Jose.’ There was a festive din of laughter up front, but in the back Bugs McGowan and his losing team were drunk and brooding. McGowan, the neighborhood bully, was especially angry at Kevin Barrett, the pitcher for the Tumble Inn; he was convinced that Barrett was throwing spitballs. Bugs, who had had struck out three times by Barrett, was enraged at being made a fool of in front of his gang-team: Botz, Beans, Mahaska, Ape, Animal, Wolfie, the Ginny, and Spacehead. The Tumble Inn team up front was in a high celebratory mood, with Kevin the hero.

Kevin and Billy were up at the bar ordering drinks when a very attractive Asian girl came in and sat down opposite them. She was wearing a blue silk dress split up the sides. Long black hair swayed comfortably behind her firm shoulders, her figure hourglass. When she saw Kevin and Billy staring, she smiled, revealing even, bone-white teeth. They drew deep breaths and smiled back. After she ordered, other guys started hitting on her, but she continued to smile at Billy.

I cannot resist, Billy said to Kevin. This is too good to pass up; I gotta go for it, and he casually walked around the bar to where she was sitting and introduced himself.

Hi. My name is Billy Kelly. I would very much like to get to know you. Her almond-shaped brown eyes locked into his smiling Irish blue eyes.

Hi back; my name is Carol Tan.

I’m very pleased to meet you, Billy replied, sitting down next to her. Are you from the neighborhood?

Yes, she answered politely, sipping her vodka tonic. Kevin, who was known as the neighborhood Romeo, watched Billy lead her back to the dance floor with a bit of envy. She was tall and curvy, and when she started to dance with her seductive moves, every guy in the place stopped what he was doing to watch. Billy was elated in trying to match her moves. The song coming out of the jukebox was ‘Baby Love’ sung by Dianna Ross and the Supremes; Kevin watched her, helpless before her beauty. She was fluid and her smile intoxicating. Her long arms entwined the shorter man with the blond hair and smiling eyes. When the song ended, Billy and Carol went back to the bar holding hands. Kevin watched them for another half hour, at the bar, enjoying each other’s company. He finally decided that he had to meet her and went over to them.

Well, I’m glad to see that you two are enjoying yourselves, Kevin began, turning on the charm. I’m Kevin Barrett, the pitcher for the Tumble Inn and Mr. Billy Kelly’s best friend."

Carol Tan, she said, smiling.

I’m always looking after Mr. Kelly’s interest. I consider it my prime responsibility.

I’ll be back in a minute, Carol said getting up. Have to use the ladies room.

She slipped away through the crowd.

You’re wasting your time, Billy said. She’s mine.

Well, Mr. Confidence then you wouldn’t mind a little friendly competition; you know, all’s fair in love and war.

Be my guest, but I’m telling you, you don’t have a chance.

Do you mind if I ask her to dance when she comes back?

Not at all. She returned momentarily and sat down between them.

So, tell me Carol, are you from China? Kevin asked.

No. I was born in Manila, the Philippines. Have you ever been there?

Philadelphia is the closest I’ve ever been to the Philippines, Kevin answered with a hearty laugh. She smiled. I would be honored if I could this next dance with you.

Only if it is all right with your friend, Mr. Kelly, she replied in a coy tone.

Anything for my number one friend, Billy said, hoisting his beer.

Thank you, honorable one, Kevin commented bowing to Billy. Carol slid off the barstool and slipped her hand into Kevin’s. No can help myself, Kevin added as he disappeared into the festive din with the beautiful Miss Tan. Dianna Ross was singing ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ when Kevin and Carol squeezed through the crowd onto the small dance floor. She spun in place and started swaying her hips to the rhythm of the music. Kevin danced close to her and caught her lotus blossom scent. Their thighs started brushing against one another and he surrendered himself to her. Carol watched him move; he was agile, about five-foot-ten, well proportioned, and had these piercing green eyes, but she was not going to make it easy for him. He moved in and rested his hands on her swiveling hips; he was totally alive in this moment of extreme exhilaration and extremely disappointed when the music stopped. She turned to leave, but he seized her by the hand saying:

You don’t have to leave. Stay for the next dance. I don’t bite.

But I think you do, she answered, smiling.

Billy told me that you live nearby. That’s good.

And why is that, Mr. Handsome?

Because I don’t have to drive you to the Bronx or Queens or, God forbid, Jersey.

And what makes you think I’m leaving with you?

Because we’re good with each other.

You are very handsome, Kevin, but I am leaving with your short friend, Mr. Billy. I like his blond hair. And she slipped away through the crowd, leaving Kevin dumb-founded. It was the first time he had ever been turned down by a girl he wanted. He stood there with his mouth open, watching her slip back onto the barstool, kissing Billy. Kevin didn’t know it, but Bugs McGowan had been staring at him all the time from a corner table. McGowan, feeling humiliated, got up and walked over to Kevin who was standing in the middle of the dance floor. People stood back when they saw the look in McGowan’s eyes. McGowan stepped in front of Kevin and poked him in the chest saying in a slurred voice.

Nobody makes me look bad and gets away with it. You were throwing spit-balls.

You’re wrong, Kevin countered. I just threw different pitches every time: a slider, a curve, a knuckleball, a low fastball; you couldn’t figure out what was coming.

You threw spit-balls, McGowan roared and shoved Kevin hard backwards. The crowd instantly grew quiet. The bartender, an ex-prizefighter by the name of Lefty, yelled through a small-cut window that gave a view of the back room.

Take it outside!

Let’s go, pretty boy, McGowan sneered and headed for the side exit. The crowd Surged, pushing Kevin behind Bugs. Billy leaped off the stool but couldn’t make his way through the crowd, which had bottlenecked at the side exit.

Kevin was athletic, but at five-foot-ten, a hundred and eighty pounds, he was no match for McGowan at six two and a solid one hundred and ninety pounds, most of it concentrated in his chest and shoulders. All Kevin could think about was to keep moving and try to get him in the throat. McGowan lunged and smashed Kevin in the shoulder, knocking him back against a parked car. There was only one thing the bar crowd liked better than softball and that was a good fight. As McGowan charged, Kevin caught him in the chest with raised feet and sent him back sprawling. As Billy broke through the crowd, Kevin sprung off the car, and in an instinctive, coordinated attack, both drove at the off-balanced giant, hitting him simultaneously in the face and the throat. Bugs went down, hitting his head hard against the concrete sidewalk. Kevin swarmed down on him beating him senseless with repeated punches to his face and head. Nobody interfered. Many in the blood-lust bar crowd were glad to see the goon get his. Kevin was breathing hard but smiling. Cheers went up, and the satisfied bar crowd went back inside to resume their festivities.

Thanks for the assist, Kevin said to Billy."

Anytime, friend, Billy answered. They went back inside, leaving McGowan in the gutter; none of the goon’s teammates helped him.

Carol looked at Kevin’s swollen, bloody knuckles, concerned.

You should get some ice on those, she suggested. The music started up again and Lefty, the bartender, with his flat nose and cauliflower ears, resumed serving his thirsty customers.

I have to be leaving, Carol said. She kissed Kevin on the cheek and slipped her hand into Billy’s. It was nice to have met you, she said to Kevin.

Yes Miss Tan, the pleasure was all mine, he replied.

Catch you tomorrow, Billy said to Kevin We both won tonight.

Kevin watched them as they left hand-in-hand and walk down Second Avenue through the large, plate-glass window thinking: ‘he deserves the prize tonight. If it wasn’t for him, I might have wound up in the hospital. Three cheers for Mr. Kelly.’ Kevin stared through the large window and saw Bugs McGowan stumbling across the Avenue. He was livid and screaming with rage at the oncoming traffic. Cars screeched to a halt; motorists screamed back at the man stumbling around in the middle of the Avenue, his face all bloody. Staring at the defeated goon, Kevin decided: ‘I will apply myself with diligence at school; a solid education is the only ticket out of this neighborhood. I do not want to wind up like McGowan where manhood is confined to the asphalt ball field and the local bars.’

Back on the aircraft, Kevin smiled at the memory of Miss Tan.

"Carol from the Philippines. Boy, she was an excellent dancer, incredible legs.

What happened to her?"

We had one date, then she suddenly had to return to Manila to care for her ailing parents. She was an only child. Well, maybe we’ll see her over here when we’re on R&R. Kevin pointed to his wedding band and added:

Maybe you will. I have to report into Hawaii.

Think I’ll do that. She’s worth looking up.

They both felt the plane begin its descent. Kevin looked out through the oval-shaped window and noticed the slight trembling of the wing.

See anything out there? Billy asked.

Yeah. Vietnam. The pilot’s voice came over the intercom:

We are beginning our descent into Da Nang. Flight attendants, prepare for arrival. The aircraft banked sharply and started dropping in altitude. Kevin and Billy, along with the rest of the curious Marines, watched the winding green coastline coming up fast beneath them. The temperature outside is ninety-five degrees, the pilot said. The heavy drone of the engines picked up in intensity. ‘Now it’s for real,’ Kevin thought, but he felt comfortable with Billy at his side. Coming in steep at Da Nang, Kevin could see the primitive-looking protruding head of the city flanked by sharp green mountains. The blue-green ocean curved into a bay from which flour-white sand spread easily away. Lieutenant Kelly, unlike the others, was not interested in looking down but ahead, past Vietnam to the challenge of balancing his friendship for Kevin with his new wife, Yvette. ‘She certainly is a level-headed young woman,’ he thought: ‘cultured, sophisticated. It should not be a problem. I’m sure she will support some of the business ventures Kevin and I have in mind,’ He smiled to himself, thinking of a comfortable future with his best friend.

Coming in fast, Kevin could see dense green foliage, orange dirt roads and water-filled holes scattered about unevenly. The jet touched down on the runway, burning tire rubber. The wing flaps went up and the engines roared in reverse. Kevin noticed all the sandbags around the base of the tin buildings as the jet taxied down the flight line and came to an abrupt halt. The Marines got up, started popping the overheads and pulling out their gray valpacs. Billy and Kevin eyed each other with confident smiles. The forward door of the aircraft opened, and an intense white light poured in. Billy made his way back to retrieve his valpac, then rejoined Kevin, who was waiting for him. They started shuffling forward. There was an attractive stewardess standing the door.

A step up from McGowan, Billy quipped standing behind Kevin.

We’ll get through this together just like we did McGowan, Kevin added.

We’ll see you in a year, the stewardess said to Lieutenant Barrett, but there was no eye contact; she had her head turned slightly to the side. Stay safe, she said to Lieutenant Kelly. Billy rested his left hand on Kevin’s right shoulder as they went out into the humid heat filled with blinding white light.

Fourteen years later, Mr. Barrett Senior decided to wait a month after the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to let the crowds and dignitaries disperse. Along with the elder Mr. Kelly he wanted to be there alone; this was something they had to do together.

Mr. Kelly, by this time, was an invalid, confined to a wheelchair. A series of strokes and cirrhosis of the liver had