At My Father’s Ceremony They Said I Could Not Do Anything Right Until I Walked In And Smiled

in the dark.

“I missed the promotion ceremony,” my father said.

“Yes.”

“And the one before.”

“Yes.”

“And when you took command in Bahrain.”

“There were others too,” I said. “That is where I would start if I were keeping a list. But I’m not.”

He absorbed that.

“I am,” he said quietly. “I’m keeping the list. I think someone should.”

I did not argue, because he continue reading …