AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (124) 58th And L (Poetry) Becoming a man [95 words] [Drama] A City Pineapple (Poetry) - [117 words] A Fair Brown Maiden (Poetry) - [155 words] [Erotic] A Father And Son Chat (Short Stories) Are racists born or are they made? [278 words] A Good Vision Demands Keen Insight (Essays) This is a part of a larger work entitled the New Union Standard. [1,302 words] [History] A Grand New Age2 (Novels) The final chapter of a middle reader novel I am about to submit. [1,531 words] [Fantasy] A Matter Of Faith (Novels) This is a small section of a piece I'm tossing about entittled "Calling all Angels". [408 words] [Fantasy] A New Iraq- Repost (Poetry) For the brave Iraqis who chose liberty over fear and voted in the first democratic election ever! [45 words] A Peaceful Sabbath (Short Stories) A reflection on modern times. [915 words] [Psychology] A Seattle Dawn (Poetry) - [41 words] A Sense Of Timing (Short Stories) - [564 words] A Shooting In Iraq---Part Two (Short Stories) The special opts his ranger squad conducted was illegal and may have resulted in the death of a teenaged girl. [400 words] [Crime] Abilene And Beyond (Short Stories) Further adventures of Bob Coltrane's war against the railroad in the Old West. [932 words] [Western] Algolagnic (Short Stories) What happens when you replace total pain with total pleasure? One woman is about to find out! [2,768 words] [Fantasy] Appomattox (Poetry) What is love can be domination too! [23 words] [Drama] At A Wto Rally (Short Stories) - [853 words] [Fantasy] At A Wto Rally 4 (Short Stories) Joe confront the internal workings of the consortium. [723 words] [Fantasy] At A Wto Rally (Part Three) (Short Stories) Joe gets his first lesson as to what is the consortium. [435 words] [Fantasy] B B C (Poetry) I just love the English accents.... [70 words] [Humor] Bird In The Hand (Short Stories) Gothic story of two men on a battlefield dealing with racism. [5,695 words] [Mystical] Blackout-Part One (Short Stories) A detective that suffers from alcoholic blackouts is hired to discover the affair of a client's wife... [1,140 words] [Mystery] Bloody Mary (Short Stories) Sometimes slumber parties games can get the best of you. [564 words] [Horror] Business Card (Short Stories) Madness can be in a simple telephone call. [723 words] [Thriller] Cascading (Poetry) - [57 words] Clean Things..Part 2 (Short Stories) Brenda is horribly murdered and the police think it's Ryan who did the deed. [570 words] [Crime] Clean Things...Part 3 (Short Stories) Ryan is surprised when the person he believe did the murder ends up murdered himself. [578 words] [Crime] Clean Things...Part One (Short Stories) Unchecked desire can lead a man to the dirty things in humanity. [463 words] [Crime] Clean Things...The Conclusion (Short Stories) There's one thing with being right...being dead wrong! [734 words] [Crime] Colloquium Part Two (Short Stories) Ryder arrives at Moon Base George W. Bush in the 21st century. [349 words] [Science Fiction] Colloquium...Part One (Short Stories) Inhabitants on a planet prepares to travel in time in order to save their own world [431 words] [Science Fiction] Colloquy (Poetry) - [37 words] Comatose (Poetry) - [92 words] Cool Moonlight Outside My Hospital Door (Poetry) Ponder life as death lingers [86 words] Droit Du Seigneur (Poetry) - [98 words] During A Nursing Home Visit (Poetry) A poem of reflection. [92 words] Egalitarianism (Short Stories) We must pay for the sins of our enculturation that tells us we own the world one way or another. [750 words] [Fantasy] Equivocation (Novels) The Sage of Scarbourgh is more powerful than Rye thought. [748 words] [Fantasy] Equivocation Part 2 (Novels) Rye and the sage confront each other. [822 words] [Fantasy] Fear Of Water (Short Stories) What's is in out drinking water anyways? [637 words] Fighter (Short Stories) In a moment of weakness one can find strength to endure. [561 words] [Drama] Forgive Us Of Our Debts So We Can Be Debt Free (Short Stories) A gunman owes a debt that he's come to town to pay in the old west. [1,241 words] [Western] Forgive Us Of Our Debts...Finale (Short Stories) This ends the first two chapters of the Novel I hope you enjoy it. [1,472 words] [Western] Forgive Us Of Our Debts...Part 3 (Short Stories) A company of US soldiers block Coltrane's way into Topeka but going around isn't an option. What's a man to do....? [1,274 words] [Western] Forgive Us Our Debts Part 5 (Novels) Confrontation between two of Coltrane's gang and Lincoln Washington. [1,022 words] [Western] Forgive Us Our Debts...Part2 (Short Stories) - [1,525 words] [Western] Form A Vision To Success (Essays) This is a speech I am going to give to Junior High Schoolers today 1/16/04 for Martin Luther King Jr day. [759 words] [Self-Help] Freedom Riders Of 1966 (Poetry) After a rally in a southern town in 1966 four SNCC kids are heading back to Vermont. [83 words] Gambling (Poetry) - [100 words] Gay Marriage Is Constitutional (Essays) - [807 words] Georgia Peaches (Novels) This is a portion of a novel I'm working on. [963 words] Global Part Four (Short Stories) Some clones are like bad pennies...they keep turning up even when you don't want them to! [610 words] [Science Fiction] Global Part One (Short Stories) It's in the near future and human organs are in great demand...to make money you have to get them anyway you can. [655 words] [Science Fiction] Global Part Three (Short Stories) Clones can bleed and have emotions and what's worst they can have babies..... [792 words] [Science Fiction] Global Part Two (Short Stories) One way around the problem of made organs and real organs is a line straight line! [585 words] [Science Fiction] Hanging With Jack Day (Poetry) Jack Day was a friend of mine who shot himself one afternoon....at times I think of him. [182 words] Heaven And Earth (Poetry) A poem about life and death. [75 words] Hell (Poetry) - [181 words] [Spiritual] If There Are Two (Poetry) - [59 words] Instincts (Short Stories) A young reformed gang member is trying to just survive the night and make it home. [3,398 words] Laborer (Poetry) - [86 words] Lady America (Poetry) - [146 words] Lead In Walls (Poetry) - [72 words] Love Ended A Long Time Past (Poetry) Another poem in my series of the usage of sunlight [97 words] Madness In The Dark (Short Stories) Insanity creeps up the spine of a shunned lover during a blackout in New York. [660 words] [Psychology] My Cat (Poetry) What exactly is a habit any ways? [135 words] Mystery (Novels) A Private eye and Catholic Priest attempt to find out what is really behind New Orleans. [888 words] [Mystery] Mystery Part2 (Novels) The seeds of voodoo grow in New Orleans. [605 words] [Crime] New Iraq (Poetry) Repost of a poem I did yesterday. [45 words] Not In My Name Part 1 (Short Stories) A spirit from the terrorist attack on the World Trade Towers must let go of the living in order to cross over with the dead. But he is held to the living by the revenge of love ones. [2,458 words] Not In My Name The Conclusion (Short Stories) He confronts the fireman in death that couldn't save him in life. The fireman hopes he can convince him to let go of the living and embrace heaven and finally peace! [1,402 words] [Fantasy] One More Highway Song (Short Stories) Racial hatred can burn both ways and be all consuming no matter what color your skin is! One eight year boy learns one night during the Newark Riots in 69 [3,735 words] [Drama] Pieces Of The Pie (Novels) This is the first three pages of a novel I am just about finished with...it is 189 pages in length and is targeting high school readers. [650 words] [Science Fiction] Place's End (Poetry) This is an old one I posted a while ago but thought I would re-write it and re-submit it. [137 words] Poltergeist Inc. Part One (Short Stories) One corporation has figured out how to defeat it's competitors...cut all energy cost and convert to seemingly endless energy....there's a catch...ghosts [683 words] [Science Fiction] Poltergeist Inc. Part Two (Short Stories) Hilliard Aerospace has a secret.... [390 words] [Science Fiction] Ripple Effect (Short Stories) A scientist has discovered time travel or maybe his own descent into insanity. [838 words] [Science Fiction] Scarborough Fair (Novels) This is a portion of one of the chapters of the novel Scarborough Fair. It is a place the people there aren't completely sure what it is. The chapter is entilted Brenda. I will submit it in portion to... [657 words] Scarborough Fair Part 2 (Novels) Further portion of the chapter Brenda. [701 words] Scarborough Fair Part 3 (Novels) Further portion of the chapter entitled Brenda. [888 words] Semantics (Short Stories) A police interview. [305 words] [Drama] Shooting In Iraq (Short Stories) - [466 words] [Crime] Should I Look Within (Poetry) For my mother. [125 words] [Spiritual] Silicone (Short Stories) (The centralized theme of the story is to ask the question in a marriage how much of it is companionship and how much of it is sexual? Is there a balance? On the psychological level, what is the balan... [3,012 words] [Psychology] Sirens (Short Stories) - [682 words] Space, The Final Finale -Repost- (Short Stories) What happens in space can be inside or outside the mind. [1,008 words] [Science Fiction] Stains (Poetry) - [120 words] Standing On A Monterey Pier (Poetry) - [59 words] Stephanie (Poetry) - [63 words] Tacoma (Poetry) A poem about the city I love and believe has potential. [111 words] Tangled Berry Bushes (Short Stories) In the style of Edgar Allen Poe. [1,892 words] [Crime] Tempered Tools (Poetry) Healing is always a miracle [30 words] [Spiritual] Tenements (Poetry) - [58 words] The Adventures Of Roco Clay (Novels) A man hunts the takers of his wife in the Sudan. [1,128 words] The Axe Man (Poetry) A professional on his way to work. [113 words] The Cascade Hills (Poetry) In Washington State, there is nothing more lovely than the Cascades in the dawn. Another installment of my sunlight collection. [67 words] The Christian Thing To Do (Novels) Lincoln Washington sits in ambush for two outlaws from Coltrane' s gang. [1,021 words] [Western] The Clearing (Short Stories) A simple ghost story that happens to be true. [783 words] [Horror] The Conductor (Short Stories) What exactly is death? Is it the release of our spirits or just the recycle of energy? One person will soon discover the truth. [920 words] The Dawning Of A Seattle Morning (To Doc Bryon) (Poetry) I wrote this poem a bit ago but never liked it. With the passing of my friend Doc it seemed to all come together. [78 words] The Game (Short Stories) A contractor contracted to knock down the last vestment of baseball learns the power of the game. [1,838 words] The Hunter And It's Prey (Short Stories) - [446 words] The Manipulatory Factor (Novels) The only man that can save Known Earth struggles to save his sanity. This is a section of the chapter titled The Manipulatory Factor in book one of the DayStar Trilogy. I started writing this my first... [1,160 words] The Penalty Is Death (Short Stories) A Private Investigator is hired by a client to find out if his wife is having an affair. What he finds will change his life for good. [4,184 words] [Crime] The Phantom Group (Novels) Portion of one of the chapters. [2,308 words] The Quintessence Of Death (Poetry) - [96 words] The Reckoning Zone (Short Stories) A place we all must give a reckoning for the deeds you have done. [491 words] The Stairs Of Woman Hill (Phnom Srei) (Short Stories) It's time we brought home all our missing Americans from the Vietnam War. This story is for all who fought in that damn war! [1,208 words] The Stigma Of A Race (Poetry) - [79 words] The Strength Of Six Million (Short Stories) A young man is confronted with death but calls upon the strength of Six Million. [746 words] [Fantasy] The Trees On Mckinley Avenue (Poetry) - [153 words] The Union Chronicles (Novels) This is a portion of a chapter of a novel I wrote some time ago. I was re-reading it and thought it might be a nice read. [790 words] [Fantasy] The Voyage Of The Kyle Mayes (Poetry) This is a poem in 5 beat meter as a part of the poetry contest mentioned in the Advisor. [78 words] Title Less (Poetry) - [95 words] Union Chronicles (Novels) Just a little more of the story. I enjoy this section the most. [645 words] [Fantasy] Wal-Mart Wants To Rule The World (Essays) Someone left a message that this article was racist and I would like the site's opinion. [917 words] Wanning Colors (Poetry) - [102 words] Wanning Vivid Colors (Poetry) - [140 words] What Else Can Sunrise Do (Poetry) Driving to work I see the sunrise nearly everyday...it's a wonderful death and life expereince. [60 words] Where The Struggle Has Gone (Poetry) - [86 words] Who Are We (Poetry) I wrote this after my mother past away Are we spirits or just a portion of the universal constant...energy? [124 words] [Spiritual] Who Are We -Revise (Poetry) For my mother. [124 words] Wto Rally The Final (Short Stories) Joe has a rude awakening. [548 words] [Fantasy] Ze Zen Ta Continue (Novels) - [545 words] [Science Fiction] Ze Zen Ta (The Way Of The Thinking Fist) (Short Stories) First part of a potential novel. [692 words] [Science Fiction]
Back Page News E Rocco Caldwell
Once when the flood of 1986 wiped out nearly one thousand farms in Kansas my father told me no one would care and the story would make back page news. There were other pressing issues like what movie stars got arrested or what televangelist was found with what secretary. That was the time I joined the military. I had no other choice with a family ruined and on the back page of the news. After a while you learn to take things in stride. I grew to love the army even after the first Gulf War when we didn't finish the job. I liked the people and the opportunities in the army. I loved defending the rights of my country too. When the second Gulf War started I was excited again to defend my country even though I wasn't exactly sure how my country was in danger from the Iraqis. My LT told me it was because of the weapons of mass destruction that could be used by terrorists so we had to removed the leadership in Iraq and replace it with one more democratic. I figured he was right being that he was educated and all. It still didn't make much sense to me.
I got to Iraq just after the president declared our victory in May. Some Iraqis were happy to see us and have us there. They said we brought peace with our presence. I remember thinking why didn't we do it ten years ago? After I was there for a week I began to figure out why. Our barracks was attacked by mortars one night but no one was seriously injured then a few trucks in the convoy I rode with were attacked by RPGs. Bobby Jackson, a black kid from Newark was killed. I really liked Bobby Jackson. He changed my view on blacks. I never really knew one until I met him even though I had been in the army for nearly 18 years. He was the nicest guy in the world. Seeing him half burned and broken after that attack made me so angry at the Iraqis but I tried not to be umbrageous. Bobby would use that word all the time. I let the anger wash over me like the flood waters over my father's dreams. Bobby Jackson was a church kid and said that God loved the Iraqis and that America was the arm of God's righteousness. I think Bobby was the smartest person I ever met. We promised jobs, medical supplies and food but very little came so the Iraqis began to hate us. Insurgents attacked roads, bridges and fuel lines. The tribal leaders grew further from us and one time the Grand Ayatollah shouted at a rally, "No outsiders!"
The attacks continued even when I went home to Kansas for leave. I told my father things were bad over there but they were getting better. He didn't believe me. My mother and sisters cried when I left to return to Baghdad. I told my father that we believe eventually we would find weapons of mass destruction and that would prove to the world we were right to invade. My father calmly said, "No country has the right to invade another that has showed to aggression toward it. That was why we fought the first Gulf War. He said it was like when the flood water came and destroyed everything we had labored for but worst because we could have stopped the invasion and only God could have stopped the flood!"
That was two months ago and now here I am. I can see my buddies tossed about like chips on a gambling table. We never saw the roadside bomb. The Iraqis gathered around us. They chanted, "Death to Americans!" There was such glee in their eyes. I remembered that the most; how the glee appeared in the sunny sky looming overhead, the rising smoke and the heat of the fires. Their glee was like that umbrella in a fancy drink. I felt sick suddenly as if I drank too much too fast. I would have positioned myself against the mangled steel of our APC but one of my legs was gone. I could see the white gristle and pink of meat just over a black pool of blood. The jagged steel lodged in my belly filleted me and only my hands kept my guts in. Funny, I thought of my mother moments before I bled to death…her face in my mind behind the chants and jovial exuberance.
Flipping through the newspaper one American reads that a US soldier was killed when his Armor Personnel Carrier struck a roadside bomb. The death of the soldier brought the total American death toll to nearly 500. The American continued to the funny pages.
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