Post by Kourtni on Oct 19, 2009 21:41:48 GMT -5
Teddy Geiger...my best friend; we’d been best friends for many, many years. But here recently we’d gotten a lot closer than most best friends. And by closer I mean we’ve gotten, well...intimate. Having this new relationship status was interesting and sometimes hard to handle, but somehow the two of us managed to work things out. We’ve never been better.
There’s just one little piece to the puzzle that is fixing to cause some major problems. Our big problem was the United States Marine Corps. Yeah, my Teddy was a marine who fought for my safety for a living. He’d just recently joined and was fixing to be deployed for his first tour of duty over in Iraq. Preparing to say goodbye to my best friend was a lot harder than I expected.
We laughed and joked
In the cab of his truck
Just my brother and me
The night before he
Shipped out over seas
A leatherneck, jarhead marine
He said “The radiator leaks,
And the time and belt is worn,
But the heart and soul of this
Ol’ beat up truck is the dashboard...”
He was leaving in just a few hours, around two to be more exact. I’d spent last night at his apartment in an attempt to spend as much time with him as possible. The two of us were now en route to the departure site in his ragged old Ford truck. As much as I hated this truck and how hideous it looked, Teddy and I shared many memories in this truck. Our memories were obvious as pictures of the two of us were plastered all across the dashboard.
It’s seen a lot of tail licks
Got a kick ass radio
Heard a lot of singin’ along
To some country songs
And rock and roll
Got a .38 bullet hole
Courtesy of Kate Tillman’s dad
A lot of Scotch tape marks
From holding timeless photographs
He said “If I don’t come back,
You can have this Ford.
Just tape a picture of me
On the dashboard.”
“I can’t believe you’re leaving me for a year,” I said as I rested my head on Teddy’s shoulder as he pulled into the parking lot. “Life’s not going to be the same without you.”
“Babe, it’s going to be equally as hard for me,” Teddy whispered as he put the truck in park and shut it off. “Before I go, I want to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I’m leaving the truck with you. I know you don’t like it, but I don’t trust it with anyone else but you. If something happens to me over there, you can have it, it’s yours...just don’t put it up for sale. This truck holds many memories for the two of us.”
“As much as I hate this thing, I could never sell it to some stranger. We’ve spent many a nights in this thing just snuggling up close to one another. I’d never be able to let it go.”
He said “The paint is peelin’ off.
It’s got dents in both the doors.
If something happens to me
Don’t hang a for sale sign
Above the dashboard.”
Things were quiet as we got out of the car and walked inside the building to join the other marines and their family members. All I could do was hold on tight to Teddy’s hands. I wasn’t ready to let him go for a year. What was I going to do with myself if he didn’t return this time next year, October 2010.
“Okay, I...I have to go,” Teddy whispered as he pressed sweet and gentle kisses to my forehead.
It seemed like before I could blink he was stepping onto a plane that was carrying him away. I cried as the plane that carried him took off. He was really gone for the next twelve months. How was I ever going to survive?
It’s seen a lot of tail licks
Got a kick ass radio
Heard a lot of singin’ along
To some country songs
And rock and roll
Got a .38 bullet hole
Courtesy of Kate Tillman’s dad
A lot of Scotch tape marks
From holding timeless photographs
He said “If I don’t come back,
You can have this Ford.
Just tape a picture of me
On the dashboard.”
-------
*12 Months Later*
My twelve month wait was finally over. Teddy was coming home, for good, today, and I couldn’t be more excited. He’d been home once during his tour, but it was only for a week. Since that short trip home I had done a little something special for him. I’d fixed up his truck, everything except for the dashboard.
I had the engine overhauled
A paint job and brand new chrome
I had her washed and waxed
Sittin’ in the drive the day that he came home
I said “Here’s your keys, she’s all yours.
I fixed everything but the dashboard.”
“I can’t wait for him to get here. I’ve missed him way too much,” I said as I sat on his mom’s living room couch, looking out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the cab bringing him home. Instead all I caught a glimpse of was his truck. “I hope he likes what I did to his truck.”
“Sweetie, he’s going to love it...especially because you kept your promise and didn’t do anything to the dashboard. That one small part of the truck means so much to Ted,” his mom said as I saw a yellow cab turning onto the street, causing me to jump off the couch and run for the front door.
“I see the cab!” I squealed out loud as I opened up the door and rushed outside to wait for the cab to stop at the end of his parents’ driveway.
I stood at the edge of the grass as the cab came to a rolling stop. From where I was I could see Teddy’s dark locks sitting in the back seat, his hand coming up to wave quickly at me before opening the door.
“He’s back,” his mom softly cried as I looked back to see the tears in her eyes.
When I turned to look back down the drive at Teddy, I saw him drop his bags and start running for me. Of course when I saw him running I started running towards him too. We met about halfway, and when we did Teddy picked me up and spun me around many times before putting me down and showering me with what seemed like millions of kisses.
“I see you dusted up my old truck,” Teddy whispered as the two of us finally separated.
“Yeah, I just spiffed it up a little. I left the dashboard as it was though because I just couldn’t change it. I knew how important it was to you. I hope you like it...” I said softly.
“I love it,” Teddy smiled as he picked me up and spun me around again. “Now I know you said you had one other surprise for me, but I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“And that would be?”
Teddy let go and took a few steps back. I shot him a confused look that earned me a laugh from Teddy. Soon he dropped down to one knee and pulled out a ring box. He was proposing to me.
“I know you’re only nineteen, and I’m only twenty-one, but I know we’re meant for each other. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he told me. “So, will you marry me?”
“Of course I will marry you,” I smiled as Teddy slipped the ring on my finger. “Now for my surprise...” I continued as I pulled Teddy over to his truck, reaching inside and grabbing a picture, passing it back to him.
“Hey, this is one of those ultrasound picture things. Did mom give you my old ultrasound picture?”
“No, silly...when you came home for those two weeks and we hooked up, this baby happened. Ted, in a matter of four months we’re going to be parents to a beautiful baby girl.”
“Really? I’m going to be a dad?” Teddy asked in a shocked tone of voice. “I can’t believe that this is happening. Wow...I guess I’m going to have to break down and trade this old thing in. We can’t drive a baby around in this.”
“You mean you’re really going to sell this old thing?”
“I know you spent a lot of time and money getting it fixed up for me, but we can’t carry a baby around in this thing.”
“Teddy, I’d hate for you to sell it. We’ve had so many memories in that truck...”
“Maybe I don’t have to sell it. Maybe I can just buy a new car or something.”
“Good. Now, go say hello to your parents and take me for a ride back to my apartment in this old thing. I’ve missed riding around in it,” I smiled as I watched Teddy run off and hug his parents as I leaned against the ratty old Ford, smiling at the sight.
-------
I picture the truck looking like this: www.wheatfarm.com/f100/pictures/ford1.jpg
Except in a little worse shape, lol!
Song: "The Dashboard" by Chris Young
There’s just one little piece to the puzzle that is fixing to cause some major problems. Our big problem was the United States Marine Corps. Yeah, my Teddy was a marine who fought for my safety for a living. He’d just recently joined and was fixing to be deployed for his first tour of duty over in Iraq. Preparing to say goodbye to my best friend was a lot harder than I expected.
We laughed and joked
In the cab of his truck
Just my brother and me
The night before he
Shipped out over seas
A leatherneck, jarhead marine
He said “The radiator leaks,
And the time and belt is worn,
But the heart and soul of this
Ol’ beat up truck is the dashboard...”
He was leaving in just a few hours, around two to be more exact. I’d spent last night at his apartment in an attempt to spend as much time with him as possible. The two of us were now en route to the departure site in his ragged old Ford truck. As much as I hated this truck and how hideous it looked, Teddy and I shared many memories in this truck. Our memories were obvious as pictures of the two of us were plastered all across the dashboard.
It’s seen a lot of tail licks
Got a kick ass radio
Heard a lot of singin’ along
To some country songs
And rock and roll
Got a .38 bullet hole
Courtesy of Kate Tillman’s dad
A lot of Scotch tape marks
From holding timeless photographs
He said “If I don’t come back,
You can have this Ford.
Just tape a picture of me
On the dashboard.”
“I can’t believe you’re leaving me for a year,” I said as I rested my head on Teddy’s shoulder as he pulled into the parking lot. “Life’s not going to be the same without you.”
“Babe, it’s going to be equally as hard for me,” Teddy whispered as he put the truck in park and shut it off. “Before I go, I want to tell you something.”
“What?”
“I’m leaving the truck with you. I know you don’t like it, but I don’t trust it with anyone else but you. If something happens to me over there, you can have it, it’s yours...just don’t put it up for sale. This truck holds many memories for the two of us.”
“As much as I hate this thing, I could never sell it to some stranger. We’ve spent many a nights in this thing just snuggling up close to one another. I’d never be able to let it go.”
He said “The paint is peelin’ off.
It’s got dents in both the doors.
If something happens to me
Don’t hang a for sale sign
Above the dashboard.”
Things were quiet as we got out of the car and walked inside the building to join the other marines and their family members. All I could do was hold on tight to Teddy’s hands. I wasn’t ready to let him go for a year. What was I going to do with myself if he didn’t return this time next year, October 2010.
“Okay, I...I have to go,” Teddy whispered as he pressed sweet and gentle kisses to my forehead.
It seemed like before I could blink he was stepping onto a plane that was carrying him away. I cried as the plane that carried him took off. He was really gone for the next twelve months. How was I ever going to survive?
It’s seen a lot of tail licks
Got a kick ass radio
Heard a lot of singin’ along
To some country songs
And rock and roll
Got a .38 bullet hole
Courtesy of Kate Tillman’s dad
A lot of Scotch tape marks
From holding timeless photographs
He said “If I don’t come back,
You can have this Ford.
Just tape a picture of me
On the dashboard.”
-------
*12 Months Later*
My twelve month wait was finally over. Teddy was coming home, for good, today, and I couldn’t be more excited. He’d been home once during his tour, but it was only for a week. Since that short trip home I had done a little something special for him. I’d fixed up his truck, everything except for the dashboard.
I had the engine overhauled
A paint job and brand new chrome
I had her washed and waxed
Sittin’ in the drive the day that he came home
I said “Here’s your keys, she’s all yours.
I fixed everything but the dashboard.”
“I can’t wait for him to get here. I’ve missed him way too much,” I said as I sat on his mom’s living room couch, looking out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the cab bringing him home. Instead all I caught a glimpse of was his truck. “I hope he likes what I did to his truck.”
“Sweetie, he’s going to love it...especially because you kept your promise and didn’t do anything to the dashboard. That one small part of the truck means so much to Ted,” his mom said as I saw a yellow cab turning onto the street, causing me to jump off the couch and run for the front door.
“I see the cab!” I squealed out loud as I opened up the door and rushed outside to wait for the cab to stop at the end of his parents’ driveway.
I stood at the edge of the grass as the cab came to a rolling stop. From where I was I could see Teddy’s dark locks sitting in the back seat, his hand coming up to wave quickly at me before opening the door.
“He’s back,” his mom softly cried as I looked back to see the tears in her eyes.
When I turned to look back down the drive at Teddy, I saw him drop his bags and start running for me. Of course when I saw him running I started running towards him too. We met about halfway, and when we did Teddy picked me up and spun me around many times before putting me down and showering me with what seemed like millions of kisses.
“I see you dusted up my old truck,” Teddy whispered as the two of us finally separated.
“Yeah, I just spiffed it up a little. I left the dashboard as it was though because I just couldn’t change it. I knew how important it was to you. I hope you like it...” I said softly.
“I love it,” Teddy smiled as he picked me up and spun me around again. “Now I know you said you had one other surprise for me, but I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“And that would be?”
Teddy let go and took a few steps back. I shot him a confused look that earned me a laugh from Teddy. Soon he dropped down to one knee and pulled out a ring box. He was proposing to me.
“I know you’re only nineteen, and I’m only twenty-one, but I know we’re meant for each other. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” he told me. “So, will you marry me?”
“Of course I will marry you,” I smiled as Teddy slipped the ring on my finger. “Now for my surprise...” I continued as I pulled Teddy over to his truck, reaching inside and grabbing a picture, passing it back to him.
“Hey, this is one of those ultrasound picture things. Did mom give you my old ultrasound picture?”
“No, silly...when you came home for those two weeks and we hooked up, this baby happened. Ted, in a matter of four months we’re going to be parents to a beautiful baby girl.”
“Really? I’m going to be a dad?” Teddy asked in a shocked tone of voice. “I can’t believe that this is happening. Wow...I guess I’m going to have to break down and trade this old thing in. We can’t drive a baby around in this.”
“You mean you’re really going to sell this old thing?”
“I know you spent a lot of time and money getting it fixed up for me, but we can’t carry a baby around in this thing.”
“Teddy, I’d hate for you to sell it. We’ve had so many memories in that truck...”
“Maybe I don’t have to sell it. Maybe I can just buy a new car or something.”
“Good. Now, go say hello to your parents and take me for a ride back to my apartment in this old thing. I’ve missed riding around in it,” I smiled as I watched Teddy run off and hug his parents as I leaned against the ratty old Ford, smiling at the sight.
-------
I picture the truck looking like this: www.wheatfarm.com/f100/pictures/ford1.jpg
Except in a little worse shape, lol!
Song: "The Dashboard" by Chris Young