Love Lost At The Diamond
Authored By: Bradley Chapline
Page Five
2005
Authored By: Bradley Chapline
Page Five
2005
An argument ensued between me and my parents. I told them I was leaving home. My mother then threatened to have me arrested for all the thefts I had committed prior to becoming involved in the church. I left the Perry Hall Baptist church. My friendship dissolved with Robert and my two African American friends. I was now in an extremely hostile state.
Soon, afterwards, I went back to certain trouble as I now worked for the Wilson family business. I was a laborer during the summer months preceding my senior year. That is, if I was passed to the next grade once again by school officials, for doing / learning nothing. I worked for the Wilson family business about sixty plus hours a week. Needless to say, with all the heavy lifting I was required to do, I was in great shape.
That summer, while I was engulfed in work, I still was smoking cigarettes, drinking booze, fighting, and chasing girls. I didn't spend any time at home with the exception of walking in the house one night when I was drunk. My father was not home. But, my mother began cussing me out. David, now home on leave from the military, and a candidate for the Maryland State police, told me that he was going to have me arrested. I replied, "Yeah, you probably will you bastard, but you won't before I kick your f'ing ass." I beat David severely until he laid motionless on the floor. For all the times he molested me, my anger was finally released. I was finally paying him back!
Although my prayers were not answered to have the enemy kill David in Vietnam, what had taken place there wasn't too bad of an answer for me. According to David's commanding officer in Viet Nam, instructions were given to all the men in the platoon not to touch anything at their base camp upon returning there from an extended patrol. Their commander had cause to believe that the campsite had been booby-trapped by the North Viet Cong. Of course, David did not follow orders. Before checks were conducted, David lit the burner to a hot water heater. It blew up giving David second and third degree burns over 90% of his body. Scores of his comrades were injured along with David, and one other soldier allegedly died from his wounds. David was found to be responsible for the explosion. I couldn't believe it, later, as a civilian, David was actually still a candidate for the Maryland State police!
In my senior year, with the exception of my music teacher, a deal was struck. If I kept my mouth shut, didn't start or get into any fights, and washed classroom blackboards at the end of each session, I would receive the lowest passing grade and graduate high school. I agreed to those terms.
I met a girl in our school concert choir. Her father was the pastor of a local Perry Hall Methodist church. Oddly enough, this was the church that my mother frequented. I had greatly missed singing in a choir. This made me think of my old friend Robert. But, he had since graduated from high school and moved on to college at Purdue University. I figured he was living his dream there, and I was happy for him.
I used my closeness with my new girlfriend to get into the church choir. Some weeks later I auditioned and won the opportunity to sing at an upcoming function sponsored by the church. The show would take place in four months. I worked extremely hard in mastering lyrics, and the voices of Frank Sinatra, Louie Armstrong, "Tennessee'' Ernie Ford, and Jimmy Durante. In fact, for once, the relationship between me and my mother was relatively calm.
I had been reinstated to work at the bowling alley. With the exception of my school work, I was doing quite well. I liked my new girlfriend even though I knew she had been around the track with probably more than a few guys. No doubt she was just trying to make people forget she was a preacher's daughter.
But, approximately one week before the show, I got caught in a compromising position. Her father caught me and his daughter in the act! And was he mad! I was then forbidden to perform in this show. It was a crushing blow to me. My mother supported those sanctions against me.
Soon, afterwards, I went back to certain trouble as I now worked for the Wilson family business. I was a laborer during the summer months preceding my senior year. That is, if I was passed to the next grade once again by school officials, for doing / learning nothing. I worked for the Wilson family business about sixty plus hours a week. Needless to say, with all the heavy lifting I was required to do, I was in great shape.
That summer, while I was engulfed in work, I still was smoking cigarettes, drinking booze, fighting, and chasing girls. I didn't spend any time at home with the exception of walking in the house one night when I was drunk. My father was not home. But, my mother began cussing me out. David, now home on leave from the military, and a candidate for the Maryland State police, told me that he was going to have me arrested. I replied, "Yeah, you probably will you bastard, but you won't before I kick your f'ing ass." I beat David severely until he laid motionless on the floor. For all the times he molested me, my anger was finally released. I was finally paying him back!
Although my prayers were not answered to have the enemy kill David in Vietnam, what had taken place there wasn't too bad of an answer for me. According to David's commanding officer in Viet Nam, instructions were given to all the men in the platoon not to touch anything at their base camp upon returning there from an extended patrol. Their commander had cause to believe that the campsite had been booby-trapped by the North Viet Cong. Of course, David did not follow orders. Before checks were conducted, David lit the burner to a hot water heater. It blew up giving David second and third degree burns over 90% of his body. Scores of his comrades were injured along with David, and one other soldier allegedly died from his wounds. David was found to be responsible for the explosion. I couldn't believe it, later, as a civilian, David was actually still a candidate for the Maryland State police!
In my senior year, with the exception of my music teacher, a deal was struck. If I kept my mouth shut, didn't start or get into any fights, and washed classroom blackboards at the end of each session, I would receive the lowest passing grade and graduate high school. I agreed to those terms.
I met a girl in our school concert choir. Her father was the pastor of a local Perry Hall Methodist church. Oddly enough, this was the church that my mother frequented. I had greatly missed singing in a choir. This made me think of my old friend Robert. But, he had since graduated from high school and moved on to college at Purdue University. I figured he was living his dream there, and I was happy for him.
I used my closeness with my new girlfriend to get into the church choir. Some weeks later I auditioned and won the opportunity to sing at an upcoming function sponsored by the church. The show would take place in four months. I worked extremely hard in mastering lyrics, and the voices of Frank Sinatra, Louie Armstrong, "Tennessee'' Ernie Ford, and Jimmy Durante. In fact, for once, the relationship between me and my mother was relatively calm.
I had been reinstated to work at the bowling alley. With the exception of my school work, I was doing quite well. I liked my new girlfriend even though I knew she had been around the track with probably more than a few guys. No doubt she was just trying to make people forget she was a preacher's daughter.
But, approximately one week before the show, I got caught in a compromising position. Her father caught me and his daughter in the act! And was he mad! I was then forbidden to perform in this show. It was a crushing blow to me. My mother supported those sanctions against me.
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