Happy Veteran’s Day! Thank you to all who have and continue to serve!

Sam sat in the chair chatting with the artist as he worked. Papa had been a casualty of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The picture was going to be a gift to his mother.

There had been a fire six months ago that destroyed all the pictures of this wonderful man. While resembling his father in appearance, it was his father’s soul that Sam wanted captured in the picture. The artist listened and worked intently as the intimate details of the father were described.

John had been a man of adventure taking the family to beautiful parks. There they would have picnics and hike in lush landscapes of the mountains. Each member of the family would dive off waterfalls into the bubbling crevices below. John’s life was one of thrills and exploration.

The family had lived in Hawaii almost five years before the bombing. John had joined the Navy during the depression with a deep love for his country. On the day of the bombing John had been on board ship attending to simple duties. As the planes approached and the bombing began, John was able to get to one of the onboard guns and engage in a partial counter attack.

Bullets from the planes reached John and he was killed instantly. Standing on a hill the family watched the scene in horror. It was a day they would never forget.

The artist handed the finished portrait to Sam. The eyes in the portrait reflected a man who loved life and his family. Each line on the face projected a life well lived. Sam was amazed at how well the artist captured his father.

Sam walked away with gratitude as he felt John’s soul. Papa was with the family once more.

copyright 2019 Debbie Pierce

https://fivedotoh.com/2019/11/11/fandangos-flash-fiction-challenge-40/

The image is from Pixabay at Pexels.com

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