CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 13 As the night passed, four lobsters sacri- ficed their lives to give birth to a wonder- ful friendship between the Clarkes and the McFadyens, and between our children as well. We listened to Dire Straits and the Rolling Stones, swapped vignettes of our college days and marriages and parenting and careers. We talked about Fayetteville. We talked of God and Country. When the invitation was returned, and as the McFadyens drove to their house on post in my truck, the one with the expired license plate, security rightfully would not let us in. We retreated. Rich and Suzanne met us at a convenience store. Rich got in with me and drove my truck and Susie rode with Suzanne in their vehicle. We ap- proached a gate reserved for military per- sonnel. e young soldier came seeking identification. Before he could ask, Rich handed it out the window and earnestly asked how everything was going. I was struck by the sincerity and compassion that this highly-ranked officer displayed for this pup of a soldier pulling weekend night duty at a guard station. And then I was struck by how many additional vertebra the enlisted man sprouted when he saw the proffered ID card. With a solemnity befitting Arlington, he dignifiedly saluted and said words I don't think I ever noticed before, but which I have heard and remembered in context so many times since: "All the way, sir!" Neither dinners downtown with us nor weekly Sunday School lessons nor beers at e German Diner could sway the Clarkes to stay here once the Pentagon called, invit- ing General Clarke to take an open chair at one of their desks. ey le Fort Bragg in early August. It was the 19th move during their married life. Rich jumped out of an airplane in July before leaving and he ran PT with random platoons all the days un- til he le. General Clarke is a soldier's sol- dier. He is a patriot. He is a watchman in the night for other sleeping Americans. He will do his duty at his desk as he always has on our nation's literal battlegrounds, but I know he will long for open doors of C-130's and for morning runs down Longstreet. I just hope he longs to, one more night, be a full Colonel again, eating a hot lobster tail in a cold garage with side dishes of rock and roll music and propane fumes. I hope he misses me like I already miss him. CV 910-864-8085 • www.bateaseservices.com 2557 Ravenhill Drive, Suite 1B, Fayetteville, NC 28303 1500 N. Main Street Ext., Raeford, NC 28376 Let us help with these services! • Full-service Payroll • Bookkeeping & Accounting • Tax Planning & Preparation • Management & Consulting Frustrated with accounting work? TOTAL CONNECT Control your alarm system and home automation from your mobile device. Receive alerts, view live video and control your security systems remotely including thermostats, lighting, locks and more. Get Connected… For Free! with a 3 month free trial. For a limited time only. TOTAL CONNECT Control your alarm system and home automation from your mobile device. Receive alerts, view live video and control your security systems remotely including thermostats, lighting, locks and more. Get Connected… For Free! with a 3 month free trial. For a limited time only. TOTAL CONNECT Control your alarm system and home automation from your mobile device. Receive alerts, view live video and control your security systems remotely including thermostats, lighting, locks and more. Get Connected… For Free! with a 3 month free trial. For a limited time only.

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