Contest entries for 15 for 15 (book).

The Scourge:Jan 21-Face the war veterans like Nick Charles

The Scourge

The wizened old man made his way to the corner table, in the pub. A shell of a man, he walked slowly, at a snail’s pace, wraithlike.

Finally, he sat down, sighing with the tedium typical to a man in the wrong side of eighties. He will be 87 in a couple of months. He loved the feel of midmorning sun on his face and arms, through the window, by his seat. His weakened eyes rested on a patch of green, and the border of daisies fluttering in the gentle wind.

“Hi Nicky! How are you today?”

The dull eyes brightened a bit, as they took in the tall, slim girl before him. A ghost of a smile played on the ends of his eyes.

“ Hi there honey! I feel alright, thank you,” answered Nick Charles, softly mild.

Ann sat down, looking at Nick’s face, shaped like a rounded seashell, with its whorls, deep and clear. His unkempt hair, which badly needed a cut, his shirt and sweater hanging loosely, on weak and atrophied shoulders, the droop of his mouth, and the pursed lips, filled her with pity.

“You must be happy now that we straightened your pension,” Ann said, smiling.
“Of course! Thanks to you dear, you did a great job.”

Ann’s eyes filled, at the note of gratitude.

Ann found him in the park, looking lost and forlorn, a couple of moths before. He looked sad and withdrawn, and his pride in tact. He refused to disclose details about himself.

After much persuasion, he relented. His wife died years ago, and till recently, he depended on social security. Help stopped for some reason. His son and daughter had no time for him. He had neither will nor strength to do it on his own.

The swill of war memories; the deaths of close friends, and enemies, the army frauds and foul play, the bunkers and hideouts, the trenches and the forest trail, sometimes hunted by, and other times hunting for the enemy, the scourge of war, was too much for him to care for his daily bread.

They, the war veterans like Nick Charles, earned their greatness. Now what are we doing for them? Not even able to settle their finances on time, leaving them to the mercy of strangers!