WHEN THE MONSTER IS YOU

 

The formidable Eleanor Roosevelt clashes with the officer to whom she feels superior, Major Richard Blaine.

WHEN THE MONSTER IS YOU

“Stand up for what is rightregardless of who is committing the wrong, even if it means you are standingalone.

All through the ages, one lonevoice of courage was the hinge which opened the door to a brighter path thatnever would have been walked had it not spoken up.”

 - Richard Blaine

 

I turned to face the indomitableEleanor Roosevelt.

As sometimes happened with myquirky mind, I saw the image of her in a bathing suit (modest, of course)diving into her own reflection in the pool of public acclaim, becoming “sealed”in that reflection of adoration, rising from the pool, wearing that “seal” everafter.

Louise murmured, “Major, yousuddenly look so sad.”

“Louise, be quiet,” snappedEleanor.

Curtis gulped, “Now, Major, youlook mad.”

She turned to me, and again mymind bled the image of a disapproving Queen Victoria over her.

 “You, sir, are covered in grime and dirt. Howdare you bring it here to an invalid like my husband?”

I gave her my best wolf smile,telling what little was left of my better self that murdering the First Lady infront of the President was probably poor form.

“I just came from within thecliffs bordering Omaha Beach. Alas, there were no showers available.”

She waved a dismissive hand.

”Oh, I see that Spartan Helmet,Major Blaine. I, unlike my mystery loving husband, do not believe for aninstant all the lurid tales spun of you in that doctored dossier.”

I winked at Curtis, gesturing tofirst, Eleanor, then to the Major General, and said, 

“See? I now have my ownGreek Chorus.”

The President tried and failed tohide his grin.

She wheeled on him. “Of course,you approve of his insubordination.”

Curtis started to speak, but shecut him off. “Buzzie, you are here to be seen AND not heard.”

I said low in a tone thatsuddenly scared even me, for I knew of what I was capable when I fully lost mytemper.

“He prefers to be called ‘Curtis’now that he is a Spartan.”

Louise tried to defuse whatobviously she saw in my eyes. “Eleanor, the young boy has the right to choose….”

Eleanor snapped, “And you, mydear, are here at my deference ever since that unforgivable broach of etiquetteon your part.”

I lost my temper.

 “Of setting thedamned table when she was supposed to know you wanted to be in charge?”

Eleanor stormed right up to me,her nose arching up as if to reach mine. “You, sir, do not take that tone to meor use such coarse ….”

A huge roar of thunder rumbledloud so close overhead it sounded as if it were inside the White House. ButI’ll give the First Lady this: she had sand.

“Oh, I know what General Eisenhowercalls you: Spawn of Satan.”

I shook my head. “No, ma’am, Iplay for the Other Team.”

Her face became a living smirk.“Then, I have nothing to fear, do I?”

A blast of lightning struck soclose, the mahogany floor shuddered beneath my boots, and I smiled with all thewolf exposed.

“But I never said I played by therules.”

Sentient overstepped as usual asshe took possession of my left hand, sweeping it up and over in an intricateswirl.

Eleanor backed up a step.

The ladies squeaked; Curtisyelped; and the men swore.

A misty image billowed and filledthe center of the room. I saw it out of the corner of my left eye. I did notturn to view it full on.

I had lived it once.

I needed no encore presentationof the nightmare. I didn’t need it when asleep, but then, I had no control ofwhat I saw.

I still felt the iron fingers ofthe four boys holding me over Headmaster Stern’s desk. Still felt the stingingagony of the bamboo cane as it splintered across my back over and over and overand over and over.

“Scream, damn you, Blaine!Scream!”

Louise whimpered, “Oh make itstop, Major. Make it stop.”

Missy husked, “He is not doingit. Are you, Major?”

Out of the corner of my eye, Isaw the blood begin to splatter and fly through the air.

“Scream, damn you!”

Dorothy gulped wetly, “I-I thinkI’m going to be sick.”

Curtis ran up to me and tugged onmy left arm. “Please. Major. Make it go away.”

I flicked tears filled eyes tohis own. “I’m not doing it, son. But for you, I will ask Sentient.”

No sooner had I said that thanthe image flickered away to slither and crawl into the shadows to eagerly waitfor my nightmares later that night.

I blinked back the tears. I don’tknow who I spoke to just then. “I don’t intimidate worth a damn. I never screamed.”

I turned to Eleanor.

“First Lady, these friends ofyour husband gather here nightly to try and give him a half hour of laughter so asto strengthen what hold on his sanity he has left.”

I drew in a deep breath.

“You disapprove of the drinkingand the slurred laughter because of your family’s struggle with alcoholism.”

I sighed with old hurts, deaddreams, lost love.

 “Your husband has more on him than any one man should haveto bear.”

My eyes flicked to where thatnightmare image lived for no one but myself.

“But, ma’am, you know this lifedoesn’t care a whit for should’s. They just squat on our shoulders likeSinbad’s Old Man of the Sea, refusing to let us go our own way … until we throwthem off.”

I walked slowly up to her as sheedged to the back of the door and could go no further.

“You beg off these nights, sayingyou have too many important things to do to attend.”

I shivered with coiled muscleswanting to do things I refused to let them.

“So … ma’am … ma’am … please …please find those other things to do. Now. Please.”

Eleanor Roosevelt left withoutanother word.

"The truth is, we all face hardships of some kind, and younever know the struggles a person is going through. Behind every smile, there'sa story of a personal struggle." 

- 

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

"Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by theopposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintainedthe struggle against overwhelming odds."

- Helen Keller