In the Place Where There Is No Darkness

[Tony]

Derrion Parsing (8) at home was reminiscing about 1/11/2008 when it snowed (peace) in Bagdad. Memories of Derrion’s father Arthur Parsing (Art, Tragic Magic) an Army soldier (2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment) who fought in both Bagdad Iraq (7 deployments) & Afghanistan (poppy fields, Taliban). He married Joy. He died when Derrion was in the 3rd grade. He had committed suicide with a shotgun, or did he? Derrion was diagnosed ADHD & put on Ritalin, it was later changed to Bipolar I (?), different meds were prescribed.

Derrion (17) met Alaya in class, she was an artist. Derrion’s best friend, is Jeremy Fisher. Derrion gave a class presentation on America’s freedom but Mr. Russ Bertrand (Penn State) his history teacher did not like it, they got into it after class. Mr. Bertrand had like a secret room at his house behind a door in the hallway. He had lots of posters, sports memorabilia & bookshelves (top/bottom) jammed pack with books. Mr. Bertrand loved movies, performing in plays & music. Derrion had dropped a piece of paper on the classroom floor, & Mr. Bertrand had stuck it in his pocket & finally read it, it was very well written.

Mrs. Oliver was teaching another class on The Syrian War, Alaya commented on it, as did Derrion (Dare) & Tony got into a heated discussion.

Starting in MS for 3 yrs. Derrion did a project & a mock trial on WMD, Vietnam, Gulf of Tonkin incident, 1898, sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor, the Spanish-American War, 1953, US involvement in the coups of Iran, 1954, Guatemala, 1973, Chile, 2002, Venezuela, 2004, Haiti in 2004, Operation Gladio in Europe, Operation Northwoods in the US, & 1993, FBI involvement in the bombing of the WTC & of course 9/11 (AE9/11T). The United Nation’s Cyber Security Office (UNCSO) controlled everything. Derrion wanted to write an essay on 911 & all of the above for the Academic Conduct and Security Agency, will it/he get accepted, will it please Mr. Bertrand?. Did Derrion have a downward spiral?…

An awesome book cover. What a remarkable well written book (short story), no grammar errors or story line out of sequence. A brief sequential history of US events, & how bureaucracies rule our daily lives. What an ending! I’m Retired Army it seems like Derrion was giving tribute to his dad, regardless (PTSD?), he was still a hero in his eyes & mine. This was very easy for me to give it 5 stars.

Thank you for the free book
Tony Parsons MSW