Norm

In 1971-1973 I was stationed at Ft. Carson. I was a mess coming back from Vietnam and now realize just how much a mess I really was. In an earlier post I wrote about meeting a couple guys while in-processing and how it really saved me at that time. About six months later I just really lost it and got into some trouble. At this time I was assigned to the training room. I had not been there long before this rough, gruff, young, GI came in just out of Boot Camp. I think his first words were "I didn't let them cut my hair off. There are guidelines and I told the Drill Sargent that I was not going to let them cut it off." Or something to that effect. I thought wow, I sure don't want to be around this guy. Well, as I have said in other posts, it's odd how you meet people and friendships are formed. I guess it's that your all away from friends and family and now those you serve with are now your family. Anyway, Norm and I became friends very fast and we spent all our off-duty time together. I found him to be funny, kind and caring. He always wanted to go to this mall to see this parrot at a pet shop. He would always say "That's some bird." He spoke of Modesto where he came from and how much he loved it and could not wait until he returned after his tour was completed. My small circle of GI's I hung around with all lived farther than Omaha from Colorado Springs. Over my time at Ft. Carson me and the small circle of GI's made many trips there for the weekend. We'd leave on a Friday night and get to Omaha on Saturday a.m. We'd then leave Sunday morning and get back to Ft. Carson on Sunday night. Kind of stupid as the speed limit was 55 and there was a gas shortage and it was hard to find late at night even along the interstate. Regardless, we made many trips, sometimes a couple weeks in a row. Norm was always on those trips and although the guys would split up with some of my brothers in Omaha, Norm and I always hung out together. One time we were riding around on a Friday night and Norm said "Let's go to Omaha." And with that, he headed for the interstate and off we went. (He happened to be driving my car.) I was so blessed and fortunate that he came into my life at that time. It helped keep me somewhat sane. A Sargent, also in the training room had reservations about him but this changed and he too found him a nice guy. Norm and I even helped the Sargent and his family pack up and get ready to move to a new Ft. The last time I saw Norm was about a week or two after I returned to NE after getting out of the service. He and another guy came back to spend the weekend in Omaha. I was so excited to see him. Norm was pretty adamant that moving back to NE and living at home would be a terrible idea. When he came back we had an argument and were shouting at each other in the basement of my family home. During this time another guy tried to calm us down and them my mom came down and asked me to read a label. She went upstairs and Norm started crying. He said moving back home and living with my family was going to kill me. They left the next day and I never saw and don't think I spoke to him again. You know, he was right. I had the opportunity to work with an organization in CO Springs and should have taken the job. Norm was right. Although it did not kill me it came close to it. I never forgot Norm and have always regretted not taking his advice, and why didn't try to contact him to contact him after he went back, etc. I tried a little over the last couple of years to search him out. Now it appears I have found him but it is too late. He apparently passed away at 29. I feel so devastated that I never got to see or speak with him again and that he is no longer here. It seems all I have done this weekend is think of him and cry. I wrote a letter to his sister and hope I hear back from her. I'm looking for something, perhaps some closure or to in some way say goodbye. I wish I could have told him he was right and just how much I cared for him. Hopefully there is a Heaven and I'll get that chance and be able to hang out with him again. I have always missed you Norm.