They met on a Tuesday- For the Love of Veteran’s Day
They met on a Tuesday, on a rainy morning, while waiting at the bus stop.
To him, it was an ordinary Tuesday in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. The air was wet and a little sticky, but not terribly cold but not yet too warm.
Randall was early to the bus stop, and had to hang around a bit waiting on the bus to come. He wasn’t normally early, so he was slightly out of his element this day.
When Randall met Shane he didn’t think much of her. In fact, he didn’t really even notice her. It wasn’t because she wasn’t pretty or nice, or friendly. She was all of those things and more.
It wasn’t because she wasn’t charming and optimistic as well as cheerful. She was those as well.
He just didn’t really care much about girls, as they were both just 7 years old at the time. Believe it or not, this is the beginning of one of the greatest dating success stories.
Transplanted in the South
Shane had just moved with her parents, who were with her at the bus stop that morning, for her first bus ride to school. They watched her get on the bus and were happy to see that there were other kids her age in the neighborhood, and that she was safe.
Shane’s parents met Randall’s mother and they quickly became acquainted, since Randall’s mother relished any opportunity to talk with anyone within eyesight or earshot.
Randall didn’t know that Mom was already setting him up, and planning his wedding with the beautiful little girl from New York. Mom knew something that Randall was yet to discover.
Shane’s dad found a job working for the City Manager as a traffic planner, and moved his family abruptly to the city. They didn’t have much time to look around, but he had luckily found a nice little house in a cozy neighborhood to raise their daughter. It just so happened to be the old Wilkinson’s place across the street from Randall’s family.
If you haven’t been to Birmingham, the founding city for the recognition of Veterans Day, it is a place where the housing costs are more affordable with lower crime rates than cities of similar size. So Shane’s parents found themselves fortunate to set up a cozy home for the long journey of raising their young daughter throughout her lifetime.
For the kids, Birmingham had great parks and the two youngsters, took full advantage of this.
The Family
Randall’s Dad was an Army Veteran, who started as a plumber before opening his own plumbing business. So of course, Randall set his sights on becoming a policeman, or a firefighter. He was seven, so go figure.
Shane’s Dad was a Marine, so with Randall’s dad from a competing service, the friendly rivalry was already set between the two men and their families.
Shane and Randall grew up together. And against his will, at least originally, Randall was forced to hang out with Shane often. The two families’ barbequed and played cards together on most weekends and the kids played in the backyards and around the neighborhood. To Randall, it wasn’t that Shane was bad or anything, it was that she was a girl. A girl he would really love one day…
Veteran’s Day, Tuesday 11 November
As kids they didn’t care about Veteran’s Day. They didn’t really even know what it meant, but as long as they could get outside and run they were happy. As adults they understood the importance, as it was hammered into them like nails into a piece of Oak by their families.
Since coming to Birmingham, Shane and Randall played together daily and the two became inseparable.
They were best friend. Shane felt that her coming here to Birmingham was kismet and spending time with her best friend in the world, was her lot in life. She was carefree as was Randall. Both sets of parents had a shared admiration of the open and carefree friendship the kids shared together. They saw the happiness and closeness that these two shared.
Birmingham, AL
The city of Birmingham hosts the nation’s oldest and largest Veterans Day celebration on November 11, which gives recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I’s fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month).
The Commander of the American Expeditionary Force, Lieutenant General John J. Pershing, landing off the boat at Boulogne, 13 June 1917.
History of Veteran’s Day
On Nov. 11, 1918, after more than four years of horrific fighting and the loss of millions of lives, the guns on the Western Front fell silent. The only problem is that the war did not completely stop at 11am on 11 November. The next day, a Tuesday and for the many days to follow, a lot of war was waged. In fact, on 11 November alone there were nearly 11,000 casualties, dead, missing and injured, exceeding those on D-Day in 1944.
Over 3,500 of these were American soldiers. General John Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Force, did not approve of the armistice. Pershing had to face a Congressional hearing to explain why there were so many deaths when the hour of the armistice was known in advance.
Birmingham’s celebration is somewhat legendary, as it is the oldest celebration in the country. Their parade just held its 75th yearly celebration on November 11, 2022.
1970: Confetti fills the air as a tank rumbles through downtown Birmingham. Hundreds of thousands were said to have observed the city’s Veterans Day parade.
The Formative Years and the Immediate Future
By the time Randall hit High School, he was angling towards joining the Army, like his father and grandfather had done before him. As he looked towards his future, he more and more wanted this path for his life, career and future family.
He and Shane both grew up hearing the war stories from their families, and Shane understood where Randall was coming from with these desires, but it didn’t stop her from worrying for him.
During High School the young couple made it official that they were an item, as there was no denying the chemistry and connection they held for each other. They fit together like peas and carrots (sorry for quote from Forest Gump here- the reference just seemed fitting).
The Budding Relationship
Being a couple was important to them both, as well as for their families, so Randall made sure he made it official. Dating between these two young people was done in great harmony. Those around them were very happy for them, as they set the bar high as an example of love and respect.
Randall really loved her and couldn’t image his life without her. She felt exactly the same, and dreamed of wedding bells and children of her own. They spend their High School days like any other young person did, except that they were tied together at the hip.
Shortly after High School, the two had really made it official and had tied the knot. Randall knew what was coming and wanted to secure his future with Shane.
The Wedding
The wedding was simple. It was small and intimate, but all of their family members were present along with a large group of friends to celebrate this day with the young couple.
The bride wore white and the groom a black suit. It was a semi casual event, hosted jointly by their parents, with simple colors, beautiful lilacs and a cash bar. Randall asked his father and father in law to stand up for him. Shane her cousin and best friend.
They didn’t have much, but a hope and a dream for a long future together.
There was a simple honeymoon that took them to a cute cabin along the coast where they were able to share an intimate time together walking along the beach and holding hands out in the sunshine.
There was no greater example of two young people in love.
The World Changed
But, on This Tuesday, Randall Felt As If His World Had Changed!
The Normandy landings, were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944, of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord, during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune, and often referred to as D-Day, it was the largest seaborne invasion in history.
Randall had been recruited into the war, World War II, on his 18th birthday as a Marine. For Randall and the Germans, they met on a Tuesday as well, but this Tuesday was anything but a friendly encounter. It was loud, cold, wet and bloody. Randall had volunteered to join the Marines when he knew the US would be entering the War.
Randall was scared, but he felt fortunate to be following his brothers into battle. In the back of his mind on this day, like any other, was for the love of his young wife back home.
He was confident, knowing he had the love of his wife Shane pulling for him, and it drove him to keep his head about him, and well to keep it.
Cold, wet. On this day, he wanted nothing more than to get back home.
The strength of his convictions and love of Shane helped Randall through the long painful days, and when he received that first letter from her, his heart melted.
He counted himself lucky.
It was strange to some of his fellow soldiers that Randall was so positive and upbeat, but hearing from Shane just charged him. He felt like there wasn’t anything he couldn’t accomplish.
Shane held fast. She held true to her feelings and remained as positive as she could in anticipation of Randall’s return home safely.
The Return
Randall counted himself one of the lucky ones to make it through the war, virtually unscathed. Some of his friends and brothers had fallen around him, which tore him up a bit, even to this day. But anytime he received a letter from Shane, he perked right back up again.
Nothing on this earth was more important to him now. The yearning and anticipation of seeing each other again was almost unbearable.
The Homecoming
He made it through the war and his tour of duty. He was able to make it home within a month and couldn’t wait to see Shane. The two reunited and fell into each other’s arms. Shane and both of their families were there to greet Randall, but all that he could see was her.
They spent four plus years away from each other, yet that time melted away when they set eyes on each other. She was just as beautiful as she was the first time he met her as that little girl, but this time it mattered to him. She was even more beautiful than she was when he left shortly after High School.
It was an emotional reunion for everyone, and both sets of parents and especially the fathers beamed with admiration for their son. He was now a fellow veteran, a Marine as Shane’s dad pointed out, who had left a boy and returned as a man.
Randall thought a lot of Shane, and what would happen when they finally saw each other again. He didn’t want to waste any time and wanted to restart their life just as they had left it.
Into the Future
As soon as she could, Shane took Randall home. She had moved back in with her parents for the time being, waiting to restart her life with her husband. Fortunately, Randall’s dad’s plumbing business was an established and it was thriving, so he could pick up and teach Randall his trade.
Eventually they were able to get their own place and build the life that they had both envisioned.
They were able to build a nice life together, with all of the love, kindness and togetherness that was the envy of most folks. The never had a lot, but to them they were rich with love and family. A life well lived.
