Someday

When one is lonely, the days are long
You seem so near
But never appear
Each night I sing you a lover's song
Please try to hear
My dear, my dear

U.S.S. Phoenix, near Ford Island, December 7, 1941...

“Kenny? Hey!” Benson yelled across the deck. Even at 7:40 AM, both sailors seemed to be rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Just another morning that melded into back-to-back-to-back identical, endless, if necessary, tedious tasks.

“Yeah... later!” Kenny mouthed. Even at the early hour, there were still others around who might hear.” Nevertheless, anyone around them might wonder what they meant.

Secrecy was such a simple if normal, expectation for any human being. Even the most careful of stolen moments could be violated in an instant by a careless word or gesture. To that end, almost everything they had hoped for was abandoned for someday…..

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A few years before San Diego, California...

Someday I'll find you
Moonlight behind you
True to the dream i am dreaming
As I draw near you
You'll smile a little smile.
For a little while
We shall stand
Hand in hand
I'll leave you never
Love you for ever

Kenny Abernathy had met the love of his life in Dani Benson. A casual visit to an out-of-the-way dance brought a very nervous boy together with an equally nervous girl. At least that’s what Kenny thought when he began seeing the girl on a semi-frequent basis.

It was only after a few weeks of platonic-only flirtation that truth slammed hard into Kenny Abernathy when Danielle's true nature was revealed. She had blended seamlessly into the young ladies in town, almost a cute, if plain, girl among knockouts.

But life for Dani was divided unequally between brief times of true self and presentation of the normal life of the recent high school graduate, Daniel Arthur Benson. The boy who worked at his father’s hardware store. The store Kenny went to for some odds and ends for his mom’s home.

“Can I help you?” Danny asked as Kenny walked up to the counter. It might have been Kismet or such, but Benson’s Hardware Store was on the way home from Kenny’s Job. And Danny could not hide Dannielle even if he had tried, since his eyes widened in fearful recognition.

“C…can I help you?” he repeated. Kenny looked at the boy and swallowed hard. Danny read into Kenny’s demeanor everything he had feared and stammered.

“I’ll get my Dad…”

“Danielle? Dani?” Kenny said as he reached out, quickly grabbing Danny’s hand.”

“N…no!” Danny tried to pull away. Kenny wasn’t much bigger than the boy, but his resolve outweighed Danny’s fear. He stepped around the counter and took Danny’s hand in both of his.

“Nice to meet you,” Kenny said almost casually. Danny tried to back away, but the boy’s erstwhile platonic crush just smiled.

“I know… Danny? I just didn’t know what to say or how to say it.” A slight curl of a grin accompanied the tears welling in Kenny’s eyes. Danny relaxed even as his eyes pleaded, “Really?”

“Really!” Kenny’s words answered Danny’s unspoken question.

From that moment forward, moments became more borrowed than stolen. Times of dreams and wishes were helped along by Kenny’s understanding mom. and the encouragement of Kenny’s uncle, a kind and caring soul who was what their generation would call “one of them.”

Danny’s father didn’t notice anything, since Danny spent most of his time at the store, being diligent and helpful.

Days turned into weeks, and the times grew troubled. Kenny and Danny found their lives rudely interrupted. Kenny found himself with a bunch of guys his own age in tiresome lines; pushed and prodded and poked. And sent somewhere else.

All our past sorrow redeeming
Try to make it true
Say you love me too
Someday I'll find you again

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Danny had presented herself less and less, even in the haven of Kenny's home. But even fear could not prevent the girl from being herself to plead for her love to stay.

“You… you just can’t go,” the girl sobbed. The young man kissed her on the forehead; more like a brother than a lover.

“It’s okay. I’ll be alright.” He smiled weakly. Maybe they could stay out of the conflict, he had thought.

“I’ll be back before you know it.” He said as his hand drifted away from the girl’s as he walked out. The girl fell into the embrace of her boyfriend’s mother, sobbing once again.

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In the next few months, they kept in touch via mail. Kenny threw himself into what his country asked of him, while Danny was the best son he could be. Then one day, a letter summoned him into a queue similar to the one Kenny traversed. And the gods or fate or divine will brought him to a balmy place in the middle of tranquil seas.

“K…Kenny?” Danny mouthed as the CPO ushered him toward a young man standing confidently next to a Bofors Gun.

“Abernathy will show you the ropes. Just remember yer trainin’ and listen to what he says and you’ll be okay.” Danny walked up and went to speak, but Kenny shook his head.

“We can’t…. no… maybe someday?” He pointed to the gun as if giving instructions.

“Oh….” Danny looked down at his feet and wiped his face with his sleeve. When he raised his head, Kenny shook his hand.

“Someday,” he mouthed before turning his attention back to the gun.

Days once again turned into weeks. A friendship much different than what they had enjoyed. Not even platonic, since even a hint of love would destroy them both. Just a couple of guys from the same town doing their part. But then…

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Aboard the Phoenix, December 7, 1941, 7:52 AM...

“Shore leave!” Benson said aloud, hoping that their exchange would be lost in the mundane hopes of relief from routine. Their hopes…everybody’s hopes would be met in the worst way as that safe routine was shattered in mere moments.

The loud whine of unfamiliar aircraft interrupted the morning calm, accompanied by the crash of bullets against the deck. Chaos ensued, with shouts and even screams piercing the air. Kenny looked around, and his eyes fell on crewmates writhing in pain or worse.

“C’mon,” he heard from over his left shoulder. He turned to find Danny dragging a crewmember to an alcove by a gangway; even as bullets slammed into the deck around the two.

“DANNY!” Kenny shouted, but the noise of the attack left his words unheard. He ran up to the boy and shoved him and the crewmember into the alcove just as a round pierced his left shoulder.

“NOOOOO!” Danny cried out. He reached out and tried to drag Kenny to safety. The young man smiled weakly before saying in a near whisper,

“Someday.”

All our past sorrow redeeming
Try to make it true
Say you love me too
Someday I'll find you again

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San Diego, 1982, the office of Katherine Roberts, MD, Hematologist...

“I’m so sorry. We’ll keep fighting, sweetie.” Katherine walked around her desk as Dani stood, embracing her. She would never say ‘we tried’ to the woman, but they both knew it was just a matter of time…

A few weeks later, at Katherine Roberts’ office…

The nurse had just hung up the phone when Katherine walked in,

“Doctor? SoCal Health just called. Dani Abernathy’s gone,” she said as she looked into Katherine’s tear-filled eyes. Katherine nodded, reluctantly offering a somewhat hopeful gesture as she cast her vision upward.

Meanwhile…In a very green meadow somewhere else…

The young lady was almost skipping; her energy had returned after so long a life of struggle. She never gave way to sadness, since she lived each day from hope to hope.

“Dani?” She heard a voice behind her. She turned to find herself face-to-face with the love of her life. The last time she saw Kenny Abernathy was the worst day of her life as his was at an end. But here he was, renewed and strong and glowing with a love for her that she never doubted.

She stepped forward and kissed him with all the passion that you’d expect from a woman who waited forty-some odd years for her someday to arrive.

Can't you remember the fun we had?
Time is so fleet
Why shouldn't we meet?
When you're away from me days are sad;
Life's not complete
My sweet, my sweet

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Someday I'll Find You
Composed by Noel Coward
performed by the incomparable
Doris Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcxdf2swwJg&list=RDlcxdf2sww...