The Summer of Love

Prologue

February 22, 1967

What would normally be a cool and windy day with grey clouds and some leftover snow for me was a hot and humid day in the jungle of South Vietnam. I didn't know where the fuck I was. Maybe a few miles away from Buon Me Thout, a city near a river, which was close to the Cambodian border, but I couldn't remember, what with all the weed I smoked, prostitutes I fucked, and men I killed.

My name is Trey Washington. I was a tall and strong black man. People say I had the body of Muhammad Ali and the face and hair of Jimi Hendrix. I stood at around 6'3". I was born and raised in a poor black neighborhood surrounded by shooters, drug addicts, prostitutes, gamblers, and sexual deviants. Because of all this, I was the perfect choice for the draft. I had arrived in that God-forbidden jungle in January 1966, when I was 19. I was walking in camp to see his Lieutenant. He had ordered to see me, and my best friend, George Mason.

George was a 19 year old small and skinny brown-haired blue-eyed white boy with round John Lennon glasses from Cleveland. He joined the Marines fresh out of high school. But he wasn't the military nut that joins after graduating. In fact, George didn't seem to belong at all. He could hardly hold a gun, more or less shoot one. And on paper, he wasn't the best soldier. Nervous, quiet, and always the first man to go to bed. But discipline-wise, he was a good G.I., he always followed orders, and never spoke out of line. It seemed to everyone that George joined the military to either to find something or get away from something. Nobody was quite sure.

Accompanying us was our buddy Henry Miller, a 20 year old surfer with wavy blonde hair from San Francisco. Henry was your typical surfer brah. His father had a friend on their local drafting board, forcing Henry to go to Vietnam. Henry said that he after all he's seen, he will never talk to his dad again. He arrived in Vietnam in August 1966.

The three of us walked through camp to the lieutenant. He was your typical man in charge in 'Nam with the same past as the rest of the officers, generals, captains, etc. Joined the military in World War II and loved it so much they hadn't left it since. He was a middle aged white man with some salt and pepper hair. There he stood, with a chopper behind him. I knew it must be the day I was hoping and longing for. The day I had feared I wouldn't live to see. The day I could go home and leave this goddamn hell-hole that stunk of piss and blood. I wasn't just sick of all those sneaky little fucks hiding behind the bush with an AK in their hand, I was sick of the jungle. I was always sweating my ass off, I could get mauled by a tiger, trampled by an elephant, bitten by a snake or tarantula, and on top of all that I had to deal with Charlie, all those little fuckin' bitches who were too scared to fight us head on.

"Alright, Washington. This bird will take ya to Saigon, then I believe you'll fly to the Philippines, and then back to the states." It was music to my ears. I had never heard a more relieving sentence in his life, I was sad to leave his friends, though. George still had 4 months to go, and Henry had about 7 more months. I had all my stuff to take home in my bag. I gave Henry a pat. "When I'm out of here," Henry told me, "I'll get a hold of you guys." That was the plan we had. Once Henry got out we would all meet up and see what trouble we could get into. "Stay safe, man." I told him, and I gave him a departing handshake. I went on to George. George gave me a hug. "After I get home we'll meet up or something." He told me.

"Actually, Mason, you get to leave with Washington." the lieutenant said in a condescending tone. We all gasped. "Wait, I do!?" George asked, shocked out of his mind. "Yes, sir." The lieutenant said. George was beginning to smile. The lieutenant began to smile an evil grin. He was planning on dropping a bombshell on him, I could tell by the look in his eyes. And just after I had made this observation, he did. "My, my" he said, "I've never seen someone so excited to get an OTH Discharge." An Other than Honorable Discharge. George was getting kicked out of 'Nam "What? Why? What'd I'd do?" I heard him plead.

"Misconduct and Unsuitability. Not to mention you lied on your resume." George was a bit more nervous, I could tell by his face. I wondered what he would've liked about. The lieutenant went on. "When asked if you are a homosexual, you awnsered 'no.' Well, we found some magazines of yours that would say other wise." The lieutenant pulled out a couple of Bodybuilders and Boxing magazines. A stark contrast to the Playboys everyone else had.

As nervous, and somewhat sweaty as he was, George had a response ready. "I-I'm not gay. Those are just for fitness." The lieutenant chuckled. "Oh?" "Yeah." George went on. "I'd like to get bigger. Stronger. Those have some good advice." It seemed like a plausible reason. George was often vocal how he wishes he had a body like mine. It was something he was truly self-conscious of.

"That all sounds well and good, Mason," the lieutenant said, "But how would you explain this? He pulled out a letter. His face turned ghost white. The lieutenant gave it to me. It read;

"9/20/65

Dear George,

It was great seeing you play in the pep band at the Football game Friday night. These are the things I think I'll miss the most when we graduate in 8 months. The Friday night home football games. With the band playing, the cheerleaders rooting us on, and the crowd's booze-filled roar.

Anyhow, I'd like to thank you for the ride home afterwards. My Dad was out of town for work, and I knew it wasn't easy fitting me and your drums in your car.

But to get to business, George, I just wanted to say in writing (because I can better express myself) that I really enjoyed it. I've always liked you. I always thought you looked so handsome in the Marching Band Uniform. And I'm glad we did what we did. It was better with you than with Mabel or Alice. This was real. And I don't care what anyone says. Let's get some food after school tomorrow as "best friends". I'm down for some A&W." ~ Tom"

It all made sense now. George never had sex with any prostitutes in town, nor was he anywhere around when the guys were talking about the girls back home. We said nothing. The lieutenant's face turned sour. He looked George straight in the eye and said "You disgust me." He walked away. As he walked past them, he half-yelled "Faggot." at George. After a minute, I decided to break the silence with "You chose to go to Vietnam and you didn't out yourself to get out of it?" He nodded. I lifted his spirits with "That has got to be the ballsiest thing I've ever heard."

George smiled when he realized that Me and Henry were still his friends. George and I got on the helicopter. We waved to Henry "I'll get a hold of you guys when I get out of here!" He yelled to us while waving. With our friendship tight as ever, George and I sat in the Helicopter eastbound for Saigon. And eventually, home.