Love After The War

  Bert and Jenny both grew up in the same small town and went to the same high school where they were sweathearts. On the Valentine's Day after graduating Bert asked Jenny to marry him. They were deeply in love with each other.
  Bert worked on his parent's farm. He was a great bear of a man. He stood six feet, two inches tall and weighed a two hundred and twenty pounds. He had a barrel chest and strong massive hands. Bert had a heart of gold and would always help a friend. Even though he had piercing blue eyes his kindness and gentleness were his best features. The people in town loved his sense of humor and he always wore a smile.
  Jenny was loved by everyone. She was tall and curvacious.. She was considered quite a catch for any man with her auburn hair and green eyes. She was very meticulous about her appearance. She never wore bright flashy colors. She loved clothes and owned many dresses. Her clothes were always stylish and neatly ironed. Sometimes she wore too much perfume. Jenny was patient and tender. She possesed a good ear for listening. Something she acquired while working at the local drug store.
  Bert and Jenny planned a wedding for May the next year. That was until President Truman got the United States involved in the Korean War. Bert was soon drafted and then sent overseas. Their wedding would have to wait.
  Bert and Jenny wrote long passionate letters to each other both declaring their undying love for the other. Bert never talked about the war. His letters contained only words of romance.
  After eight months Bert's letters became more scarce and became quite brief. Jenny just assumed it was the war making him weary.
  Then Bert wrote that he had enough points to be discharged and would be home for Easter.
  Jenny was so ecstatic she felt that the day of his arrival would never come. All she could dream of was how they could pick up where they left off.
  Bert got off the bus. Jenny noticed he had lost weight. As she wrapped her arms around him she didn't feel Bert's usual bear hug.
  After a welcome home party Bert and Jenny were finally alone. Jenny noticed a change in Bert. He didn't laugh as easily as he used to. He was also withdrawn and seemed disconnected and sullen. Jenny asked him if anything was wrong. Bert said he was just tired. But the twinkle in his eyes was gone.
  Within days Jenny saw more changes in Bert. He avoided visitors and only came out of his room to do his farm work. He slowly stopped coming to see Jenny. His face was like a blank canvass, devoid of expression. When he said "I love you" to Jenny the words sounded hollow and robotic.
  Soon Bert began to drink very heavily by himslf. When he was drunk he was mean. His words were cruel and hurtful. Everyone started to avoid to him.
  Jenny could no longer take this new "Bert". She confronted him about their wedding plans and their future together. Bert coldly and flatly looked into her eyes and said his feelings had changed since the war.He said the war killed his love for her and that all he felt now now was numb. Bert said he no longer loved her and their engagement was off. Jenny was in shock. She did not know this man sitting next to her.
  Jenny walked home crying. She was going across the bridge and stopped half way. She gently fingered the ring Bert had given her. She took off Bert's ring and threw it over the side of the bridge into the water.Bert had been her one true love. Her heart was broken. All Jenny's hopes of marrying Bert and having children went into the river with the ring. Her "Bert" was gone now, replaced by a man Jenny did not know and who did not love her. Besides being hurt she was angry. Angry at whom she was not sure, but whoever was responsible for the war. War had changed Bert.
  Jenny never got over her broken heart.  Jenny remained a spinster  and lived alone all her life. Some of the people in town say she had a nervous breakdown after her break up with Bert. Everyone said she was never the same. Jenny loved Bert until the day she died.
  Bert lived another sixty years by himself. His drinking became so bad that he could no longer work on the farm. He suffered from nightmares about the war. He saw two of his best buddies killed in the war. Their loss and the trauma of seeing them die haunted Bert all his life. But he never talked to anyone about what happened in Korea. He struggled the rest of his life plagued by demons both day and night. He died a tormented old man.