Salt & Sea
Clementine Bondurant
“GET DOWN!” My dad shouted at me as the military police raided our friend’s R.V. I was six and hiding in the hull of an inflatable dinghy crying as my dad ran to the R.V, “STOP! Put your guns down, there are children in there!” The police stopped him. My dad was drunk with a beer in his hand, but he was still trying to save the kids in that R.V. The naval police stopped my dad and asked him if he had a weapon, “Yeah, I do. A multitool.” They disarmed him and talked words that I could not hear.
Lying in the dinghy crying, I was worried my dad would die. With guns raised at him and the police kicking down the door of the R.V, I tried to be quiet.
It was a peaceful Sunday afternoon; I was playing with my best friend Auna, she let me pick a movie for the day and I chose The Ice Age. She had seven siblings and a brand-new baby brother. Her mom Tara was so excited and yet exhausted at the same time. Married to Dustyn, although she loved him, her life was difficult. With the eight young kids she would have to travel. Dustyn was in the special forces, so he lived a very secretive life and his family knew nothing about him or the terrible memories he had.
Talking with my dad Dustyn says, “Life isn’t the same since I’ve been back. I try to stay with the kids as much as possible and be here for them but it’s not like it was before. I love my kids, but I can’t stand them. The yelling, the crying, the screaming, the fighting. I don’t know how to handle myself. I can’t be left alone.” Dustyn and my dad talked and drank for hours while I played with his kids and watched their baby.
Making kool-aide with the girls and playing with barbies; sometimes we would play with Nerf guns. Being in Key West, there were a lot of people. Especially at the R.V park on the base, lots of old couples, grouches, and annoying grandchildren. Living on the base, everyone was always nosey.
Someone’s entitled little brat granddaughter ran to her grandmother crying about how my father and Dustyn were having a beachfront shoot out. Dustyn, explaining a memory, says, “BOP! BOP! BOP!” imitating the sound of being shot at while telling this story. The brat’s grandmother calls the police and tells them of two drunk and “scary” men shooting at each other on a Sunday afternoon around 2 p.m.
“PUT DOWN YOUR GUNS!” my dad screams while the police raid the home of our close friend. The frightened children cry while Dustyn punches the officer, fight, flight, or freeze. In a drunken haze he fights for his family as the unknown man takes his baby. Dustyn ends up tackled and hand cuffed on the ground as three men dig their knees into his back.
What was a bright and shining Tuesday turns into a day of fear and agony. After an hour of lying in the dinghy hidden by the mangroves, my dad calls for me. The policemen determined that the situation was a misconception and apologized for the abominable way they treated our families. After the tears went away in that little dinghy, I realized that despite how angry I was at my dad, I would always love him.
Lying in the dinghy crying, I was worried my dad would die. With guns raised at him and the police kicking down the door of the R.V, I tried to be quiet.
It was a peaceful Sunday afternoon; I was playing with my best friend Auna, she let me pick a movie for the day and I chose The Ice Age. She had seven siblings and a brand-new baby brother. Her mom Tara was so excited and yet exhausted at the same time. Married to Dustyn, although she loved him, her life was difficult. With the eight young kids she would have to travel. Dustyn was in the special forces, so he lived a very secretive life and his family knew nothing about him or the terrible memories he had.
Talking with my dad Dustyn says, “Life isn’t the same since I’ve been back. I try to stay with the kids as much as possible and be here for them but it’s not like it was before. I love my kids, but I can’t stand them. The yelling, the crying, the screaming, the fighting. I don’t know how to handle myself. I can’t be left alone.” Dustyn and my dad talked and drank for hours while I played with his kids and watched their baby.
Making kool-aide with the girls and playing with barbies; sometimes we would play with Nerf guns. Being in Key West, there were a lot of people. Especially at the R.V park on the base, lots of old couples, grouches, and annoying grandchildren. Living on the base, everyone was always nosey.
Someone’s entitled little brat granddaughter ran to her grandmother crying about how my father and Dustyn were having a beachfront shoot out. Dustyn, explaining a memory, says, “BOP! BOP! BOP!” imitating the sound of being shot at while telling this story. The brat’s grandmother calls the police and tells them of two drunk and “scary” men shooting at each other on a Sunday afternoon around 2 p.m.
“PUT DOWN YOUR GUNS!” my dad screams while the police raid the home of our close friend. The frightened children cry while Dustyn punches the officer, fight, flight, or freeze. In a drunken haze he fights for his family as the unknown man takes his baby. Dustyn ends up tackled and hand cuffed on the ground as three men dig their knees into his back.
What was a bright and shining Tuesday turns into a day of fear and agony. After an hour of lying in the dinghy hidden by the mangroves, my dad calls for me. The policemen determined that the situation was a misconception and apologized for the abominable way they treated our families. After the tears went away in that little dinghy, I realized that despite how angry I was at my dad, I would always love him.
My name is Clementine Bondurant and this is my first year at NMMI. I'm a high school freshman finishing up with my finals (thank goodness) I'm interested in philosophy and aspire to be a lawyer. I live a crazy life and have been many places, but my favorite will always be my home, Udon Thani, Thailand. The place I learned to climb coconut trees and found my life values.