The Female Soldier

*A teacher stands in a class full of brand new kindergarteners She is asking them the normal survey questions. What is your favorite color? What television shows do you like? What is your favorite animal? Finally as the list dwindles the teacher asks the next form question.*1

Teacher: Class, what do you want to be when you grow up?2

*Several small hands shoot into the air, including one of a little girl who had remained quite all day. The teacher smiles and calls on her.*3

Teacher: Gracie, what do you want to be when you grow up?4

Gracie: I wanna be a United States Soldier! *It is said without hesitation or fear.*5

*A little boy in the class glares at her and shakes his head.*6

Tommy: Gracie, your stupid! Girls can't fight! You can't be a soldier.7

*Gracie looks from her silent teacher to the mean little boy, tears in her eyes.*8

Gracie: You watch me. I'll be a soldier. Some day.9

~Fourteen Years Later~10

*That same little boy and girl grew up in constant competition. They were always at each others throats until their gradation day. They both signed up for the army at the same time and both were excepted and put into the same unit. They were both deployed to Iraq at the same time.*11

*One day Gracie is out in a smaller group scouting when several shells go off.*12

Soldier: Get down!13

Gracie *Dives out of the way.* What's going on, Ratliff?!14

Soldier: *Crawls over to her side* I don't know, Gracie! Looks like a suicide bomber!15

*Bombs continue to go off and Gracie and her buddies are bombared by shrieks, mortar, and debris. After several minutes go by another soldier stumbles upon them. His breathing is harsh and he looks on the brink of death. Ratliff takes care of the wounded soldier while she speakes to him.*16

Wounded Soldier: Please, my buddies. They're back there. 17

Gracie: *Looks up at Ratliff* John, his buddies....18

Ratliff: *Shakes his head violently* Dont even think about it Gracie. Its almost impossible if any of them made it out of there. One in a million.19

Gracie: He did.20

Wounded Soldier: No, he's right. They were all dead. All but Tommy....Tommy couldn't walk on his own and I couldn't carry him....*He breaks down and starts to cry.*21

Gracie: *The color drains from her face* Tommy? Tommy who? What was his last name?22

*The wounded soldier mumbles something that Gracie barely catches. Her heart drops into her stomache.*23

Gracie: No.....*She leaps to her feet and runs towards the ruined city.*24

Ratliff: Gracie! Get your ass back here! Thats an order!25

Gracie: Sorry Captain, I have to do this! I'll be back! I swear!26

*She runs directly throught gunfire and mortar and exploding shells. Explosions rocked the earth around her and yet she never even flinches. Finally she comes upon a group of fallen soldiers. Tears come to her eyes as she crawls from each one to the next turning them over and recognizing a face from her unit, but none of them are Tommy. She stnads on her knees to look over the sea of dead when she hears a soft voice. She crawls over to the soldier.*27

Gracie: It's okay, I'm here. Come on, we're going to get out of here.28

Soldier: *looks up at her as she pulls him to his feet and puts his arm around her own shoulders.* Gracie?29

Gracie: *Nods and they continue to walk, despite the earth shaking and bombs firing.* Hi, Tommy. Miss me?30

Tommy: *Smiles in pain* Never thought I'd be glad to see you.31

Gracie: You'd better be glad to see anyone. They were going to leave you out here to die.32

Tommy: *pauses* Why didn't you let them?33

Gracie: *Smiles to herself* Because, I am a United States Soldier.34

Tommy: *Shakes his head and grins despite the pain* Best damn soldier I've ever met.35

Gracie: *Almost drops him in shock, but continues to trudge her way on.* Shut up and try to stop bleeding. 36

Tommy: Yes, Ma'am.37

~Three Months Later~38

*Gracie stands in the ranks with the rest of her unit at the awards ceremony. It is her last day before her discharge. She has made it out of Iraq safely and in one peice. She received no reprimand for rescueing Tommy who was honorably discharged due to injury. Gracie's small family sits in the audience, watching the ceremony. Their commander, Major Durneth, called them to attention.*39

Major: Parade rest!40

*they all snap into place.*41

MAjor: Grace Welsey, front and center.42

*Grace marches forward to stand before him.*43

Major: For heroic or meritorious achievement of service, not involving aerial flight in connection with operations against an opposing armed force44

, I award this Bronze Star to Grace Welsey of Churnshire, Minnesota. 45

*The Major pinned the medal onto her coat and stepped back.*46

Major: Atten-hut! *Her unit snapped into salute as did she. After a moment, the Major returned it. Gracie returned to her spot in the ranks.*47

*The rest of the ceremony went by in a flash. As soon as it was over and the soldiers were released, Gracie ran to her family. She was immeadiatley embraced by her parents and siblings. As the emotion and excitement wound down, Gracie felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned, expecting to see one of her army buddies.*48

Tommy: Hi Gracie. *He stood with crutches and a lazy grin.*49

Gracie: Tommy....50

Tommy: *He sighed* Gracie, I was wrong all those years ago. I've recently had it shoved in my face that girls can be just as good soldiers as boys. A beautiful, heroic young female soldier showed me when she saved my ass. *He paused and held out his hand* Can we start over?51

Gracie: *A slow, warm smile spreads across her face and she clasped his hand* Of course.52

Tommy: *He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her on the lips.* Good, I was hoping we could. Want to go out with me later?53

*Gracie nodded. Tommy grinned and glanced at her Bronze Star*54

Tommy: Take good care of that. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have it.55

Gracie: Excuse me?! 56

*They walk away, hand-in-hand, shouting at each other.*