The mouth had born the damage the electric toothbrush scrubbed the damaged teeth. From birth through the early teen years the mouth had been in DP camps and on the lower side of economic prosperity. He also was the sweet tooth. 57 years old on the backside of his career. The CW4 scrubbed his teeth.

Above and north of him 7 people who he had much in common with were in the final seconds of their life. They had been doomed at launch no one knew. A dangerous side of NASA which predated the pilot seeing Combat was in the process of taking 7 more lives. The lessons of years previous Challenger were forgotten. Apollo 1, Challenger and Colombia were repeating themselves. A fellow pilot was engaging his struggle for control miles away and losing the battle. Seconds later death came above south east Texas.

This 24 year old son was lying down on the couch. In his early 20s from the backyard he had seen the spectacular trail of glowing bright orange as the shuttle had gone over San Antonio. He was watching it on CNN. Dallas was getting a view. North Texas and East Texas were getting a view of tragedy.

The Warrant officer walked from the master bedroom through the hall and the den. Moments later the son announced Colombia had been lost. His Hispanic wife had brought flour tortillas from the New City Bakery. The refried beans chorizo and eggs were the makings of great breakfast. He also sensed a news story from Fox News was about to impact the Saturday with the family. Maurice knew that with the Colombia break up the Saturday was subject to change. Maurice’s wife was also aware her fellow wives were now subject to grief their loss on National TV. The sorority of military wives had just taken a blow. As breakfast was started coffee was being consumed the phone mounted on the front of the kitchen rang.

Maurice answered the phone. It was his Captain who happened to be as old as his son. They had been volunteered they were and standby. Quickly decisions were made. The yard work was not going anywhere. The Warrant officer looked at his son stay by the phone when I am outside. The oaks with early spring had shed the leaves they had to be shoved into recycling bags. He ate his tacos and his vitamins his taco consumption was limited be his wife.

In Austin changes were made to weekend plans. Family plans were cancelled. The phone became a master. 7 families grieved in Florida.

Maurice Turjains had rake and the recycle bags were filled with oak leaves. The half acre lot had lots of oaks. His son sat in front of the TV ready to carry the portable phone at a moments notice. Another deployment meant that this had to be done today. He would be backing up the Border Patrol. Since the dark day of 9/11 the older W4 was flying near as many hours as he did in combat in Vietnam. That mean the oak leaves had to be raked up in the backyard and the front yard. Warriors had homes to be maintained.

The break for a light lunch was welcome. Then it was more of the same bag by bag was filled out no call. He would avoid being grounded for too many flight hours as a result of the fact that other resources were used. Just dinner and his son’s departure greeted the evenings. Lurking in the background someone very much like him had faced a horrific death witnessed by millions and families like his own starting their own journeys begun in a shock on the morning news.