The Phone Call I Wish I Had Been Ready For
I’m writing this post in hopes of preparing you for the phone call that no one really prepares you for.
Phone calls were all that I clung to during basic training. Especially the first weeks. I never knew when I would hear from him or for how long. Before he left, he had jokingly told me that in the Marines they make all the recruits read a script for their first phone call and that is all they can say before they must hang up. We both thought that wouldn’t happen because...well...he wasn’t a Marine. But it did happen, and I want you to be ready for it and know what to expect.
A little preface, when your soldier first leaves, they go to 30th AG, which is where they are issued gear in prep for Basic Training. Recruits are at 30th for anywhere between 7-10 days.
I had heard from K on July 9th for about 30ish minutes. We discussed what he had done that week at 30th and that he would be leaving for basic on July 14th. He told me he thought he would get to call me and tell me he made it but wasn’t sure how long he would be able to talk. Knowing not to get my hopes up I told myself not to expect a call at all.
July 14th is a day that I will remember forever. My friend Macy and I were headed to my in-laws for the weekend. We had stopped at Sonic to grab some road-trip drinks. As we were waiting for our drinks, my phone rang. It was K. I was so excited!! I answered with “Hi babe!” and what he said is a blur. To be honest, all I remember hearing was, “This is K. I am calling to let you know I have made it to Basic Training. Thank you for your love and support. I will call you when I can.” I couldn’t even get words out. Macy hit me and said, “Say I love you!” As the knot was forming in my throat and tears were welling inside my eyes I managed to get out “I love you” as a drill sergeant in the background was yelling “HANG THE F*****G PHONE UP.” And that was it. I looked over at Macy, literally both of us too stunned to speak, and we broke out in tears. She joked that she had no idea why she was crying, but it made me feel better that I wasn’t crying alone.
Let’s all remember that we were still waiting for our Sonic drinks...LOL. The girl came out and handed me our drinks. Her expression didn’t change when she saw our tear-stained faces, so that was nice. We sat there for a few minutes taking in what we had just experienced. All I know is that I was extremely lucky to have had her there with me.
The phone call lasted 14 seconds. The worst 14 seconds of my life.
I wanted to share my story about this phone call because when you find out when your soldier is supposed to be moving from 30th to basic, I want you to be ready. I want you to be ready to say, “I love you” and not miss your chance. I also don’t want you to be alone when this call comes. If you think being alone is better for you then I understand. But having support, especially on the hard days, is something that is super important. I also want you to know that you aren't alone in feeling whatever you feel during and after the phone call. You need to feel those feelings and it is okay to feel them. It will suck, but your soldier has made it. This phone call starts their official journey.
