Lesson 4
Exercise 1
Conflicts:
External
Distance from Mobile, Alabama >>>>Washington, D.C.
I remained at parents’ home; he was deployed to Washington, D.C
Was difficult; we had only had four weeks together since meeting and now were facing long-distance relationship.
We knew that we would not see each other for six months
Military Duties
Time consuming; settling into new assignment.
Unable to communicate regularly, due to duties and assignments
Never knew when he could and would be deployed
Summer of 1962, Vietnam looming in distance
Danger in home
Assaulted by abusive stepfather shortly after his departure to D.C.
Internal
Loneliness
I felt so alone once he left for D.C.; we had spent the last four weeks, since we met, seeing each other every single day
Anxiety
Very anxious; how would our whirlwind “love at first sight, now long-distance relationship” survive?
Fear
My abusive stepfather was trying to find me; he was lying and telling everyone that, “She just disappeared”.
Exercise 2
Write down the theme of your memoir as a question or an issue that you want to explore.
How did our “Love at First Sight” relationship end in such a terrible tragedy for this Southern Belle and my Handsome Yankee Airman?