My son joined the USMC.

He found a DI with a big heart and thought he had it made.

I was still married to my ex at this time, she was a joy, she would spend the kids birthday money on scratch cards , etc. She was not on my account due to ink pen and blank checks that did not stay blank long in her possession.

My son had a relatively new midsize Pontiac as his only payment. Then he could not do direct deposit and get it paid without touching it. His mother nagged him into letting her manage his money while he was in boot, and she was to make the car payment, mistake # 2 was getting her signature on his account. I would have done it right, either of his 2 grandmothers would have done it right. His mother, who he and his sisters begged me to divorce, spent every dime while he was in boot and did not make one payment.

I came home one day and his car was gone. Where is it? I asked. She said bank error, shed take care of it, I knew better. I told her she needed to write our son and tell him now.

Mail call was right at lights out, he was lucky in having a window next to a street light, probably did not feel lucky reading that letter.

He was laying there crying, not so much for the car but what his mother did. The DI, who my son said was the meanest one they saw came by, probably did every night watching for guys that got a dear John letter.

My son said he came up and told him mail call was over, put it up and go to sleep. My son was crying hard, and he is one tough knot, never ever tell him you know he cried, might not be good for some body, The DI heard the SOBs and said bad news? Girl leave you? My son was sobbing too hard to talk, he handed the DI the letter. The DI said this is bad, no mother should ever do this to her son. The DI patted him on the shoulder and said tomorrow morning I will lend you the money and we will get your car back. Son said it's already been sold and is gone. They should have gone to get his checks held but did not.

The DI shows his fatherly human side. My son said well at least I now have a friend and the rest of boot will go better.

The next morning son was a tad slow on something, not normally a getting yelled at offense. He said his dreams of easy street died quickly. The DI was in is face and gave him double push ups. He figured out it was a lesson of, you saw my human side and now I'm gonna wipe your memory clean.