Trevor was going to be speaking at the Lakeside Veterans Center today at 9:00 a.m. sharp. Theo was determined to go and show support for Trevor, and maybe sign up as a volunteer to teach a photography class. Wally was welcome to attend, so after their morning walk and a light breakfast, the twosome headed into town. The LVC, or Lakeside Veterans Center, was located in an old refurbished brick house about five blocks up from the lake on the outskirts of the main downtown.
As they approached, Theo noticed a few young men and women standing off in the freshly mowed yard having a smoke. Who could blame them? he thought. The kind of stress vets went through was unimaginable to him. Jean’s death had totally devastated Theo. Jean had lived a full, long life, never long enough but with plenty of time to say goodbye in each other’s arms. For these people who served in war-torn areas, battlefield trauma was an unspeakable and unresolved horror. Theo would never truly understand the depth of what these men and women had to live with.
He opened the screen door and walked into a small reception area. The old wood paneling looked like it was the original from when the house was first built, with the faded linoleum floor to match. But it was spotless and the person behind the counter was friendly. Toward the back was a large multi-purpose room, where people stood and bits of their laughter and conversation drifted toward him.
“Well, who do we have here?” said the man minding the desk. He knelt down to pet Wally. “You are a handsome boy,” he said, scratching Wally behind the ears. “I had a beagle growing up, nothing like them.”
Theo introduced himself and the dog and let the man know they were here for Trevor’s talk.
“I’m Marc, at your service,” he said with a smile. “Follow me and I’ll take you back where we’re meeting today.”
Theo followed Marc through the main meeting area comprised of old couches and various mismatched chairs. Ceiling fans circulated the already warming air. There were posters on the wall of serene settings, from mountain ranges to seascapes, some with encouraging sayings. Theo felt his shoulders relax as they moved through the space. He hadn’t ventured out to try anything new in a long time.
There were several wooden chairs lined up and arranged to face a small raised platform. Most were filled, with about twenty men and women of all ages. A few in uniform, the rest casually dressed. Trevor stood on a low stage with Buddy, wearing his vest, at his side. He had on a nicely ironed plaid button-down shirt. It was the first time Theo could remember seeing him in anything but a t-shirt. His brown hair was cut neatly as always, and his glasses were in place. Looking around, Theo noticed a few people probably still dealing with injuries resulting from combat. But other people’s scars were not visible to the human eye. Theo knew all about that. He’d talked to Trevor enough to get a basic understanding of PTSD, and it was as deadly a disease as they came.
“You made it,” Trevor said as he waved hello. He motioned for Theo to come up to where there was a vacant seat up front.
“Come on, boy,” Theo said to Wally. Theo hesitated to sit so far from the exit, just in case he might feel like leaving, but he dismissed it and took a seat in the front row. Wally sat at his feet and promptly dropped into a nap. That dog could sleep anywhere.
After waiting for the crowd to settle, an announcer said, “Welcome, everyone. Today our speaker is our very own Trevor Lucero. He is going to share his journey with you how he found and ultimately bonded with his service dog Buddy.”
In response to his name, Buddy lifted his head and did a crisp bark. The whole room broke out laughing and the quiet tension dissolved.
Trevor walked to the microphone, Buddy at his heels. “As you can tell, Buddy and I are happy to be here. In fact, if it wasn’t for this dog, I’m not sure I would ever have made it out of my cabin and down to this center to begin with.”
A few people nodded in understanding. Theo remembered when Trevor had first moved here about four years ago. He’d seen him once in the market and in