The D.I. - A Mother's Connection to the Marine Corps
Mrs. Owens:
So you see, Captain Anderson, when a woman has lost her husband and two of her sons, when a woman is as much a part of the Marine Corps as I am, then her right to visit a Marine base is hardly questioned.
Cpt. Anderson:
I see.
Mrs. Owens:
I hoped you would. We Marines understand each other, don't we, Captain?
Cpt. Anderson:
Not always, I'm afraid. You have a son in my company. He is the reason for your being here. Am I right?
Mrs. Owens:
Yes. My son. My third son. How is he, Captain?
Cpt. Anderson:
Well, I can't help but believe that you know as well as I do.
Mrs. Owens:
Yes, his letters do paint a rather dark picture.
Cpt. Anderson:
And he wants out.
Mrs. Owens:
Yes. He does want out.
Cpt. Anderson:
If your visit had been yesterday, or the day before, you'd have gotten an argument. But I won't argue with you today. It seems to have reached that stage. No. I won't argue. You can have him back. I have the papers on my desk, and I'm recommending your son for discharge.
Mrs. Owens: [alarmed]
You will do no such thing!
Cpt. Anderson:
I beg your pardon?
Mrs. Owens:
You will not discharge him!
Cpt. Anderson:
But isn't that why you're here? I mean, I thought-
Mrs. Owens:
I don't care what you thought. You saw me, Captain, you said to yourself, "Here's a mother who wants her little boy back." No, Captain, no. My son is going to stay here and see this through. My husband did, my first two sons did, my third son will be no different! Captain Anderson, surely you know if he doesn't see this through, he'll never be any good. Surely you must know what his record is. He must stick this out. He must! I have made many mistakes with him. Too many. He's all I have left. Without realizing, I made a momma's boy out of him.
Cpt. Anderson:
Mrs. Owens-
Mrs. Owens:
I am not the kind of a mother who all of her life thinks of her sons as "my little boys"! My sons are men! All my sons are men!
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