One Last Time Together

The Sixties, a turbulent time for the U.S. from the election of a new leader, to the Cuban Missile crisis, to the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the gay liberation movement, to the assassinations of John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X and Robert Kennedy.

The decade is met with challenges, the U.S. overcame them all, but for one couple the sixties, especially 1968 is a year they will never forget.

Sandy Correa and Danny Shea are high school sweet hearts, they lived through the first half of the sixties like another teenagers, partying, hanging out with friends, going on vacation, they are oblivious to the world around them.

Sandy and Danny occasionally hear about the Vietnam War, they are not bother by it, none of their family or friends have been draft, that is all about to change.

On June 7th 1968 Sandy and Danny graduated form high school, it's the happiest day of their lives, with a full athletic and academic scholarship to Stanford university Sandy and Danny are at the top of the world.

Over the next month Sandy and Danny make plans for the rest of the summer, but things always have a way of changing.

On the night of July 4th 1968 Sandy, Danny and both their parents are celebrating Independence Day, when they learn Danny has been drafted.

Danny's birthday May 18th has been announced as the next round of draftees.

Sandy falls on the floor and begins to cry. Danny goes to her and wraps his arms around her.

They sit together for the next hour. Danny tries to soothe Sandy telling her everything is going to be ok, but all Sandy can do is cry.

Sandy pulls away from Danny and runs out the door, she gets into her car and drives away. Danny and her parents yell at her to come back.

Sandy drives and drives and drives until the tears begin to blind her. Sandy pulls into a diner. She gets out of the car and walks in.

Sandy finds a seat in the back of the diner. A waitress by the name of Carly notices Sandy crying, she approaches her. They begin to talk.

"My dear. What's wrong?"

"The love of my life got drafted." Sandy sobs.

"Oh dear, that's terrible. I know how you feel."

"You do?"

"My two sons got drafted last year."

"That's terrible. How do you cope?"

"It's not easy sending the ones you love to war knowing they may not come back. I pray everyday for my boys to stay alive or I pray for sign to let me know my boys are okay."

"And are they okay?"

"Yes. They are both alive."

"I don't know what to do. The war hasn't hit us. Me and my family have been safe from the draft. I don't understand why they want to take my love away from me."

"Have faith my dear and believe he will come back."

"I will and thank you."

Sandy spends the next half hour in the diner talking to Carly. She gave Sandy good advice on how to handle what awaits her. Sandy thanks Carly for helping through this. She leaves the diner.

Sandy is not ready to go back home and face reality, instead she goes to her favorite place the lake house.

Sandy drives to the lake house thinking about what Carly told her. She feels sorry that both her sons are in Vietnam and for the many other that are fighting a war they know nothing about.

Sandy screams at the top of her lungs.

"Why my Danny? Why him? He's going to do great things. Why do you have to take him away from me?"

Sandy hits the steering wheel in fit of rage.

Sandy arrives at the lake house, she gets out of her car and walks to the cabin, she turns around and looks out into the forest thinking about all the memories Danny and herself shared, all the summer vacations, camp outs, everything, all the memories they ever shared or will ever shared can go all up in smoke.

Sandy goes to the lake and walks onto the dock. She stands at the edge and yells at the top of her lungs.

Why Danny? Why do you have to take the one good person in this world and put his life in danger. He has so much going for him. Danny's going to Stanford, he's going to make something of himself.

Please don't take him away from me. Let someone else go instead of Danny. I beg you, don't take the love of my life away from me.

Sandy gets down on her knees and begins to cry. She stays at the dock for a long time, she doesn't hear Danny coming up behind her.

Danny gets on his knees and wraps his arms around Sandy.

"I'm going to come home to you baby." Danny tells Sandy.

Sandy shakes her head.

"I hear everything that's happening over there." Sandy sobs.

Sandy turns around and faces Danny, she makes Danny promise her that he will come back to her and they will have a future together.

Danny promises her he will survive, come home and have the life they always dreamed of.

Sandy and Danny kiss.

"When do you leave?"

"Tonight." Danny tells her.

Sandy nods.

"Come with me to the bus station."

"I will."

Sandy and Danny head to Sandy's car, she gets inside the car and sees Danny's bags, reality has hit her. Danny is really leaving to Vietnam.

Danny drives in silence. He holds Sandy's hand all the way there.

They arrive at the bus station. Danny gets out of the car and opens Sandy's door.

Danny helps Sandy out of the car. They walk hand in hand to Danny's bus.

Danny turns to Sandy and tells her that he loves her and will fight day and night to get back to her.

Sandy begins to cry. She tells Danny that she loves her.

Danny gets down on one knee and proposes to Sandy.

"Sandy, I love you more than life itself and I know me getting drafted wasn't part of the plan,, but I can't image my life without you. Will you marry me?"

"Oh my god! Danny of course I will marry you."

Danny slips the ring onto Sandy's finger.

Danny twirls Sandy in the air, they both kiss and then Danny gets on the bus.

Sandy stands in place looking at Danny's bus leaving as it begins to rain.