The Legacy

Lauren knew the sound of that ’53 Panhead like she knew the sound of her own breathing. Without even being near it, she could already smell the oily tang of the exhaust. For fifty years Lauren had cared for that motorcycle as if her life depended on it, and, in a way, it did. She looked down at her phone again, at the text message displayed on the screen, and as the rumble of the two-stroke Harley Davidson got closer, she smiled.

Grandma Lauren, I’ll be there in two hours with the bike. I’m sorry, please forgive me! Jack

Her grandson was the spitting image of his grandfather, and he shared the same temperament and need for speed and trouble. Jack knew that the Panhead was not his to take on a whim, but that obviously didn’t stop him. And it wouldn’t have stopped his grandfather, either, a thought which made Lauren smile. The smile went hand-in-hand with the pain, though, and she thought again about the last time she had seen Johnny…

She stepped out into the sun, the air salty and breezy, and the clouds building to what would be another stormy afternoon. She felt out of place, despite her new hoopskirt, walking out of the Waikiki Biltmore. She had been to Hawai’i more times than she could count, but the Navy had always put them up in modest lodgings. But the Biltmore? It was brand new! And it was for rich people! And for the entire summer? Lauren had perfected her eyeroll listening to the snobby rich girls, she could barely even stand speaking to them. She spent most of her time avoiding the hotel and taking long walks on the beach, or a taxi across the island to her favorite movie theater. Most of all, she spent time with Johnny.

A greaser, she imagined, was the last thing she would see in Hawai’i, but they were here. They tended to hang out with the surfers, which kind of made sense, but they didn’t have the bad boy image here that they had back on the mainland. Lauren never understood why, but then again, she didn’t really care. Her heart melted for Johnny, and she knew that he was to be her forever.

Kalakaua Avenue was busy this time of day, so she waited for a crowd big enough to form that would stop traffic and allow them to cross. Lauren heard the motorcycle as soon as she began to cross, and her heart jumped into her throat. She was always nervous when she met him. The fear of her father’s wrath should he ever find out that she was dating a greaser would be the end of her summer. A military man would never abide his daughter being seen, or with, a hoodlum.

She followed the sound of the engine over to the left and hurried as best she could. Hurried movements were never easy in these clothes, and she certainly didn’t want to break a sweat before she saw Johnny. She had to look her best! And then she saw him.

Johnny was just putting down the kickstand when she spotted him. As she trotted over to him, she watched as he leaned against the seat and lit a cigarette. His hair was perfect, his eyes were hidden by his sunglasses, his black leather jacket was snug against his impeccably white t-shirt, and his pants were perfectly cuffed at his ankles. James Dean had nothin’ on Johnny! He lifted his head after the first drag on his cigarette and spotted Lauren immediately. His grin made her swoon.

She broke into an all out run when he stood to greet her and jumped into his arms. As he held her up with one arm, the other still holding his cigarette, she planted a firm kiss on his lips. When her feet finally touched the pavement, she heard him say, “Good morning, baby. Where are we off to today?”

She hadn’t even given much thought! In their time together they had been all over the island, and she wasn’t sure if there was any place that they haven’t been.

“Well, I…”

“You’re not going anywhere!” a gruff voice called out. “Lauren, get over here, right now!”

“Daddy?!”

“No words! Just move, young lady!” Captain Tanner stood tall and intimidating in his dress whites. He had just made the rank of captain back in March, and he had earned every bit of the authority that went with the rank. Captain Robert Tanner was no man to get on the wrong side of.

“Daddy, no!” she pleaded, yet her feet began to move towards her father and away from Johnny.

Suddenly, Johnny put a hand gently on her arm. “No, baby, let him come to us.” He stood tall and called out to her father, “Captain Tanner, it’s an honor to meet you, sir!”

Her father became obviously enraged and became like a bull charging a matador. Johnny stood his ground.

“Just who in the hell do you think you are, hoodlum?! Get away from my daughter!” And he put his his out to grab her. Lauren pulled away from him and backed up into Johnny. The captain looked about to start fisticuffs.

Then Johnny stepped closer to her father and removed his sunglasses. “I’m Johnny Dorsey, son of Lieutenant Jack Dorsey, survivor of the USS Oklahoma and casualty of war at Iwo Jima. He was awarded the Navy Cross at his burial, and he raised a son that has no less honor, courage, or commitment. In two months, I leave for Paris Island to be a Marine. And when I return stateside, I will respectfully request your daughter’s hand in marriage. My proof, sir.”

He held out a sheet of paper that he had been keeping in his pocket to her father. Stunned and speechless, Captain Tanner read over the orders. And as the relief settled over Lauren that Johnny would not meet his demise at the hands of her father, fear also began to bubble up knowing that Johnny would be away from her for a length of time that she did not know.

Her father handed the sheet back to him silently and nodded in approval. To Lauren, he said, “Don’t be out too late, your mother is looking forward to family breakfast in the morning.” and turned and headed back to the hotel.

It would be the most memorable day of her life, and the day Johnny left for boot camp would be the last she ever laid eyes on him. For Johnny was a natural military man, and he travelled to many places, including the Sinai, South Vietnam, and finally Lebanon. It was in July of 1958 that she got word that Johnny had been killed in action. But his legacy lived on thanks to that night after he first met her father. Though her father was none too happy on the outside that she had conceived out of wedlock, knowing the honor of the man that had done so made him proud, and he always showed it.

A single tear rolled down Lauren’s face as she watched Jack pull the Panhead into the driveway. He quickly dismounted and ran up the porch stairs and in the front door.

“Grandma, I’m so sorry! I know you told me to ask first, but I just couldn’t…”

“Shut up, Jack!” she said, and gave him a warm, tight hug. She was happy to see him, and the part of Johnny that was inside of him…