The summer of 1965, what a time to be alive. In the small town of Elgin, Illinois, Valerie Jones has just graduated from Elgin High School. Valerie was well known around town, partly because of her fathers successful career. Her father had graduated from the University of Chicago Law School, and was a lawyer in the city of Chicago and the surrounding towns. The Jones Family was wealthy. They lived in an astonishing white house with a wrap-around porch, and a beautiful flower garden. The Jones lived a comfortable life and were an ideal family. Valerie’s father worked, her mother stayed at home, and her older brother was away at college. 

Valerie caught the eyes of the town. She was a beautiful girl. She had dark brown hair that curled up perfectly at the ends. She had sparkling eyes, the deepest shade of electric blue. Her bright smile could bring energy and light upon any room. Men swooned over her, while girls envied her. But there was only one person who she felt she could trust. Danny Anderson. 

Danny Anderson was in Valerie’s graduating class. He had just moved to town at the beginning of senior year because his family was insearch of work. They became friends towards the end of the second semester. He would walk her to class and help her study for tests. He was a good listener and friend. He also had a crooked smile that Valerie couldn’t help being charmed by. 

The day after they graduated Danny came by Valerie’s house. “Hey Val, want to come to the park with me,” he asked. 

“Yes, I would love to,” she answered. 

So that day, they rode their bikes to the park and sat and talked for hours. They talked about life and their families, but they avoided talking about the future. The future was unpredictable and they liked to live in the moment. 

This happened everyday all summer. They would leave in the morning and go on adventures to the park or watch a baseball game. They listened to music often. Their favorite song being, “Uptight” by Stevie Wonder.  They were inseparable during these days. 

A few days later, Danny rode to Valerie's house. When her father opened the door, Danny asked, “Do I have your permission to date Valerie?”

Her father had never seen Valerie this happy in a long time and knew Danny was a nice young man. So he answered, “Yes.”

Valerie and Danny were elated when they heard this, and went into town and had dinner together. They spent the rest of the summer together, doing the same activities as they had been doing. They enjoyed each other's company, and didn’t feel so alone in the world when they were together. They were in love.

In August of 1965, Danny was on his way home from a day of hanging out with Valerie. When he walked in his house, he felt a shift in energy. It was solemn and quiet, usually when he walked in his house he was greeted with cheerful smiles. When he went to find his mother and father, he saw his mother crying in her room. His father found him first and pulled him aside. 

“I’m sorry,” is all his father said. Then he handed Danny a letter. Danny read the letter and immediately felt his heart drop to his stomach. He was selected for the draft and would be fighting in the rising war in Vietnam. He was expected to pack up and leave for camp within the next week. 

The next day he went straight to Valerie’s house. But when she opened the door and walked outside, he couldn’t find any words to tell her. So he just pretended like nothing was wrong. He did this for the rest of the week, and when he parted ways with Valerie the day before he had to leave he said, “Goodbye, I love you.”

Valerie thought it was a little odd that he chose those words to tell her goodnight, but didn’t overthink it. When she woke up the next morning and Danny didn’t stop by she became worried. She thought something must have happened to him, but she waited until the next day to check. When the next day arrived and he still wasn’t there she decided to go to his house. She rode over there as fast as she could. When Danny’s mother answered the door with puffy eyes, Valerie was confused. His father welcomed her in, sat her down, and told her the news. When he first told her she was angry, but now she just felt crushed and heartbroken. 

She spent the next months moping around waiting for any news. Her parents encouraged her to look for a new man, someone wealthy and who would provide for her. But she couldn’t  bring herself to do it. A whole year went by before she heard anything about Danny, and what she heard hurt her more than anything else in the entire world. Danny Anderson had died in war, and this is where their story ends.