Why I'm sad Prince Harry is not going to war

Her blonde hair blew in the wind and her brow was furrowed as she watched the plane touch down. She had dreamed of this moment, and now it was here. Not one to wear her heart on her sleeve, she could hardly contain the tears in her eyes. She wanted to light a cigarette but knew that it wouldn't look good. The plane door opened, Prince Harry stood at the door way, blinking in the sunlight. He put on his sunglasses and spotted her right away. He raced down the stairs. Forgetting royal protocol and formalities, Chelsy Davy ran from her discreet, yet media friendly, spot on the tarmac, into Harry's waiting arms.

See how I could have written so much about Prince Harry returning from Iraq?

I will admit that I was disappointed when I heard that Prince Harry wasn't going to the front lines. While I have no particular attachment to him, I'm glad he's safe. My reasons for being disappointed stem from all the potential article ideas I could have thought of, drafted and published. It could have been wonderful. A veritable windfall of possibilities. Instead:

Prince Harry sat at his desk, waiting for the phone to ring. He played with a paperclip, his impotent rage barely concealed. Prince William looked at him across the desk, picking up an elastic band, he aimed and fired, hitting Prince Harry right between the eyes.

Almost makes you want to cry, doesn't it?

Like me, Harry must be incredibly frustrated. We've both been stymied by the system into which he was born. But no, his safety had to come first. Don't people understand the testosterone filled need for him to prove himself? Put his training to proper use? Show up his brother and actually earn his medals?

I'm sure I'm not alone in my disappointment. Sadly, all of the 'I'm Harry' t-shirts will go unsold. If you bought one you either have a collectors item or a conversation piece. Or, maybe it might come in handy. If you were kept from the front lines too, taping the word 'like' between the 'I'm' and 'Harry', could show your solidarity.

Yes, I could have written about the dynastic ramifications of sending him, how he's expendible in the grand scheme of things. William's simmering jealousy is an article in itself. Would Chelsy have waited for him? Now we'll never know! Should the unfortunate have happened, I could have written about his lost potential, and how he was misunderstood. And like other public figures when they die, made him out to be more important than he actually was. Instead:

Marilyn sat by her laptop. Frustrated by the news that Prince Harry wasn't going to Iraq. First William and Kate Middleton, now this! All the drafts gone to waste. As she checked her news alerts, her mind drew a blank. What would she write about now? She sighed deeply, closed the laptop and put it away...

Doesn't that make you want to cry?

© Marilyn Braun 2007