Richard Stephenson - Collapse

Richard talked non-stop with his father about how actual real-life SEALS were in the movie. His dad told Richard that the same was true about the Senior Drill Instructor in his favorite movie, Full Metal Jacket . Kubrick had originally cast a different actor in the roll. Tom Colceri, the actor who played the Helicopter Door-Gunner, was originally cast as Senior Drill Instructor Hartman. Colceri never got to film a single scene once Kubrick viewed a videotape of R. Lee Ermey, a former United States Marine Corps Drill Instructor who had been hired as a consultant to assist with the boot camp portion of the film. In the videotape, Ermey screamed non-stop insults for fifteen minutes, never once repeating himself. The man managed to achieve the impressive feat while being pelted with tennis balls and oranges.

Richard became obsessed with being a Navy SEAL; he spent his teenage years getting into the best shape of his life. He’d studied everything he could about a vast array of weapons and tactics. His favorite book of all time was SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper by Howard E. Wasdin. He had lost count of how many times he’d read the book; he read it at least once a year and still carried the original copy with him always.

Richard graduated from high school, broke up with Monique before their son was even born, and set out to achieve his dream of becoming a SEAL. Richard’s father was pleased that he ended things with Monique. His father told everyone it was because he also wanted to see Richard become a SEAL, but Richard knew better. Though his father would deny it and pretend to be outraged if anyone said it aloud, he was a racist. Mr. Dupree had never uttered a racist comment around his children, but it was clear to Richard when he saw the look of disgust on his father’s face anytime he turned the channel to find Oprah or any Tyler Perry show staring back at him.

When Richard brought Monique home for the first time he wondered how his father would react. His father was polite and cordial to Monique as Richard expected. Mr. Dupree raised his children to treat others with respect and to display impeccable manners in his home. However, Richard could tell that his father did not approve of his girlfriend and preyed upon Richard’s frustrations with teenage love as an opportunity to drive the two apart any chance he got.

Monique wanted to get married before the baby was born and even tried to convince Richard that she would be the perfect military wife. She swore she would live on base and wouldn’t have any problem with Richard being deployed for long periods of time. Richard did not want to be burdened by a family and wanted to devote himself one hundred percent to joining the ranks of the world’s most elite fighting force.

Richard enlisted the day after his high school graduation and left a pregnant Monique behind to join the Navy. After the baby was born, Monique sent him pictures on a weekly basis hoping to change his mind about marriage. Richard fell in love with the son he never met but buried the emotions deep down and worked even harder to become a SEAL.

Having spent most of his childhood obsessing about everything to do with the SEALs, Richard breezed through the selection process. He impressed the instructors with his vast tactical knowledge and skills with a long-range rifle. It was clear to everyone in his graduating class that Richard had a bright future ahead of him.

Richard did indeed have an amazing career. His childhood dreams became the most amazing reality he could imagine. However, his life would not be complete unless Monique and their son were a part of it. Monique never once tried to collect child support from him. She knew that to do so would only drive him further away. Richard saved up as much leave as he could and after calling in a lot of favors, traveled back to his hometown for a month so he could marry his high-school sweetheart and raise their three-year-old son.

The wedding was small and simple. Richard wore his dress uniform and Monique wore her grandmother’s wedding dress. Much to Richard’s surprise, his father gave him his own wedding band for Monique to place on Richard’s finger. Richard had never been happier in his entire life.

Monique did keep her word on becoming a dutiful military wife. She never complained about Richard being away weeks and months at a time. Her complaints would only serve as a distraction for Richard, and his life depended on him being completely focused while he was on a mission.

Richard knew that his wife was lonely. His own guilt led him to believe that she was not being faithful to him while he was deployed around the world taking down terrorist cells. He began to become suspicious of any man, married or single, who knew Monique. His wife was stunning to look at; every man was spellbound by her beauty. Richard added man after man to his list of suspects and was convinced that one of them was having sex with his wife.

The suspicions faded away when their second child, a daughter, was born. Richard adored his little princess and could hardly tear himself away. Monique and the kids would wait anxiously by the computer for Richard to Skype them night after night. When he had down time, which was rare, he would dig his iPad out of his bag and look at the beautiful faces of his little babies growing up before his very eyes.

One night he Skyped his wife to discover the kids were already in bed. He’d been talking with his wife for over an hour when her cellphone rang from across the room.

“Oh, sorry hon, I’m expecting a call. Hold on a sec.”

“Sure, sure, go ahead, not a big deal.”

Monique walked to the other side of the room out of view of the webcam and answered her phone. Richard could only hear one side of the conversation, and he did not like what he heard.

“Hey, Bryan!” … “Yes” … “Thanks, yeah, I’m online with him right now.”… “I know! I’m so excited!” …….. “Two weeks from tomorrow, I can’t wait to see him.” ……. “Yeah, I’m excited about tomorrow, been looking forward to it all week.” …………. “Martha is watching the kids so we should be able to leave around lunch.” ………… “OK, I’ll remember, I gotta go.” ……. “OK, yeah, bye.”

Monique walked back into view of the computer and sat down. “OK, sorry about that, sweetie. That was Bryan.”

“Who is Bryan? Where are you going with him?” Richard tried his best not sound like he was accusing his wife of anything.

His wife smiled and smirked. “Oh that, I didn’t know you could hear me. It’s nothing; he’s a friend of Julia’s. His sister is getting married tomorrow, and Bryan asked Julia to go with him but didn’t really say it was a date. Julia really likes him and asked me to go along in case Bryan didn’t make a move. She didn’t want to be stuck there with no one to talk to if things got weird.”

“Oh, yeah, cool. Sounds like fun. Gonna be gone all day? Spending the night?”

“No, just for the day. They’re having a dinner reception and we’ll drive back that night.”

“Oh, well that sounds like a lot of fun. Make sure you guys don’t drink too much, and make it home safe.”

“I will honey. Will you be able to Skype us tomorrow? The kids really want to see you.”

“I doubt it. I might not be able to call again until right before we leave to come home.”

“OK, I understand, baby. I’m getting tired. Hope you can call before you come back.

“Me, too.”

“I love you, baby. Bye.”

Richard lifted two of his fingers to his lips, kissed them and pressed his fingers to the screen. Then the screen went black.

Richard was unable to contact his family until he returned stateside. He pulled out his iPad and tried to Skype his wife but got no answer. He dialed her cell and again got no answer. He texted her and got no reply. It was past 11pm; his wife should have been home with the kids.