The Campaign at 349 Glory Drive

Book excerpt: Sergeant William C. "Grandpa Billy" Stallings, a World War II veteran who always took great pride in being self-sufficient and self-reliant, reluctantly moved in with his son Jeb. Now, one year later, early symptoms of dementia are evident and beginning to have an impact on Grandpa Billy's everyday routines and family interactions. Never having imagined the burden his father was becoming, Jeb considers relocating him to an assisted-living facility, setting into motion a series of challenging and stressful circumstances. The Battle of the Bulge, a well-documented and reported period during World War II, serves as the historical backdrop for Grandpa's stories and the narrative of the story. One of Grandpa's favorite stories, however, noticeably begins to be told differently by him, where his wit and crusty charm are no longer able to conceal advancing health issues. Sadly, the truth of the story is not uncovered until after his death. His son Jeb, a veteran of the Vietnam War, and grandson Colin, a veteran of Gulf War I, learn of the secret through unusual and surprising circumstances, which had been veiled by Grandpa Billy for almost seventy years.