I feel the names of the dead soldiers as I run my fingers along the Great Vietnam Wall. The smooth black stone is covered with the engraved names. They feel rough under my fingers as I trace them.

I look around me and see people looking for familiar names, and wreaths of flowers left in memorial to the men who perished. Pictures of soldiers lost line the cobbled pathway at the base of the wall. The reflections of the trees in the polished black stone are blurred by the names engraved there. It gives the place a ghostly feel. Other memorials are reflected casually, distorted slightly by the thousands of names.

The wind whistles by, right through my thin coat, on its way to stir the trees, but I am beyond feeling now. People talk softly behind me. One voice catches my attention. A young man in a crisp, white military uniform of an officer is speaking to himself as he runs his fingers along the engraved name of someone he knew.

The scent of his cologne wafts through the breeze, mingling with the smells of the hundreds of flowers, and cool clean fall air. Carnations, roses, and other blooms sweetly call for my attention, but I ignore them. My interest is only in this young man.

I move closer to hear what he is saying. He doesn’t notice me. Why should he? I’m always here.

“Dad, I’m enlisted now. I’m in the Navy. I know that you never wanted me in the Armed Forces, but I have to do what I think is right. This is right for me. Just like the Army was right for you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t live up to your dreams for me.”

I bow my head in respect. The young man knows what he’s talking about. He knows he can’t follow the path that his father set for him. He reminds me of someone, but I can’t remember who.

I watch the young man as he salutes and slowly turns with an about face maneuver. He places his uniform hat on his head and starts to stride away. I close my eyes and the wind catches his hat and blows it off his head. He turns to catch it and finally catches sight of me. His eyes widen, and why shouldn’t they? I am in the uniform of an Army officer. I slowly salute him.

It is then that I realize who he reminds me of. Myself.

He returns the salute and I see his surprise as I slowly start to  fade away. Why shouldn’t he be surprised? I am the ghost of a Vietnam Soldier.